Smashing good time
Enjoy world-class tennis at beautiful spots around New England
My summer travel plans often center around tennis. I love the game, and I love visiting great locations for their tennis programs and worldclass pros, and for their spectacular settings.
This year, though, shoulder surgery has sidelined me, perhaps for the entire summer. But summer tennis tournaments are plentiful on the East Coast. So while I may not be able to hit the ball, I can still enjoy some great tennis experiences at easily accessible world-class tournaments.
The U.S. Open, in late August and early September, is the king of them all. But before that rolls into New York and sets attendance records, there are some cool, intimate tournaments you can savor in some truly wonderful spots.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame (194 Bellevue Ave.) in Newport, R.I., is a must visit for any tennis lover. The setting is sublime: Salt-faded shingled buildings surround classic grass courts. There's a cool museum, and it's right smack in the center of Newport. But when the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open comes to town July 15-22, it's a tennis hot spot. The historic grounds are the perfect backdrop for current top-ranked pros — male and female — to compete and win, and also to feel out one another's game as they work their way toward U.S. Open time.
Tourney week is also filled with special programs for juniors and adults. Clinics, meeting the pros and more take place all week. The highlight is the Hall of Fame Induction on July 21. It's a great day trip, or you can treat yourself to two or more days with a stay at the nearby famed Hotel Viking (1 Bellevue Ave., Newport; hotelviking.com) or the Newport Marriott (25 America's Cup Ave., Newport; marriott.com). Most lodging is within easy walking distance in the compact seaside community. Learn more at tennisfame.com.
Tennis lovers who mourn the great days of the Volvo Open (held at Cranmore and Mount Washington Hotel in New Hampshire and Stratton, Vt.) will be thrilled about the new high-profile mountainside tennis event, the Stowe Mountain Lodge Classic in Stowe, Vt., Aug. 18-22. In its second year, the event is springboarding off its freshman success, upping the draw from six to eight male players, offering a $35,000 purse and adding special events such as “hit with the pro.”
The event takes place at Stowe Mountain Lodge (7412 Mountain Road, Stowe, Vt.) and its Spruce