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Bill Simons of Inside Tennis follows up on earlier story that IMG has sold the WTA/ San Jose "Silicon Valley Classic" essentially ending the tournament that Billy Jean King helped found and which had been the longest-running women's only pro tennis event.
https://www.insidetennis.com/2023/04...alley-classic/
After IMG helped the Sharks "export" to Rio via Memphis, Barry MacKay's SAP Open, originally known as the "Pacific Coast Championships" when MacKay bought the controlling interest in 1970, while still ranked Albums as a player, there will be no top tennis in the SF/ Bay Area for the first time in 134 Years"
"The WTA event was first staged in 1971 in San Francisco. If it leaves the Bay Area,
It would be the first time in 134 years that the region lacked a truly elite level tennis tournament."
"Co-founded 52 years ago by Billie Jean King, the Bay Area tourney played a critical role in women’s sports and was the longest running all-women tennis tourney in the world. The Bay Area’s premier men’s event, San Jose’s SAP Open, that traced its origins back to 1889, departed in 2013."
"If so, there won’t be a big tennis event west of Ohio during the key summer months. And all we’ll have is memories, and the hope that someday the Bay Area will again stage a truly elite event. "
https://www.insidetennis.com/2023/04...alley-classic/
After IMG helped the Sharks "export" to Rio via Memphis, Barry MacKay's SAP Open, originally known as the "Pacific Coast Championships" when MacKay bought the controlling interest in 1970, while still ranked Albums as a player, there will be no top tennis in the SF/ Bay Area for the first time in 134 Years"
"The WTA event was first staged in 1971 in San Francisco. If it leaves the Bay Area,
It would be the first time in 134 years that the region lacked a truly elite level tennis tournament."
"Co-founded 52 years ago by Billie Jean King, the Bay Area tourney played a critical role in women’s sports and was the longest running all-women tennis tourney in the world. The Bay Area’s premier men’s event, San Jose’s SAP Open, that traced its origins back to 1889, departed in 2013."
"If so, there won’t be a big tennis event west of Ohio during the key summer months. And all we’ll have is memories, and the hope that someday the Bay Area will again stage a truly elite event. "