MIDLAND, September 29, 2021 (Press Release)
Michigan’s premier tennis event returns to the Greater Midland Tennis Center next month with the Dow Tennis Classic, which has been elevated to a WTA Tour 125 event this year.
Tickets for the 33rd Dow Tennis Classic scheduled for Nov. 1-7 will be available starting Friday, Oct. 1 at 10:00 am, with individual tickets starting at just $15.
The event will begin with qualifying matches on Sunday, Oct. 31 before main draw competition kicks off on Monday, Nov. 1. Singles and doubles main draw action will continue throughout the week with the WTA 125 singles final taking place on Sunday, Nov. 7.
Shelby Rogers defeated Anhelina Kalinina to claim the 2021 ITF World Tennis Tour title in February 2020. The American then went on to reach the semifinals at the Top Seed Open after upsetting Serena Williams. At the 2020 US Open she reached the quarterfinals for the first time in her career, losing to eventual champion Naomi Osaka. Just last month, she defeated world No. 1 Asheligh Barty en route to Round 4 of the US Open.
The courts of the Greater Midland Tennis Center have been a launching pad for some of the top rising stars in tennis. Recent Dow Tennis Classic champions include 2021 US Open doubles finalist Caty McNally, Mallorca Open champion Tatjana Maria, four-time WTA singles champion Heather Watson and three-time Grand Slam champion Lucie Hradecka. Other competitors include fan-favorites Coco Gauff, Maria Sharapova, Mary Pierce, Li Na, Anna Kournikova and Justine Henin.
General admission seating for featured matches is available for $15 per adult, with juniors 17 & under receiving free admission. For those looking to get a little closer to the action, club seats featuring padded chairs and reserved seating are also available for $30, or $65 with included dining and drinks.
In addition to individual seats, VIP box seats are also available. These premium packages include seats for all seven featured sessions, Grand Slam dining, adult beverages and the option for reserved parking spaces. Half box (two seats) and full box (four seats) options are both available and start at just $700.
All main draw daytime matches (Monday through Friday) are free, but a donation to the Greater Midland Tennis Center’s Scholarship Fund is encouraged.
“We can’t wait to do our part to help the community and bring professional tennis back to the Great Lakes Bay Region next month,” said tournament director Alex Maga. “With higher prize money, a stronger field and the elevated experience of being a WTA 125 event, we’re sure that both the players and spectators will enjoy a world-class tournament featuring some of the top female athletes in the world.”
Earlier this year, it was announced that the Dow Tennis Classic would be elevated to a WTA 125 event with total prize money of $115,000 and 160 ranking points for the champion. WTA 125 events are one level above the ITF World Tennis Tour and USTA Pro Circuit and attract some of the top tennis players in the world. A three-year extension of the title sponsorship with Dow calls for the tournament to remain at the Greater Midland Tennis Center through 2023, ensuring this long-standing international event will continue to have a home in Midland.
The Midland stop on the global WTA Tour annually plays in front of over 15,000 fans in addition to reaching tennis viewers across the entire world via live streaming and television coverage.
