For openers, this summer’s BB&T Atlanta Open has secured commitments from the No. 1 American player — Jack Sock — the No. 1 Australian — Nick Kyrgios — and, in a tournament first, some women.
Venus Williams, no less, and top-ranked Canadian Genie Bouchard will help kick off tournament week with an exhibition match on July 23, crashing the boys’ club that the BB&T has been since its inception in 2010.
“We’ve always wanted to be a mini-U.S. Open and we’ve always been asked if you really want to be a mini-U.S. Open, when are you going to add women?” BB&T tournament director Eddie Gonzalez said. “That’s really what planted the seed for us, to keep growing, to keep getting better and better.”
The tournament, which will again be held at Atlantic Station, runs July-22-30, one of the USTA’s run-up hardcourt tournaments leading to the Open. And for those who might suspect Bouchard’s invitation is a publicity grab following her recent appearance in Sports Illustrated’s swim suit edition, think again.
“The stars just aligned for us because when we started those conversations, we didn’t even know that she had plans to be in SI,” Gonzalez said. “She’s just a beautiful athlete who’s very comfortable in her own skin and she’s one heck of a tennis player.”
Williams, whose sister Serena appeared in the same SI issue, has not played in Atlanta since 2004. The winner of seven Grand Slam singles titles and four Olympic gold medals, she holds a 1-1 career record against Bouchard.
Credit: Cameron Spencer
Credit: Cameron Spencer
“Atlanta has such a rich sports and tennis tradition and it’s been over 10 years since I’ve had a chance to play a match there,” said Williams in a statement released by the tournament. “I’m looking forward to hopefully playing in front of a big crowd and that is also an enthusiastic tennis audience.”
In Kyrgios, the BB&T not only lined up its defending champion — he became the first non-American to win the tournament when he ended John Isner’s three-year Atlanta run last summer — but one of tennis’ rising stars with a similar rising reputation for on-court misbehavior.
“We’re excited to have him back,” Gonzalez said. “Of course, he has a personality. He’s edgy and he can rub people the wrong way. But tennis and really all sports need personalities and tennis needs Nick because he is a personality.”
Kyrgios, 21, claimed his first American title at last year’s BB&T. He is currently #17 on the ATP World Tour singles rankings with 2016 victories in Marseille, France, and Tokyo.
“Last year, the crowds were great and it was probably the best week I’ve had on and off the court in a long time,” Kyrgios said in a BB&T statement about his last Atlanta visit. “It was just rewarding that I played well.”
Sock, currently ranked 18th in the world, has run off to an 11-1 start this season with victories in Auckland, Australia, and Delray Beach, Fla. This will mark the fifth BB&T appearance for the 24-year-old. He was runner-up to Isner in 2014.
Ticket sales for the tournament begin on Monday, which coincides with World Tennis Day. Kyrgios, Sock and Williams are all in New York on Monday to appear in a World Tennis Day exhibition at Madison Square Garden.
BB&T Ticket packages may be purchased online.
“Our vision for our BB&T Atlanta Open has always been to be more than a tennis tournament,” Gonzalez said. “The joke we always make is we want to be a party where a tennis match breaks out.”
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