Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open returns to Payne Park Tennis Center for third-straight year

SARASOTA — Professional tennis returns to Sarasota’s Payne Park Tennis Center April 7-14 with the Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open. The tournament, which started in 2009 and is part of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Challenger Tour, will be played on Payne Park’s outdoor Har-Tru green clay courts.

Last year the tourney moved from a 100-point ATP Challenger event level to a 125-point level, increasing the purse to $160,000. Germany’s Daniel Altmaier pocketed $21,650 of it, defeating Colombia’s Daniel Galan in the singles final. Past winners include James Blake, Sam Querrey, Tommy Paul and Nick Krygios.

This year’s field includes two players ranked in the top 100 in the world. Ohio State University star JJ Wolf, who earned All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year honors, is ranked 94th. In 2020 and 2022, he reached the third round of the US Open as a wild card. Juan Pablo Varillas, currently ranked 95th, recently won an ATP Challenger Tour event in Santiago, Chile, and last year reached the fourth round of the French Open.

A net victory: Altmaier defeats Galan in final of Sarasota Open, takes home first-place prize of $21,650

You won't be able to tell the players without a scorecard. And you won't know the full skinny on this year's Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open without help from this fans' guide.

Who are some of the other players in this year's field?

Ranked 98th in the world, Aleksandar Kovacevic is a 25-year-old of Serbian descent who reached the second round of this year's Australian Open.

Thanasi Kokkinakis hails from Australia and has been ranked as high as No. 65 in singles by the ATP. Currently ranked 101st, he reached the third round of the French Open in 2015 and 2023.

Zizou Bergs, ranked 114th in the world, is the No. 1-ranked Belgian singles player. He made his Grand Slam debut by winning the last 2022 Wimbledon wildcard.

A former IMG Academy student, Michael Mmoh reached the third round of last year's Australian Open. Currently ranked 125th, Mmoh is coming off playing the qualifiers at Indian Wells.

Patrick Kypson was last year's Roland Garros Wild Card Challenge winner by accumulating the most ranking points. Ranked 140th, Kypson is coming off a win at the Cleveland ATP Challenger Tour event.

Thirty-one-year-old Denis Kudla has won nine Challenger singles and nine doubles titles in his career. Ranked 163rd, Kudla has qualified for the Australian Open and Wimbledon three times, and the French Open twice.

Also in the field are Marc Polmans, Alexander Ritschard, Clement Tabur, Oliver Crawford, Martin Damm, Calvin Hemery, Geoffrey Blancaneaux, Tristan Boyer, Enzo Couacaud, Alessandro Giannessi, Dmitry Popko, Ethan Quinn, and Joel Josef Schwaerzler.

Besides the action on the courts, what else will be happening that week at Payne Park?

The Open kicks off on Sunday, April 7 with a kids clinic starting at 9 a.m. They are asked to wear tennis shoes, and rackets will be provided, or you may bring your own. At 10 a.m., the singles qualifier matches begin. These will feature players whose rankings don't gain them direct entry into a tournament.

On Monday, April 8, singles qualifier matches continue at 11 a.m., along with the start of first-round singles matches. The evening singles matches will start at 6 p.m.

On Tuesday, April 9, the daytime singles and doubles matches start at 11 a.m., with the evening singles matches beginning at 6.

On Wednesday, April 10, get a free car wash giveaway through Tommy's Express Car Wash Day. At 9:30 a.m., Margrit Bannon, a USPTA teaching professional and a certified yoga instructor, will lead a free yoga class. No experience is nesessary, and a yoga mat will be provided if you don't bring one yourself. At 11 a.m., daytime singles and doubles matches start. The evening singles matches start at 6.

On Thursday, USTA members will receive discounted admission. Singles and doubles matches start at 11 a.m., and 6 p.m. for the evening singles matches.

Action starts on Friday at 11 a.m. in singles matches and doubles semifinal matches. At 6:30 that evening at Michael's On East will be the Tennis Ball, an evening to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties.

On Saturday at 9:30 a.m., Margrit Bannon will hold another free yoga for tennis free class. The singles semifinals and doubles final matches will start at 11 a.m.

And on Sunday, the singles championship match will start at noon.

You got me interested. So how does one go about buying tickets?

Go to sarasota-open.ticketleap.com and pick the day or days you want to attend. A one-day covered grandstand ticket costs $30. It gets the buyer a covered bleacher seat and access to other match courts.

A VIP front-row seat costs $110 and gets the buyer a front-row chair next to Center Court. The ticket includes VIP lounge access for one, with complimentary food and open bar. A VIP courtside table with a four-seat minimum costs $160 and gives the four a covered VIP table overlooking Center Court. The purchase includes one complimentary bottle of champagne for the table, plus VIP lounge access for four, which includes complimentary food and open bar. A VIP table without a four-seat minimum costs $135. It gets the buyer a seat at a covered four-seat VIP table near Center Court. The purchase includes VIP lounge access with complimentary food and open bar, in addition to access to other match play.

These prices will rise as Sunday's final draws closer. For Sunday's tournament final, a covered grandstand ticket costs $50, a VIP front-row seat goes for $155, a VIP courtside table with four-seat minimum for $205, and a VIP table without the four-seat minimum goes for $180.

OK, if I decide to go, will parking be a problem?

Complimentary event parking is available in a designated grass lot near the courts and in the City’s nearby parking garage. Additional public parking is available near Payne Park’s skate park. A limited number of accessible parking spaces are available near the entrance for those guests with a state issued handicapped license plate or hang tag and are available on a first come basis. Do not park in the Tax Collector’s (Terrace Building) parking lot directly across from Payne Park’s entrance during government business hours. Cars may be towed at owners expense.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open tournament set for April 7-14