The “Midwest Open Mixed Doubles Championships” (evolved from the “Western Open”) was the longest continuously running prize money mixed doubles tournament in the country until taking a brief hiatus from action. In the past, the tournament has attracted several top 20 players in the world, numerous career tour players, some of the top teaching professionals in the region as well as the highest level junior competitors in the country. In addition to having the highest level mixed doubles play in the Midwest section, the tournament has regularly attracted daily crowds of over 100 fans and has put on one of the largest Player/Fan parties in the area.
In years past, the tournament was synonymous with Hunt Club Tennis, Brandon and his team has taken the opportunity to bring this great, historical tournament back to life.
“I first learned to play tennis at the Grosse Pointe Hunt Club and to this day some of the best memories are from the Western Open. Throughout the years I worked hard to be good enough to join the tournament and test myself against the best players around. To this day I accredit this tournament for giving me my passion for the game. I am thrilled to be a part of the team that is going to bring this tournament back to life and I hope that it will be just as inspirational now as it was when I grew up watching the tournament.”
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-Brandon Still
With a professional marketing team in place, the Hunt Club has already started taking the tournament to new levels. In the works is the building of a brand new custom website specifically for the tournament, a social media team ready to promote the tournament internationally, and a tournament committee that is dedicated to finding sponsors and ensuring the event is the biggest success possible.
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The tournament will run from March 12th - March 16th, 2014. Qualifying rounds (March 12th to March 14th), are expecting to draw in about 64 teams of local and junior talent to compete against each other for spots in the main draw. The main draw will begin Friday evening and the semi-finals and finals will be played Sunday morning and afternoon. All told, Hunt Club Tennis is expecting to draw in more than 150 players to the tournament, and a local viewing crowd of over 500 individual attendees.
If you would like more information, become a sponsor and/or participate in the tournament call Hunt Club Tennis 313-499-8057 or email tennis@gphuntclub.com
