ELLESSE JR. CHAMPIONSHIPS SHOWCASES RISING STARS

27 STATES, PUERTO RICO REPRESENTED IN SINGLES DRAW

By Richard Osborn

Local tennis products Daniel Tonkal of Mason and Martha Thompson of Cincinnati will join a talent-packed draw at the Aug. 16-18 ellesse Junior Championships at the Cincinnati Open, a USTA-sanctioned national tournament for boys and girls 18-and-under.

The 32-player singles and 16-team doubles events will take place at the transformed Lindner Family Tennis Center, the same courts where the world’s top ATP and WTA pros are competing. The junior singles and doubles finalists will receive tickets to the Cincinnati Open men’s and women’s championship matches.

“Hosting a junior competition alongside our professional event is very intentional,” said Cincinnati Open tournament director Bob Moran. “The goal for our new state-of-the-art facility is to become the focal point of tennis in the Midwest at all levels.”

Tonkal recently led Mason High School to the 2025 OCTA Division I title, while Thompson is a two-time Division II state finalist out of Indian Hill High School. They will be among players representing 27 states and Puerto Rico in the 16s and 18s draws.

“The moment to provide these young players the opportunity to perform alongside the best players in the world is something we’re very excited about and provides our fans a glimpse of the rising stars who aspire to be on the Cincinnati Open stage in the future,” said Moran.