Women’s Professional Tennis returns to Daniel Island
Competitive women’s professional tennis returns to Daniel Island on Monday, June 22 with the Tennis Channel kicking off its coverage of the new Credit One Bank Invitational at 8 p.m. Monday night’s coverage will feature team captains, Madison Keys (Team Kindness) and Bethanie Mattek-Sands (Team Peace) selecting their teams from the 16-player field.
Play begins on Tuesday, June 23 and continues through June 28 at LTP Daniel Island. This event is closed to fans but will be aired live daily on the Tennis Channel at 4 p.m.
The Credit One Bank Invitational’ s player field includes reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin as well as Keys, Mattek-Sands, Sloane Stephens, Victoria Azarenka, Amanda Anisimova, Monica Puig, Ajla Tomljanovic, Danielle Collins, Alison Riske, Shelby Rogers, Genie Bouchard, Jennifer Brady, Leylah Fernandez, Emma Navarro and Caroline Dolehide. Bianca Andreescu was originally slated to play in the tournament, but has withdrawn from the event. Dolehide has taken her place in the field.
The tournament will receive more than 40 hours of live coverage on Tennis Channel and raise funds for frontline healthcare workers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).
According to an event press release, the public has played an important role in MUSC’s response to the pandemic. To date, community donations have supported testing, medical research and relief for MUSC healthcare workers experiencing financial hardships due to the virus. Throughout the tournament, viewers wishing to support these efforts can make gifts online at give.musc.edu/CreditOneBank.
During the Tennis Channel’s June 22, 8 p.m. cover of the Credit One Bank Invitational draft, the captain who wins the coin toss will have first draft pick, then the captains will alternate until all selections have been made. Tennis Channel will air each player’s profile during the draft with information on their Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) for singles and doubles. Results from the tournament will be counted towards each player’s individual UTR.
"We are excited to support the Credit One Bank Invitational and its exciting team format with Universal Tennis' innovative tools and technology,” said Mark Leschly, Universal Tennis Chairman & CEO. “When matches count for UTR, local play has a global impact. Every tennis player in the world, from the pros in Charleston to recreational players, can view their rating, monitor their competitive ability and register for events on MyUTR.com for free.”
The event has worked closely with MUSC throughout the planning process to ensure a secure environment for all players and staff. MUSC developed the event’s official health and safety protocol plan, and their ‘Back to Work’ team established the tournament’s health guidelines, which include: on-site testing, daily temperature tests and health questionnaires, sanitizing equipment at high touch areas and mandatory face masks for all personnel. Housing for players will also be located within walking distance of the stadium.
To maintain social distancing guidelines, each competitor will have her own lounge around the stadium, where she can cheer on her teammates. Tennis Channel will air behind-the-scenes content filmed by players throughout the tournament and check-in with players in their lounges during the broadcast for updates.
On court, players will call their own lines and the tournament will only use one official. Two ball crew members will wear gloves and use equipment to avoid touching the tennis balls. Players will be responsible for handling their own towels and refreshments.
The tournament will be conducted without fans and media. It is currently the largest-scale tennis event to be confirmed since the sport went on hiatus to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Credit One Bank Invitational is part of Tennis Channel’s Re (Open) Tour, a series of events and exhibitions taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic.