Every year, Boar’s Head Sports Club Tournament Director Ron Manilla said he gets a big smile on his face as the Boyd Tinsley Women’s Clay Court Classic draws closer and closer.
This year, Manilla’s smile is bigger than ever.
“We have the best draw that I think we’ve had in 17 years of this tournament,” said Manilla, grinning.
It is one with a decidedly U.S. flavor. Fourteen of the players scheduled to compete in the singles main draw of the $80,000 USTA pro-circuit event — which begins on Tuesday at the Boar’s Head Sports Club in Charlottesville — are American.
The headliner is defending champion Madison Brengle, who is currently ranked No. 80 in the world. After winning the Tinsley last year, Brengle made it to the third round of Wimbledon. She also defeated Serena Williams at a WTA event in Auckland.
“It’s exciting that she’s coming back to defend her title and her points,” Manilla said. “Having her here is awesome.”
Other top players include Sachia Vickery, Jennifer Brady, Sofia Kenin and two-time Tinsley champion Taylor Townsend.
The 76th-ranked Vickery used to train under Richard Williams, the father of stars Venus and Serena Williams.
Brady — who led UCLA to the 2014 NCAA title — made it to the fourth round of both the Australian Open and U.S. Open last year. In doubles, she was a quarterfinalist at the Australian.
Jamie Loeb (North Carolina), Kristie Ahn (Stanford), Irina Falconi (Georgia Tech) and Julia Elbaba (UVa) are other former college standouts that will be competing. Elbaba received a wild card into the event. Her former UVa teammate, Danielle Collins, the former two-time NCAA champion, pulled out of the draw after beating Venus Williams recently and rising to No. 45 in the world.
This year, the Tinsley moved from a $60K to an $80K event, which Manilla believes helped attract better players.
The lure of a French Open wild card, no doubt, also was a factor. As in past years, the American player who earns the most combined points at four consecutive clay-court tournaments (including the Tinsley) gets a spot in the main draw at Roland Garros next month.
Manilla and Boar’s Head Director of Tennis Jonathan Sarosiek are excited about the impact the pro players will have at their annual Kids Day on Wednesday at 4 p.m. This year, the event, in conjunction with the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, will feature a new instructional program called Net Generation that connects kids, instructors and community members from around the country with one another. Using smaller courts, rackets and less bouncier balls, the goal is to introduce children to tennis as soon as possible.
“We really like what Net Generation has to offer,” Sarosiek said. “We think that the program for 10-and-under tennis is more sustainable than ever. Getting people more aware of that is one of the goals of Kids Day.”
Like everything at the Tinsley – Kids Day is free and open to the public.
“This is Boyd Tinsley’s gift to the community,” said Manilla, referring to the Dave Matthews Band member. “Come out and watch. It should be a great tournament.”