2012年1月31日星期二

Why did the U.S. Pro Tennis Championships at Longwood Cricket Club in Chestnut Hill MA go defunct?

Do they hold any other tournaments there now?

Why did the U.S. Pro Tennis Championships at Longwood Cricket Club in Chestnut Hill MA go defunct?
Losing money(ATP stops are expensive to hold) and lack of sponsorship ends up being the demise of most tournaments They often shift locations if the time slot is a good one. There is now an official hardcourt series ending in Cincinnatti. The real beginning to the end for the US Pro was 1978, when the US Open shifted to hardcourts and the Longwood club stuck with Har-Tru clay. It no longer was an effective tune-up for the Open. Tradition and prestige kept it going, but from 1990-1996, it was exhibition only. A couple of new sponsors(see link below) tried to revive it, but the clay court season had shifted to an earlier time, Europe was the new home, and red clay rules. 1999 was the last year. That was also the last year for any pro event as the Davis Cup tie with Australia was played later that year.

Longwood suffers from the same malady that a lot of venerable tennis clubs have:an aging membership that uses Har-Tru almost exclusively. Unfortunately, that's the surface needed for a successful tourney in the US since no US player can win otherwise.
Reply:Probably due to lack of sponsors.


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