History

The Sarasota Bath & Racquet Club was founded in 1969 and acclaimed for its profound role as a center of social and sports life in Sarasota.

Throughout its history in Sarasota, the Bath & Racquet Club served to establish tennis as a dynamic lifestyle activity and brought world celebrity players to Sarasota and Florida in the 1970’s.

The Bath & Racquet held the First Federal of Sarasota Open, also known as the Virginia Slims of Sarasota. This historical competition was a women’s tennis tournament played on the Bath & Racquet Club’s outdoor green clay courts. It served as the inaugural edition of the tournament and was held from April 5 through April 8, 1973.

First-seeded Chris Evert won the singles. Martina Navratilova was also among the other champions who played at the Bath & Racquet Club, making the historical Sarasota Club famous as an iconic destination in the history of tennis.

Chris Evert circa 1970 – Photo: Creative Commons