30-Love

30-Love: The Little 250s That Could

Domestic 250-level events have a long history of staying for a good time, rather than a long time. After a series of new 250s debuted in 2021, will that hold true?

ByCale Hammond

Published Dec 14, 2021

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WATCH: San Diego native Brandon Nakashima talks about the opportunity to play in the first ATP event in his hometown's history at this year's 250 event.

From individuals to organizations, weekend warriors to professional players, minute observations to big-picture ideas, tennis has been top of mind across the board over the past two years.

“I feel like this is the tennis boom part two,” says Trey Waltke, general manager of the Malibu Racquet Club in southern California. “Everyone is talking tennis. Everyone is playing. People are rediscovering how great tennis is.”

Tennis shouldn’t rest on its laurels; the first boom didn’t last forever. But this is as good of an opportunity to reflect on what the sport has gotten right, during a time when so much has gone wrong.

Over the next few weeks, we'll do just that, with a series of stories—30-Love—that highlights 30 things worth celebrating about the New American Tennis Boom. Look for past articles on the left side of each page.—Ed McGrogan

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San Diego hosted an ATP 250 in 2021, to great fanfare.

Domestic 250-level tournaments have a history off coming and going. In recent years, events on Long Island, in San Jose and Memphis have disappeared from the tour calendars. In 2021, they returned with Cleveland and Chicago hosting new WTA 250s the week before the US Open, and San Diego welcoming the ATP in the fall.

And the trend isn't stopping, with an ATP tournament returning to Dallas for the first time since 1989 next year. The city has long played host to professional tennis, hosting a WTA event in 2011 and 2012, as well as the longstanding RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas, one of the toughest Challenger events of the year, since 1998.

Dallas resident John Isner-who has won 13 of his 16 tittles at ATP 250 events in the U.S.—is thrilled to have a pro tournament in his backyard.

"The temperature of the town for the sports off tennis is really high," Isner says. "This tournament has a great spot on the calendar, the people love their tennis, and I have no doubt this tournament will have a lot of staying power."

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