CLEVELAND — Editor's Note: The video in the player above originally aired on December 7, 2020.
The city of Cleveland is home to three major professional sports teams, and has hosted a wide variety of amateur and professional sporting events, playoff games and exhibitions. This summer, the city will be in the sports spotlight again, this time for tennis.
From August 22-28, the Cleveland Championships, a WTA 250 event, will bring into town some of the top women tennis players in the world for the inaugural occasion.
"Cleveland has never had an annual women’s sporting event of this level, and through the platform of the WTA Tour we can not only introduce the city to world-class tennis, but we can introduce the tennis world to the city of Cleveland," said Kyle Ross, Tournament Director of the event.
Throughout the week-long event, 32 singles players and 16 doubles teams with compete in 54 matches for $300,000 in prize money and WTA rankings points.
The tournament will be held at Jacob's Pavilion at Nautica in the West Bank of the Flats. The stadium will be constructed under the pavilion with a capacity of 3,000 + guests. Those hoping to attend will have the option of choosing VIP or general admission seating.
Event organizers say they hope to create a "dynamic urban experience" with food trucks, live music, beer garden, farmer's market and art show.
"Fans should come for the tennis and stay for the show, and the other way around," according to a press release.
The event is owned and managed by Cleveland-based sports agency Topnotch Management. The Championships are a direct link to the Cleveland Open, an annual ATP Challenger event, hosted by the agency each winter at the Cleveland Racquet Club.
“Our community is ready to welcome the annual Women’s Tennis Association 250 event to The Land,” said David Gilbert, President and CEO of Greater Cleveland Sports Commission.
The Cleveland Championships already have a host of local sponsors including the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, Destination Cleveland, Medical Mutual, Cleveland Clinic, Great Lakes Brewing Company, Miller Lite and White Claw.
Week-long courtside boxes are currently available, but individual tickets won't be available until later this spring. For more information on the tournament, click here.
Editor's Note: The video in the player above originally aired on March 21, 2019.