Lakewood Ranch Tennis Center prepares to host the Sarasota Open for the first time
LAKEWOOD RANCH -- For the past six years, tennis pros such as Nick Kyrgios, who defeated Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon last year, and Kei Nishikori, a finalist at the 2014 U.S. Open, have traveled to Southwest Florida in the spring to take part in the Sarasota Open.
Now top-ranked men's professional tennis players will compete at the Lakewood Ranch Tennis Center, the new site of the 2015 Sarasota Open.
The nine-day U.S. Tennis Association Pro Circuit Tournament event begins April 11 and runs through April 19 and is expected to draw thousands to the tennis center, part of the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club on Legacy Boulevard.
Plans are under way to convert the three clay courts closest to the tennis center and the pro shop into two stadiums, with bleacher seating around each for a bird's-eye view of the players competing in singles and doubles on the USTA Challenger level.
"We've had some big-time players in the past and I'm really looking forward to having it here," director of club operations and tennis Paul Lederman said. "Lakewood Ranch has much better access from Naples and Tampa off of I-75 and we'll probably get people coming from Fort Lauderdale and Miami."
The main stadium will be called the James T. Driscoll Centre Court Stadium, in memory of James Driscoll, father of the Sarasota Open's tournament director Tony Driscoll. James Driscoll, who was instrumental in helping his son make the tournament a success, died after suffering a stroke in December.
Now Tony Driscoll will be busy in the next few months helping transform the tennis center and the new stadium, with its new seats, risers, lights, scoreboard, and two food-and-beverage facilities, all with assistance from Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, owners of Lakewood Ranch.
"Longboat Key was a great place with a great crowd, and now we are happy to partner with SMR," Driscoll said.
To make the Sarasota Open even more of a crowd-pleaser this year, Driscoll said there are plans to incorporate Cirque du Soleil-type entertainment each day of the tournament, along with parties where spectators can meet the players.
Legendary tennis coach Nick Bollettieri, who founded his namesake tennis academy in 1978 in Bradenton and who was a 2014 Tennis Hall of Fame inductee, also will play a part in the festivities.
"We'll have a lot of events to make it more fun," Driscoll said. "As far as who will be competing, we're an ATP Challenger level (tournament), but we won't know until after the Australia Open, which is going on now."
Parking for the Sarasota Open will be available at the tennis center, the adjacent athletic center and at the Sarasota Polo Club, with free shuttle service to and from the tournament.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at sarasotaopen.org or by calling the box office at 941-444-3952.
Kathryn Moschella, Lakewood Ranch reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7010. Follow her on Twitter @MoschellaHerald.
This story was originally published January 29, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Lakewood Ranch Tennis Center prepares to host the Sarasota Open for the first time."