Texas
Dallas Open continues rapid rise as Frisco hosts growing tennis showcase
The Dallas Open has taken over Frisco this week, a far cry from its inaugural tournament at the Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex at SMU just four years ago.
Now, the Star – best known as the Dallas Cowboys’ headquarters – has become the epicenter of tennis in North Texas.
A tournament born from a meeting
One of the masterminds behind the inception of the tournament is SMU men’s tennis coach Grant Chen.
The event came about after a scheduled 30‑minute meeting between Chen and several other organizers turned into a three‑hour conversation that ultimately led to what the Dallas Open is today.
“It’s been a remarkable ride,” Chen said. “It’s almost like a movie. This all started with a lunch on December 17th, 2020. To see it six years later to come to this….it’s so great for the DFW, it’s great for the metroplex, it’s great for sports and it’s great for Tennis.”
Participation and interest on the rise
The growth can be seen not just in the venue, but in the sport itself.
Tennis has seen a boom in participation over the last five years, according to statistics from the U.S. Tennis Association.
As of Feb. 2, 2026, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas and Baylor are all ranked in the ITA Top 25 in collegiate tennis.
American stars fueling momentum
This year’s tournament has no shortage of American talent.
Players like Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton are headliners in this year’s Dallas Open, and having these players front and center has helped the sport evolve in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
“If you look at UIL and high school tennis, that’s been taking off,” Chen said. “You look at college tennis, Texas has some of the top collegiate teams in the country between TCU, Baylor, SMU, UT, A&M, Rice, you name it.”
Looking ahead to future growth
So where does the tournament go from here?
Chen says he’s looking to keep growing the event, but for now, he’s just like the fans who come to the Dallas Open — excited to watch the best of the best take the stage.
“Like they say, everything is bigger in Texas,” Chen said. “How do we make it bigger, better, stronger, faster for 2027. But for right now, the ’26 event is going on, the lineup the next couple of days is unreal.”
A day off at the pool — and a little sunburn — didn’t stop the Minnesota Twins’ momentum.
Brooks Lee hit a three-run homer as Minnesota scored multiple runs in the first inning for the third consecutive game, and the Twins went on to complete a series sweep of the Texas Rangers with a 9-3 win Thursday.
Minnesota has won four games in a row and scored 25 runs in the three-games series in Texas. The two teams had a rare, mid-series day off on Wednesday with the England-Croatia World Cup game being played in Arlington.
“We’re locked in every day,” Lee told Audra Martin on the team’s broadcast. “Yesterday, taking time off, lay out by the pool, get a little burnt and then right back to it. We did a good job getting focused. I feel like we do that with rain delays, too, just lock back in and we’re doing it.”
Lee’s 12th homer capped a four-run first off Jack Leiter (3-7). Trevor Larnach made it 6-0 in the fourth with a two-run shot to straightaway center that just cleared the extended glove of leaping Alejandro Osuna. Larnach’s third hit was an RBI single in the fifth, and Ryan Kriedler hit a two-run homer in the eighth.
Joe Ryan (5-3) struck out seven but needed 97 pitches to get through five scoreless innings while allowing three singles. Leiter was done after the fourth, and has given up 17 runs while losing three starts in a row.
The Twins never trailed in the sweep that extended their winning streak to four, matching their longest this season. Their 14-5 record at Globe Life Field is the best for any American League opponent since the ballpark opened in 2020.
Wyatt Langford, Ezequiel Duran and Justin Foscue hit solo homers for the Rangers, who have lost five of six games. They are 0-15 when giving up multiple runs in the first inning.
Twins DH Josh Bell, who was born in nearby Irving and grew up in the area, had an RBI single before Lee’s homer. Bell hit a three-run homer in the first inning of the series-opening 4-2 win Monday, and had an RBI single for a 2-0 lead in the first of a 12-2 win on Tuesday.
“We’re just passing the baton each time,” Lee said of the offensive output. “Our guys are hot. They feel good and they came out swinging today. It was awesome to see. We’ve done that for a while now.”
Up next
Twins rookie left-hander Connor Prielipp (2-4, 5.26 ERA) starts Friday at Arizona. The Diamondbacks are scheduled to start right-hander Michael Soroka (8-3, 3.11).
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A Texas state trooper was killed in a crash in the Panhandle, becoming the 244th Texas Department of Public Safety officer to die in the line of duty since 1823, according to the agency.
Sergio Romero, 27, died Wednesday after a semi-truck pulled in front of him as he attempted a traffic stop around 4 p.m. on U.S. 287 in Childress County, DPS said.
In a statement, Col. Freeman F. Martin praised Romero’s courage, integrity, and service.
“Today, we grieve the loss of one of our own,” Martin said. “… Our hearts break alongside his family, friends, fellow troopers, and all who loved him. We will never forget the ultimate sacrifice he made in service of his fellow Texans.”
Romero previously served with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office before joining DPS as part of Class B-2025 in Childress, the agency said.
He is survived by his wife, Francisca, and their two young sons.
Funeral arrangements are pending. The crash remains under investigation.
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