Last week, Aryna Sabalenka became the youngest champion at the Connecticut Open since 2010, but she wasn't the only one having an unforgettable experience.
Darien native and Yale sophomore Caroline Dunleavy has been going to the courts in New Haven since she was a little girl. This year, she was back again, but this time, she was playing on them and she was joined by some tennis legends.
"I'm so excited! I obviously grew up watching Lindsay Davenport and James Blake,” said Dunleavy, who was invited to play in a mixed doubles exhibition game at the tournament. "James and Lindsay have played on the biggest stages of tennis, they're both such great champions, it's a different type of excitement."
Davenport is a three-time Grand Slam champion and James Blake, a Connecticut native, is a former World Number 4.
"That's the best part of it right? Playing tennis with the next generation,” said Davenport. “To be able to meet players that absolutely love tennis and are into sports and all of that is really kind of cool."
It was also kind of cool for the tennis player who grew up in the stands at the Open.
“I used to come here during qualifiers and come on the stadium court just so I could get an autograph from the top players in the main draw,” said Dunleavy.
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This year, Dunleavy didn't have to fight for autographs because she also got a chance to fight for a spot in the main draw, earning an invite to the qualifiers.
"I was really nervous when I started the match out. I don't think I won a point in the first couple of games,” Dunleavy said about her qualifying match.
Her time in the tournament ended there, but she said it’s anything but a loss.
"In the third game, I just said to myself, ‘You never know if you'll ever be back here’ and this is such an amazing moment. And I just tried to breathe,” Dunleavy said. “Once I settled into the match, I was just blown away by the fact that I was on the court playing with my entire family watching. It was really special."
