source: philadelphiatennisclassic
Professional women’s tennis returns to Philadelphia this weekend for the first time in roughly two decades.
The inaugural Ennoble Care Philly Open runs Aug. 23–29 at the University of Pennsylvania’s Hamlin Tennis Center, operating as a WTA 125 event.
According to PHL17, the tournament marks the first professional women’s tennis competition in the city in more than 20 years.
NBC Philadelphia reported that the event is central to a larger push by Philadelphia Sisters, a women’s sports organization, to establish Philadelphia as a premier destination for female athletic competition.
The Field and Tournament Format
As 957 BEN FM reported, more than 40 players will compete across 50 singles and doubles matches, with organizers constructing a 1,200-seat outdoor center court specifically for the event.
Fourteen players ranked in the world’s top 100 are scheduled to participate.
The field includes Germany’s Eva Lys, American Ashlyn Krueger, Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova, and Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Per 957 BEN FM, Samsonova is a five-time WTA champion and Wimbledon quarterfinalist, while Krueger reached a career-high ranking of No. 29.
Tournament Director Alex Guthrie described the lineup as one of the strongest WTA 125 player fields assembled this year, noting the event serves as final preparation before the U.S. Open.
Philadelphia native Esha Velaga has been named to play the tournament’s opening match.
Around 200 volunteers will help run the event, including ball kids from Penn tennis camps and local high school players.
Off-Court Programming and Tickets
The tournament includes a Vendor Village as part of the on-site experience.
Pride Night is scheduled for Aug. 27 at Ballers Philadelphia, a separately ticketed event starting at 8 p.m. that will feature entertainment, local LGBTQIA+ organizations, and access to the venue’s courts and amenities.
Tickets for that evening are $30.
The Aug. 29 final will crown singles and doubles champions and also include the One-Point 5K Challenge Finals, a knockout rally competition open to public registration.
General tournament tickets start at $20, with additional seating and hospitality options available.
Philadelphia Sisters and the Push for Women’s Sports
NBC Philadelphia reported that comedian Wanda Sykes, one of Philadelphia Sisters’ founders, expressed strong enthusiasm for bringing pro women’s tennis back to the city after a 20-year gap.
Alex Niedbalski-Sykes of the organization said the group has spent nearly seven years working to expand women’s sports in Philadelphia, describing it as a women’s sports town.
Starla Crandall of Philadelphia Sisters told NBC Philadelphia that seeing professional female athletes compete gives young people both a reason to stay involved in sports and something meaningful to work toward.
The Philly Open follows a sold-out Unrivaled 3-on-3 women’s basketball event that Philadelphia Sisters brought to Xfinity Mobile Arena on Jan. 30, which PHL17 reported drew 21,490 fans, setting a record for a regular-season women’s professional basketball game.
The organization is now considering adding women’s lacrosse, ice hockey, and soccer to future Philadelphia programming.