CHARLESTON, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Beemok Capital, the family office of businessman and philanthropist Benjamin Navarro, today announced the recent closing of its previously announced acquisition of the Western & Southern Open tournament from the United States Tennis Association (“USTA”). The tournament consistently fields the best players in the world and is one of only five tournaments in the world, outside of the Majors, to host concurrent top tier men’s and women’s tournaments at the same venue. In 2025, the importance and scale of the tournament will continue to grow as the ATP main draw player field will expand by 70% and the duration extends from seven to twelve days. The acquisition is the next milestone in Beemok’s commitment to the development of tennis across all levels in the U.S. Beemok affiliates currently play host to North America’s largest women’s only professional tennis tournament, the Credit One Charleston Open, which was acquired by Beemok in 2018. Beemok also operates two tennis complexes in the Charleston area that serve as hosts for numerous USTA Pro Circuit events, the USTA Girls’ 18s National Clay Court Championship and a high-performance tennis academy developing players who aspire to compete at the college and pro levels.
“We’re honored to be the new owners of the Western & Southern Open,” said Navarro. “It is a tournament I have admired for many years, and we are thrilled at the opportunity to honor the traditions of the tournament while exploring ways to enhance the experience for players and fans.”
“It is an exciting moment for our team and the tournament’s players and fans,” said Katie Haas, Chief Executive Officer of the Western & Southern Open. “Beemok’s tennis portfolio and, more importantly, its dedication to and love for the game is an ideal match for the partner we were seeking to support the long-term growth and evolution of the tournament.”
Beemok also announced the hiring of Todd Martin as the Head of Tennis for Beemok Sports. Mr. Martin will assume the role effective January 2, 2023, and will lead Beemok’s efforts to drive growth and development of tennis in the U.S. Mr. Martin will also work closely with the existing leadership teams of the Credit One Charleston Open and Western & Southern Open.
Mr. Martin currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, a role he has held since 2014. His many achievements on the court as a professional on the ATP Tour include reaching the men's singles final at both the 1994 Australian Open and the 1999 US Open as well as attaining a career-high singles ranking of world number four. Mr. Martin has also previously served as the coach of Novak Djokovic, the winner of 21 Grand-Slam men’s singles titles, and the former number one-ranked American player and current U.S. Davis Cup Captain, Mardy Fish. He has dedicated himself to the sport in various ways through philanthropy and volunteer service, including the founding of Todd Martin Youth Leadership, which serves at-risk youth in his hometown of Lansing, Michigan by providing education and leadership programs through the game of tennis; serving as President of the ATP Player Council throughout much of his playing career; and serving three terms as a Director at Large on the USTA Board of Directors, from 2011-2016. Mr. Martin currently serves as a Player Representative to the President of the USTA and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Tennis Industry Association.
“As we continue to expand our mission and goals across the tennis world, everything starts with the right people to create a world-class team. We are delighted to have someone of Todd’s caliber join our team,” Navarro added. “Todd has proven leadership experience and brings a unique perspective from all aspects of tennis.”
“Tennis is fortunate to have earned Beemok’s devotion, and I am eager to help drive toward transformational impact for the sport across disciplines,” said Martin. “Further, Beemok’s interest in setting a new bar of industry standards in professional tennis, its focus on player development and facilitation of player pathways for lives of excellence both on and off the court could not resonate more with my passions.”
About Beemok Capital
Beemok Capital is the family office of Charleston, South Carolina-based businessman and philanthropist Benjamin W. Navarro.
