In recent years, Mercedes-Benz has played a limited sponsorship role in several Richmond tennis events.
Beginning with the 2016 city championships, the German-based automobile company will be a much more visible player.
The Mercedes-Benz Greater Richmond Tennis Championships will kick off with the family divisions on May 7 at Byrd Park and continue with the junior divisions for boys and girls 8-under to 18-under May 27-30 at the same Boulevard courts.
The marquee event on the calendar will be the open divisions Aug. 11-15, which will be held at Raintree Swim and Racquet Club for the second straight year. There will be prize money again, although the exact amount is yet to be determined.
A year ago, the winners of the men’s and women’s singles titles received $500. It marked the first time the city tournament had offered prize money in the 90-year history of the event.
The final segment of the annual affair – mixed doubles — will be held in late August at Hermitage Country Club.
Mercedes-Benz takes over title sponsorship of the tournament after Davenport and Company, which was a gracious host and financial backer for nearly two decades, bowed out after the 2015 event.
“As the title sponsor of the 2016 Mercedes-Benz Greater Richmond Tennis Championships, everyone at Mercedes-Benz of Richmond and Mercedes-Benz of Midlothian is excited to be a part of what the tournament means to the tennis community, and the competitive play that comes with each of the four [divisions],” said Thomas Mills, marketing coordinator for the local Mercedes-Benz brand.
“Mercedes-Benz has been a sponsor of tennis events at the national level, and we’re bringing some of that energy and excitement to greater Richmond,” Mills added. “This is a great tennis town, and through the partnership with the RTA, we have some fun things planned this year that includes on-and-off-court involvement.”
Bill Carli, president of the Richmond Tennis Association, welcomed the addition of Mercedes-Benz as a co-sponsor along with the RTA.
“We’re excited to have them on board, and we hope it will be a long-lasting relationship,” Carli said. “Hopefully, they will find value in partnering with the RTA as a sponsor.”
The deal is for one year, Carli said, but both sides believe there are possibilities for the future.
“The greater Richmond area has a vibrant tennis community, and Mercedes-Benz is proud to partner with the RTA on some of this year’s upcoming events,” said Mills.
The city tournament had fallen on hard times in recent years, with small fields being the norm, but it was revitalized in 2015 when the open division was moved to mid-August and was played at Raintree Swim and Racquet Club for the first time.
Those two factors, combined with the addition of a modest amount of prize money, attracted larger draws in both the men’s and women’s divisions. The open tournament had been held at Byrd Park and the Country Club of Virginia in past years.
Online registering is open at the RTA web site (www.richmondtennis.org) for the family and junior divisions. The open and mixed divisions will be open soon.
Janet Fleischman won the women’s singles title last year while Hunter Koontz captured the men’s crown.