On the move

LAKEWOOD RANCH — For the past five years, Lakewood Ranch has been home to one of the premier college tournaments in Florida, the Dick Vitale Lakewood Ranch Intercollegiate Clay Court Classic presented by First Watch Cafe.

And now the community will host one of the premier professional tournaments as well.

After six years on Longboat Key, the Sarasota Open will now be held at the Lakewood Ranch Tennis Center.

“It’s a nice fit,” Director of Athletic Center Operations Paul Lederman says. “I think it will be great for the club and Lakewood Ranch. They filled more than 31,000 seats last year, and we’re always trying to bring as many people to Lakewood Ranch as possible to develop the area and the athletic center.”

Sarasota Open CEO Tony Driscoll approached Lederman about the possibility of moving the Sarasota Open from The Tennis Gardens at Longboat Key Club to the Lakewood Ranch Tennis Center about four months ago. The two sides began negotiating before coming to an agreement about a month ago.

“Lakewood Ranch has a great stadium and a lot of growth,” Driscoll says. “It’s an excellent opportunity.”

The decision wasn’t an easy one but one Driscoll felt was too big of an opportunity to pass up. Sarasota Open organizers thought Lakewood Ranch’s proximity to I-75 would be more appealing to attendees coming from Tampa and Naples.

“They’ve been great,” Driscoll says of The Tennis Gardens at Longboat Key Club. “They are great people to work with and provide a first-class opportunity. I couldn’t say enough great things about (tennis director) John Woods. The members are great, too. I think a lot of people will follow us to Lakewood Ranch.”

The 2015 Sarasota Open will be held April 11 through April 19. The Sarasota Open is the premier men’s professional tournament in Southwest Florida and attracts some of the top players on the Association of Tennis Professionals World Tour. In addition to men’s singles and doubles tournaments, the Sarasota Open also features a smaller singles tournament for women.

“We have a number of juniors at the club, and it’s great for them to be able to go out and see that level of play,” Lederman says. “Hopefully it will encourage them to get more involved in tennis and show what they can do if they have that passion and work ethic.”

Driscoll hopes to have tickets available for purchase online and through the box office beginning Jan. 1. Season ticket holders and Lakewood Ranch Tennis Center members will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets.

Driscoll also plans to begin announcing players for this year’s Sarasota Open in January.

With more tennis courts available at the Lakewood Ranch Tennis Center, the Sarasota Open will be changing its general admission seating this year. A general admission ticket will allow guests access to the second stadium and outdoor tennis courts. Those wishing to see the action on the center court will need to purchase a box seat.

In addition, Sarasota Open officials plan to add stadium and bleacher seating around court one, the tennis center’s existing stadium court, which will seat roughly 1,000 spectators and serve as the tournament’s nighttime stadium.

The tennis center also plans to convert courts 11 and 12 in the back of the facility into one court, which will serve as the tournament’s daytime stadium.

“We have so many members that will go on Longboat Key to watch the Sarasota Open and volunteer at the event that we just knew the demand would be so great for the area,” Lederman says. “That’s one of the main reasons why we wanted to do it.”

For more information on the Sarasota Open visit the tournament’s website at sarasotaopen.org.