Some of the biggest names in women’s tennis will return to the courts in New Haven this summer from Aug. 19-27 for the Connecticut Open.
Legends of the men’s game like John McEnroe, Andre Agassi and Connecticut native James Blake will also participate in a legends event during the summer tourism season.
“Our defending champion and Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova is coming back,” Tournament Director Anne Worcester said Tuesday.
She also announced four-time past champion and “Queen of New Haven” Caroline Wozniacki and rising American star Shelby Rogers have entered the tournament field.
The Connecticut Open generates a $10 million in economic impact for New Haven, the region and the state, Worcester said.
“What the tennis tournament has done off the court with the attractions and the festival atmosphere that you have here makes it very attractive lots of folks, even those who many not be the most die-hard tennis fans,” said Ben Barnes, Secretary of the Connecticut Office of Policy Management.
New this August, Yale is presenting an Olympic style opening ceremony featuring flag bearers and performances.
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“This ceremony is going to quickly be following the Rio Olympics so we are trying to make it a little bit of an international celebration,” Yale University VP for Communications Eileen O’Connor said.
Tuesday Aug. 23 is designated as the first Girls Day and Night Out filled with “shopping, and tennis and makeovers and fashion, trunk shows,” Worcester said.
For the second year in a row, the tournament is partnering with a wide range of local non-profits for the 50/50 Project.
“For all the tickets that non-profit sells we will give them back 50-percent of the net proceeds,” Worcester said.
This year 15 major companies such as Mohegan Sun, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Nickelodeon are joining a long list of sponsors.
NBC Connecticut is the media partner for the Connecticut Open.
