tennis, life and a few things in between

This is the second Sarasota Open, a part of ATP Challengers Tour held at Payne Park, April 9-16, 2023; with $128,000 prize money.

_{The box office, bathroom – definitely better than porta potty, and the center court: the poles are eyesore.} 

The Open itself, goes back to 2008, had been held at various locations:

• Longboat Key Club ^2009-14 
• Lakewood Ranch ^2015-6 
• United Tennis Center ^{2008, 2017}
• Laurel Oak Country Club ^2018-9 
• not held in 2020-1

This year, the title sponsor is Elizabeth Moore, a prominent local philanthropist with passion for tennis. The ticket prices increase as the tourney gets deeper, and are groups into a few categories. Re-entry is allowed.

• $237 Fifth Third Bank Row
• $159 5/3 Bank Champagne Table
• $159 VIP Champagne Table
• $169 Club Reserved
• $64 Reserved
• $54 general admission

Because of rain delay from previous day – Wednesday, we watched more matches than we anticipated. Court 5 is their center court, named after Nick Bollettieri (1931-2022). One side is general admission and the other side is the lounge with tables and chairs. Both sides have tent. The poles that support the tent are unsightly, unnecessary evil I guess. Court 7 and 8 are used as well, and we sit right there with the line person – perks of the small and intimate tournaments.

The center court has an announcer or commentator

 

The matches

1. Zhang Zhizhen (🇨🇳 1996-) ^def Alex Rybakov (🇺🇸 1997-) ^{delay; to Q}
2. Tristan Boyer (🇺🇸 1997-) ^def Jack Sock (🇺🇸 1992-) ^delay;
3. Enzo Couacaud (🇫🇷 1995-) ^def Zhang
4. Daniel Elahi Galán/Galan (1996-) ^won T Boyer ^retired
5. Genaro Alberto Olivieri ^def Bjorn Fratangelo (🇺🇸 1993-)
6. Gullermo Duran & Guido Andreozzi ^def Robert Galloway (🇺🇸 1992-) & Miguel Angel Reyes-Vareia

Zhang Zhizhen ^def Alex Rybakov 6-4, 7-6, delay match from Wednesday. Zhang advanced to the quarter final

Tristan Boyer  ^def Jack Sock, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, also a delay match from yesterday.

Enzo Couacaud (🇫🇷 1995-) ^def Zhang, 6-3, 6-3 on Thursday, April 13

Daniel Elahi Galán/Galan ^won Tristan Boyer 6-4, 3-0. Galán/Galan is the defending champ. Boyer beat out Jack Sock from previous day’s match and this is his second match of the day.

Genaro Alberto Olivieri ^def Bjorn Fratangelo 6-3, 3-6, 6-7. Fratangelo behaved pretty badly at the end, smashing his racket to the ground many times … oh well.

Gullermo Duran & Guido Andreozzi ^def Robert Galloway & Miguel Angel Reyes-Vareia 7-6, 5-7, 1-6. The last few points Galloway played, played badly and at the conclusion of the match, he throw his racket. A female fan or staff retrieved it from the next court.