- April 20, 2026
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Traveling circuses have been withering for decades. Their popularity among the masses declined as the 20th century turned to the 21st.
Advancements in both animal and civil rights played a part in that, but society as a whole ultimately decided to consume other forms of entertainment.
The Sarasota Open seems like an apt comparison. It's traveled just about everywhere in the Sarasota-Bradenton area since 2008 inception, selling the entertainment of ATP Challenger Tour professional men's tennis.
Seven different locations have played host to the tournament. IMG Academy became the latest from April 5-12, using its vast tennis court complex to hold singles and doubles competition on green clay.
But unlike many big tops, the Sarasota Open has managed to stave off extinction.
Elizabeth Moore is the ringmaster. She's been the title sponsor since 2017, when the then-Racquet Club at El Conquistador hosted, and is now one of four tournament owners alongside Steve Gareleck, Kenneth Paslaqua and Remington Reynolds.
“IMG Academy and specifically, Jimmy Arias, just rolled out the red carpet for us,” Moore said. “He really wanted us to have the tennis tournament here. We had been looking at a few other venues that just didn’t work out because of ATP court requirements, but IMG has everything that we need."
The Sarasota Open's cross-county trek began at the Racquet Club at El Conquistador — now Bradenton Tennis Center. It then moved to the Resort at Longboat Key Club's Tennis Gardens, where it resided from 2009-14.
But that was the last true longtime home for the tournament. It later made stops at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club (2015-16), Laurel Oak Country Club (2018-19) and Payne Park Tennis Center (2022-24).
Yet another change in location came with 2025. The reason it didn't return for 2026 wasn't by choice of any tournament owner or director.
“We moved down to Sarasota Sports Club, which was terrific. We fixed up the courts down there and it was a really great facility,” Moore said. “But that was sold to a golf private equity company, and they didn’t want us to hold the tournament there as they do renovations.”
Everything happens for a reason, or so the saying goes. The end of that short-lived partnership gave way to the beginning of another.
And this latest move is long overdue. Why it took so long for an ATP Challenger Tour event to partner with a globally recognized tennis facility is an all-time double fault.
Inaccurate naming aside, the Sarasota Open always belonged at IMG Academy.
This is, after all, the site of what was originally the Nick Bolletieri Tennis Academy. Its namesake is perhaps the greatest coach to ever grace the game, having guided 10 players who eventually reached world No. 1 status on the ATP or WTA Tours.
Andre Agassi, Boris Becker and Jim Courier are just some of his male mentees. For the women, Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Monica Seles stand out. All of them played in Bradenton under Bolletieri's tutelage at one point or another.
His death on Dec. 4, 2022, was a gargantuan loss for tennis, but IMG Academy has remained an athletic factory. Its courts haven't gone quiet in his absence.
The layout features over 50 courts of varying surfaces, which naturally is more suited for training than crowd-friendly competition. But the bleachers overlooking both ends of the Nick Bolletieri Stadium Court offer enough seating for an event of this caliber.
Court quality is a major metric the ATP uses to choose tournament sites, and there's no doubt IMG Academy aces that test. The amount of upkeep done on its clay courts likely dwarfs that of any facility in Sarasota County.
“It’s a well-oiled machine here. Everybody knows what they’re doing,” Moore said. “The facility is world-class, and it’s been a very positive experience.”
It's also worth noting this academy has truly global brand recognition. Players everywhere know the name. They've been — and will be — attracted accordingly.
Right now, competitors on the ATP Challenger Tour just see the Sarasota Open as another stop on their journey toward the ATP Tour. Should the tournament remain at IMG Academy long-term, it could eventually be perceived as a destination.
This tournament has shown in the past it can be a stomping ground for eventual Grand Slam regulars. Tommy Paul (2019), Frances Tiafoe (2017), Nick Kyrgios (2014) and Kei Nishikori (2010) are all past champions.
By no means is it a safe bet the Sarasota Open will remain at this site for multiple years, or even return for 2027. It has a history of jumping from place to place.
Despite all its different stops, though, it remains. It's survived this long for a reason. The ATP clearly still values this tournament as part of the Challenger Tour.
Every effort should be made to bring this traveling circus to a halt. The big top should set up at IMG Academy for good.
