Connecticut Open Tennis, Anyone?

August 8, 2016

With the Olympic Games under way in Rio de Janeiro, athletic excellence is squarely in the global spotlight. But in just a few weeks’ time, world-class sports figures—including nearly two dozen Olympians—will be right here in New Haven for the 2016 Connecticut Open tennis tournament.

The penultimate week of August is surely one of the busiest in our university calendar, with students settling into campus; new faculty getting their bearings; and traditions from freshman move-in day to the graduate school’s matriculation exercises crowding the schedule. But amidst the many competing activities, I always find time to visit the Connecticut Tennis Center, adjacent to the Yale Bowl, and witness the fierce competition taking place on stadium court.

The Connecticut Open holds a special place in Yale’s relationship with our local and global communities, and this year we are adding an extra layer to the celebration. In a new opening night ceremony on Monday, August 22, I will be joined on court by Mayor Harp, Yale musical artists, and student flagbearers from the twelve countries represented in the tournament’s player field to kick off the tournament week. All Yale affiliates can use the promotional code CO16YALE to order two tickets for the price of one for the opening night festivities and matches, and I’ll be welcoming alumni, faculty, staff, and students to a special Yale Bulldogs courtside club with refreshments, a photo booth, and prize drawings beginning at 6:00 p.m. I hope to see you there!