The WTA Tour announced on Monday that Memphis, Tennessee will host a new WTA tournament beginning in 2026. The event, titled the Memphis Classic, replaces the late-summer WTA Cleveland stop on the calendar and will be staged from July 25 through August 2, 2026. Positioned in the lead-up to the US Open, the tournament gives players another opportunity to compete on American hard courts during the crucial North American swing that prepares for the final Grand Slam of the year.
The 2026 Memphis Classic will be held at Leftwich Tennis Center, an outdoor public facility that serves as the home of University of Memphis tennis. That marks a significant change from the city’s recent professional event, which was played indoors. For years, Memphis was synonymous with its indoor ATP tournament, a staple of the early-season calendar before it ultimately folded in 2017.
Memphis last hosted a women’s professional tournament in 2013. Now, more than a decade later, the city re-enters the WTA landscape with a WTA 250-level event, awarding 250 ranking points to the champion. While that places it in the entry tier of WTA tournaments, its timing on the calendar could make it an attractive stop for players seeking match play ahead of Flushing Meadows.
Memphis Classic Brings More Professional Tennis Back to the South
The return of professional tennis to Memphis is significant not only for the city, but for the broader southern United States. In recent years, the region has seen notable turnover on both the ATP and WTA calendars. The ATP event in Atlanta concluded its run after 2024, ending a 14-year stretch (2010–2024). Memphis itself previously lost both its WTA event in 2013 and its long-standing ATP tournament in 2017, despite efforts by local officials to keep professional tennis viable in the market.
For four years following the WTA’s departure, Memphis leaders fought to retain the ATP Tour stop. Ultimately, financial sustainability proved too difficult amid shifting tour economics and rising hosting costs. The loss left a noticeable gap in the region’s professional tennis footprint.
Today, the closest top-level events in the South include ATP tournaments in Dallas and Houston, along with the combined ATP/WTA event in Miami. The WTA maintains a strong presence in Charleston, one of its longest-running and most prestigious 500-level tournaments, and also stages an event in Austin, Texas. Winston-Salem continues to host an ATP 250 just before the US Open.
The Memphis Classic now restores a piece of that regional identity. Its late-July slot places it squarely in the competitive buildup to the US Open Series, potentially drawing a mix of rising players, American’s seeking home-court momentum, and international stars looking for additional hard-court preparation.
Local reaction has been enthusiastic. Memphis Mayor Paul Young and other city officials publicly welcomed the announcement, framing it as both a sporting and economic/tourism win. Professional tennis brings not only national attention but also tourism revenue, youth engagement opportunities, and renewed energy to the city’s tennis community.
Whether the Memphis Classic will achieve long-term stability remains to be seen. But after years without a tour-level event, the return of the WTA signals a fresh chapter for tennis in Memphis — and another step toward strengthening the sport’s presence in the American South.
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