News

WINSTON-SALEM, NC — The USTA and ATP World Tour today announced the sale of the ATP World Tour event previously located in New Haven, Conn. to Winston-Salem Professional Tennis. Beginning in August 2011, the 48-draw tournament will take place in a to-be-constructed tennis facility on the campus of Wake Forest University.

The newly-designed state-of-the-art tennis facility will be constructed to host both professional and collegiate tennis events. The facility will be located between the current indoor tennis training center and BB&T Field, home of the Wake Forest Demon Deacon football team. Plans call for the construction of 10-12 Deco-Turf II courts, and will incude center court seating with a minimum of 3,500 and two additional show courts which will hold at least 1,500 each.

“We are thrilled this prestigious event is coming to Winston-Salem, a community that has embraced tennis events over the past several years,” said Don Flow President of The Flow Companies and head of Winston-Salem Professional Tennis. “The entire community will embrace this event and the process has already begun with our corporate community stepping up, and with Wake Forest University being a major supporter of the event.”

“We are thrilled about the ATP’s new home at Wake Forest University, and thank Don Flow and Winston-Salem Professional Tennis for bringing men’s professional tennis back to North Carolina,” said ATP Executive Chairman and President Adam Helfant. “Globally, the game is enjoying one of the most exciting periods in its history, and it’s terrific that the tour will visit Winston-Salem as part of its U.S. summer swing.”

“We have worked with Don Flow for many years and know first hand his passion and commitment to the sport of tennis,” said Lucy S. Garvin, USTA Chairman of the Board and President. “The tournament will take place with tremendous local support, both within the Winston-Salem community and the USTA Southern Section, and with a national television and marketing platform courtesy of the Olympus US Open Series.”

“It is an honor for Wake Forest to serve as the host of the Winston-Salem Open,” said Wake Forest President Nathan O. Hatch. “The international attention garnered by the tournament will allow us to showcase Wake Forest’s unique character.”

“We are very excited to host the Winston-Salem Open at Wake Forest University, both for the opportunity it gives for our fans and the entire Winston-Salem community to experience an ATP tournament in their backyard, and for the improvements it will bring to our athletic facilities.” said Wake Forest athletic director Ron Wellman. “The world-class tennis complex that will be constructed will give our men’s and women’s tennis teams one of the best facilities in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It will perfectly compliment the recent renovations to BB&T Field and Wake Forest Baseball Park as part of our commitment to providing our fans with one of the best game day experiences in the country.”

“Winston-Salem is thrilled at the opportunity to host this tournament. The community has a rich tennis history and we have a long tradition of supporting tennis. It is great to see Wake Forest and the corporate community partnering in such an innovative way. The tournament will have a significant economic impact and it will help ensure that this is a great place to live in the future,” said Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines.

According to Flow, the entire Winston-Salem community has embraced the event. Local corporate partners who have signed as initial presenting sponsors of the tournament include BB&T Bank, Hanes Brands and the Flow Companies.

The event, with a total purse of $625,000, will take place from August 21-27, with qualifying set for August 19 and August 20. The tournament remains the final men’s event of the Olympus US Open Series, and will receive national television exposure via Tennis Channel and ESPN2. The 2011 singles final is expected to be carried by CBS Sports on Saturday, August 27. Launched in 2004, the Olympus US Open Series created a regular season for the sport of tennis in the U.S., and with a consistent television package, has doubled television viewership of the Series tournaments since its inception.