The New York Open, the ATP tournament held at Nassau Coliseum for three years, has been moved to Dallas starting next year. This year’s tournament, scheduled for February, was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Dallas is an incredible sports and entertainment market and presented the opportunity for us to create a unique, intimate event at the Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex at SMU,” New York Open tournament director Peter Levedevs said. “We are also excited about partnering with SMU to help further one of our goals of growing the game of tennis. And there is rich tennis history and a growing tennis base in Dallas, but they haven’t had an ATP Tour-level event since the late 80s. We are excited to fill that void with the Dallas Open.”
“I think a lot of us are very surprised,” said Kathy Miller, general manager of Carefree Racquet Club in North Merrick, which served as the practice facility for the tournament. “Surprised that someone didn’t contact us up front to tell us about it.”
Miller cited what she believed to be difficulties both in fan attendance and underlying sponsorships for the tournament owned by GF Sports & Entertainment, a Manhattan company that said at the outset of the first tournament in 2018 that it was in it for the long haul on Long Island.
“They didn’t have enough crowds,” Miller said. “I think they had a hard time with sponsors. I certainly understand that they are leaving but it’s unfortunate because it was a nice event for Long Island to have.”
A media release issued on Wednesday gave no reason for leaving Long Island. The release said the tournament will partner with John Isner’s foundation. Isner, long the top-ranked American player who played in the New York Open, is a Dallas resident.
