By Scoop Malinowski | The Sarasota Open Expertise | Friday, April 4, 2025
Picture credit score: Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open Fb
I by no means imagined writing a ebook about an ATP Challenger event.
However after overlaying the Sarasota Open over a decade, the buildup of so many attention-grabbing recollections and anecdotes each on and off the courtroom of battle, impressed the thought to create a ebook about this little-known however great annual tennis occasion.
Filipina Fighter: Eala Shocks Keys in Miami
The Sarasota Open Expertise is a group of tales, recollections, articles, interviews, all linked to the event since 2009.
This is a teaser excerpt from the ebook.
One participant signed an autograph for a ballboy in between factors… an grownup movie video on excessive quantity interrupted one Frances Tiafoe match and made worldwide headlines… One 12 months the trophies have been a beer mug, one other 12 months an Easter basket… that is only a tip of the iceberg.
The Sarasota Experience is available now on Amazon for $9.99.
The Ray Collins Sarasota Open Interview
No one has been related to the Sarasota Open longer than the official event announcer, Mr. Ray Collins. He shared a fraction of his catalog of recollections…
FIRST MEMORY: I used to be sitting within the stands on the Longboat Key Membership in 2011, watching the Sarasota Open and noticed a man I knew doing a post-match interview and the one factor that stood out about it was his loud pants. I later approached Event Proprietor Tony Driscoll, who I had met beforehand, and instructed him I’d be enthusiastic about doing his on-court asserting.
I used to be anchoring the information in Sarasota, performed faculty tennis—and was already the honorary umpire for a dozen exhibitions on the town. Names like Pernfors, Arias, Krickstein, Jensen, and so on. However Driscoll didn’t share my imaginative and prescient. Nevertheless, a 12 months later, the Director of Tennis on the Longboat Key Membership, John Woods, instructed Tony he noticed an on-court emcee in a event out west that was fairly efficient. Woods instructed Driscoll the announcer even learn off sponsors names, a lightbulb went off in Tony’s enterprise mind and I started asserting the subsequent event in 2013 and have been doing it ever since.
The ladies’s professional event within the Naples space reached out to me in 2019 and I’ve been touring to announce their event every year as nicely. I take pleasure in being up near professional tennis and serving because the on-court emcee.
Folks appear to love that I’m very casual: I truly go on the courtroom, interview the winner after the match and am not only a indifferent voice studying off a scroll someplace in a press field. I’ve type of re-shaped my job description over time.
FAVORITE PLAYERS: I smile once I consider the arc I witnessed of Frances Tiafoe’s development within the Sarasota Open. He arrived in 2015 when the event was in Lakewood Ranch. He got here within the event workplace, sat down and interacted with the workers like no participant has ever carried out earlier than or since. He was assured, fast to snigger and had a million-watt smile.
Once I later heard his life story, I favored him much more. His father was a upkeep man at a tennis facility in Maryland. Frances and his twin brother—and father—would typically sleep on the membership. Within the morning, Frances would listen in on the opposite youngsters his age getting classes—and the remaining is historical past. He didn’t win that first 12 months, or the second 12 months—however he did win in 2017 when the event was on the United Tennis Membership.
I’ve to confess, I used to be pleased for him. His father was there too. In his victory remarks, Frances mentioned one thing like, “Though I’m pleased to have lastly received, this in all probability means I received’t be enjoying on this event once more.”
He was proper. He’s gone on to huge issues, however I’ve fond recollections of watching him develop up earlier than our eyes. There’s one other participant who hasn’t had the identical stage of success as Tiafoe, however who’s the nicest professional athlete I’ve ever met in any sport.
Christian Harrison has had greater than his share of bodily challenges, however he is nonetheless on the market grinding away, speaking to fans–and at all times offers me a “Hello Ray” when he sees me round city. Class act.
Different good guys I’ve met via the Sarasota Open embrace Taylor Dent, Eire’s James McGee—and Brian Battistone who charmed the viewers on Longboat Key together with his double-handled racquet, ambidextrous groundstrokes and volleyball-like serve. Battistone was pleased to indicate his racquet, pose with followers and shrugged off the eye.
Although I am not likely a fan of his, I used to be amazed how Nick Kyrgios got here via Longboat Key in 2014. His stage of play was like a person amongst boys…a scorching knife via butter. It was pretty apparent he was going to win that 12 months, and I’ve by no means had that sensation earlier than or since. He was very low key again then. Barely mentioned a phrase. Too unhealthy he modified. He may have been one of many greats.
Alexander Zverev performed one 12 months at Lakewood Ranch in 2015. He was surrounded your complete time by his parents–and whereas Tiafoe was social, Zverev didn’t discuss to anybody exterior his posse. Although he seemed like a carefree surfer dude again then, his demeanor and look seem to have modified over time. (His brother Mischa received it that 12 months. He was a lot friendlier but additionally a number of years older.) Additionally, I by no means noticed Stevie Johnson take pleasure in himself across the courtroom. Not often—if ever–cracked a smile. Jack Sock and Ryan Harrison are two others low on the allure scale.
FAVORITE MOMENTS: Tiafoe got here within the workplace on the lookout for somebody to hit with earlier than his match in Lakewood Ranch. I referred to as my long-time pal Chris Marquez, Head Professional at Lakewood Ranch, and he introduced over certainly one of his prime juniors, Ashley Bongart. I used to be a little bit nervous he would overpower her however he received his match that day and requested me the subsequent day if I may get her again over for a success.
I additionally keep in mind a second again at Lakewood Ranch once I was sitting between Nick Bollettierri and Dick Vitale. Simply the three of us. Nobody else round. “My two dads.” They have been speaking a few sure participant who did not have the fitting character, and so they consequently did not assume he would go very far.
One other second that stood out—not overly thrilling however satisfying to me: I prefer to interview VIPs within the viewers for the good thing about others who could not understand the massive names are current. I keep in mind an evening the place I bounced between former no. 5 on the planet, Jimmy Arias, and the then-Mayor of Sarasota Kyle Battie. They’re each associates of mine–and at that second, I felt well-connected and well-informed to drag off two fully totally different interviews. Arias and I grew up enjoying tennis throughout the identical period in Buffalo—however that’s the place the similarities finish. He went on to five on the planet, and I used to be no. 5 on my faculty crew.
MOST PAINFUL: There are a number of methods I may take that query, so I am going to take it actually: There was a second once I was in short ache whereas I used to be on heart courtroom awarding the doubles trophies at Laurel Oak in 2018. One of many runners-up, Peter Polansky of Toronto, thought it could be humorous to replicate the solar off his new trophy towards my eyes. I used to be momentarily blinded whereas attempting to learn my notes on the mic. I did not know the place it was coming from till I noticed him laughing a couple of ft away on the sidelines. I favored him, however I did not assume that was applicable.
MOST EMBARRASSING: Throughout my first 12 months at Longboat Key (2013) I used to be awarding the runners-up their trophies once I misplaced my place. When the second participant completed talking, I mentioned, “Okay, people, that is the doubles–now stand-by for our singles last.” Immediately I heard a buzz, and Driscoll merely pointed to the web the place the winners of the doubles last have been nonetheless ready patiently for his or her trophies and checks. Whoops!
There was one other incident that was nearly embarrassing: We begin every day with the Nationwide Anthem, and as I stroll to the courtroom to start the proceedings I say ‘good day’ to the singer and convey them out to the courtroom with me. This was Payne Park 2022 I mentioned to the lady, “Hello…comply with me!” And he or she did. We have been standing behind the umpire’s chair and I requested her what her title was and the place she sings. She mentioned, “I am not a singer.” I mentioned, “Aren’t you our Nationwide Anthem singer?” She mentioned, “No!” Seems she seemed quite a bit like one other singer we had earlier within the week. At that time the precise singer materialized, and our impromptu karaoke contest was cancelled.
One other incident wasn’t embarrassing for me however it didn’t make the event look nice: In 2024, the ATP requested me to interview the profitable participant after the match. We’d stand on the courtroom and a camera–20 yards away within the nook—would shoot us with the assistance of a zoom lens. However not everybody knew that we have been broadcasting worldwide, and a few courtroom upkeep individuals and photographers blocked the digital camera, pondering it was simply an interview for the individuals within the stands.
It received worse on the closing ceremony when the event organizers introduced their family and friends on the courtroom and blocked the digital camera shot fully, forcing the ATP to dump out of protection. I do know for a truth there have been reporters abroad ready to listen to from the winner and the runner-up from their respective nations.
FUNNIEST MOMENTS: I’d be remiss to not begin with the incident that acquired probably the most consideration within the historical past of the Sarasota Open. It was 2017 on the United Tennis Membership. Tiafoe was enjoying an evening match in opposition to fellow-American Mitchell Krueger of Texas. The membership was in a residential space and one of many neighboring rental homeowners determined to play a prank by blaring an grownup video. After a pair minutes, Tiafoe turned towards the path of the noise and yelled, “It will probably’t be that good!” The group laughed, the worldwide media seized on the incident and Driscoll—at all times the marketer—produced t-shirts that mentioned, “The Sarasota Open. It IS that good.”
One other humorous second additionally concerned a prank I orchestrated in opposition to Tiafoe minutes after he received the Sarasota Open that very same 12 months. I received one of many younger workers members to strategy him with me within the clubhouse when he walked in together with his trophy. Eva Teitlebaum mentioned, “Frances, nice win. Congratulations. How a few image earlier than you allow?” He thanked her for her feedback and started to take his huge bag off his shoulder to pose for an image when she handed him her digital camera and she or he and I posed. “Oh, you need me to take it of you! Oh, you bought me! You bought me!” I can nonetheless hear him laughing.
One other humorous factor occurred on Longboat Key in 2014. 6’11” Serbian Ivo Karlovic got here within the event workplace and famous the nerf racquets and balls on a desk. He and I every grabbed one and began volleying the ball backwards and forwards. For a pair minutes, we have been a few youngsters, laughing away whereas tapping that sponge ball backwards and forwards.
STRANGEST MOMENT: In the course of the 2017 event at United Tennis Membership in Bradenton, a fan was kicked out for allegedly tipping off sports activities bettors in Las Vegas. He was apparently clicking a signaling system in his shoe to right away let his co-conspirators know throughout the nation who had received some extent. Driscoll referred to as the Manatee County Sheriff’s Workplace to eject him. He went quietly.
FUNNIEST PLAYER: There was a Serbian participant named Ilija Bozoljac who was humorous, silly–and did not appear to thoughts the nickname different gamers gave him, “Bozo.” He received the job done–along with India’s Somdev Devvarman, they received the doubles title on Longboat Key in 2013. Liked his demeanor. Jogged my memory of that expression, “Folks won’t ever keep in mind what you mentioned, however they’re going to always remember how they felt after they have been round you.” He made me smile.
RANDOM MEMORABLE MOMENTS: Tennys Sandgren was enjoying a late-night singles match at Laurel Oak in 2019. In the course of the match, a little bit boy walked as much as the fence behind his chair throughout a break and requested Tennys to signal his hat. Sandgren mentioned he’d do it after the match. The child walked away and headed towards the exit together with his mom. As Sandgren received as much as resume the match he seemed again, “Hey child, are you leaving?” It was a faculty night time and it was after 9. The boy nodded. “Okay, come again, I am going to signal your hat now.”
I received an image of that second, and confirmed Sandgren later. He requested me to textual content it to him which I did. We wound up texting for a pair hours that night time. Sandgren can come throughout as a complainer on the courtroom however he is a fairly considerate man away from tennis.
It’s wonderful what number of gamers got here in as no. 1 seed within the Sarasota Open—and promptly misplaced within the first spherical. Michael Russell, Denis Kudla, J.J. Wolf and several other others.
Because the event announcer and media liaison, I loved attending to know Nick Bollettieri over time. I used to be initially nervous to fulfill him, being in awe of his resume. However I launched him dozens of occasions to numerous audiences round city. I used to be at his bedside within the weeks earlier than his physique lastly gave out. I actually developed an affection for that affable character. I miss him. I can nonetheless hear his gravelly voice, “My man Ray.”
Maria Sharapova prompted a buzz when she got here to the matches on Longboat Key through the top of her recognition. She owns a house within the space. I believe she got here to observe Taylor Dent.
WHY DO I LOVE THE SARASOTA OPEN? As a tennis participant, it’s a deal with to observe the matches up shut. It’s much more of a thrill to fulfill, work together and interview these gamers. Most are good and enjoyable. It’s additionally been fascinating to see what no-name youngsters develop into huge names within the sport… Kei Nishikori, Krygios, Tiafoe, Zverev, and so on.
I take pleasure in assembly new individuals—and I meet dozens through the week of the Sarasota Open. Plus the occasion is a reunion of the native tennis neighborhood. The tennis membership at which I performed for 15 years—and the most important membership in Sarasota—closed a couple of years in the past, and tons of of gamers scattered to different services across the neighborhood.
Though being the on-court emcee is a sequence of lengthy monotonous days and a few frustrations alongside the best way, it’s one of many highlights of my 12 months. It may be that good!
MOST INTELLIGENT PLAYER: I used to be impressed by Michael Russell who appeared to be a wise man, not only a jock. Not stunned he’s teaching Taylor Fritz. I additionally favored Devvarman who was humorous, charming and superstitious: He mentioned to me within the workers workplace, “I hear (throughout your introductions) that I am a fan of the Miami Warmth.” I mentioned, “Sure, I learn that about you. Is not that true?” He mentioned, “No.” I mentioned, “Oh my gosh, I am sorry–I’ll take that out instantly.” He mentioned, “No, do not take it out, I am profitable, hold saying it!”
Devarrman got here again to educate ten years later (ATP participant Sumit Nagal). He and I have been speaking within the gamers lounge at Payne Park in 2023. I requested Somdev a few high-profile participant who appeared to have two very totally different personalities. And he cracked again, “Simply two?”
