OCEAN CITY – A new beach tennis tournament will take place on the sand between 2nd and 4th streets this month.
Last week, Beach Tennis Maryland LLC representative Chip MacLeod came before the Mayor and Council with a request to hold an inaugural Beach Tennis Maryland Open, which will take place Aug. 17-20 in Ocean City. While the tournament was originally scheduled to take place last year, it was ultimately canceled because of poor weather conditions.
“I’ve been looking forward to a chance to get in front of you to talk about beach tennis and what we’re trying to do here in Ocean City,” MacLeod told the council last week.
As proposed, the Beach Tennis Maryland Open will be held on the beach between 2nd and 4th Streets from 8 a.m. until dusk. Described as a hybrid of beach volleyball and tennis, with some influence of badminton, MacLeod said the sport has attracted registrants from other countries and territories, including Brazil, Japan, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Aruba.
“They’re going to come to Ocean City in a couple weeks to play beach tennis,” he said. “These are professionals.”
MacLeod said the Beach Tennis Maryland Open will also feature amateur divisions, in which people of all ages can play. He said the event will have 12 courts on the downtown beach.
“These are the size of volleyball courts, played on the same size and the nets are lower,” he said. “It’s easy to set up, and Ocean City is perfect for this.”
MacLeod said he had spent his formative years working in Ocean City, including at the town’s 60th Street tennis courts. He told the council he believed the Beach Tennis Maryland Open would bring a fun, family friendly sporting event to Ocean City.
“I feel like I’m here for a reason, to bring something fun,” he said. “It’s a diversion from everything else you all have been worried about.”
MacLeod told the council this week he was requesting the use of two portable bleachers, as well as promotional support from the town. He said he had also approached the beach stand vendors between 2nd and 4th streets.
“They are great guys,” he said. “They are very cooperative, and we won’t have issues there. In fact, I think we’ll be getting a discount for chairs and umbrellas before it’s all over.”
MacLeod also recognized town staff for their support. He said with the help of the town’s recreation and parks department, one sand court at 4th Street has already been designated as a beach tennis court.
“I want to thank especially your parks and rec department so far,” he said.
After further discussion, the council voted 7-0 to approve the Beach Tennis Maryland Open.
“Come out and watch this,” MacLeod told the council. “You are going to see what we mean. We’ll have many more of these, I predict, in Ocean City.”
More information on the event can be found here.
