On July 23rd, a yellow ball will strike the red clay court from the first serve at the Western Maryland Tennis Championships, adding to more than a century of history at the Mountain Lake Park Tennis Club, all made possible through the efforts of players, members, and sponsors who are dedicated to keeping the tradition of tennis on the mountaintop alive for future generations to enjoy.
The 105th edition of the Western Maryland Tennis Championships takes place July 23-26 at the Mountain Lake Park Tennis Club, located behind the Town Hall at 1007 Allegheny Drive. Featuring 30-50 players from the local region and beyond, this sanctioned United States Tennis Association event is sponsored by Oakland Oil & Propane, a Stuck Enterprises company, and Carter Wagoner. Player entry fees are $30-$55 with July 19 as the registration deadline. To register, visit https://playtennis.usta.com/Competitions/mountainlakeparktennisclubinc/Tournaments.
First competing in the event in the 1970s as a teenager, Tournament Director Sean O’Neil is now in his 5th year directing the
oldest tournament in Maryland. “We’re celebrating our 105th year in 2026, and the tournament means a lot to me and a lot of other people,” said O’Neil, who added, “It’s very much a family atmosphere.”
Spectators can find a gazebo and two covered grandstands to watch the action unfold on the club’s four red clay courts. Anyone interested in assisting with court sweeping between matches contact O’Neil at the tournament. Thursday’s matches commence in the afternoon, while Friday through Sunday’s play runs from 9:30 am to 7:00 pm.
Two evening social gatherings are part of the tournament’s history: a Players’ Reception (Friday) and a Corn Roast (Saturday). Players attend for free, and others wanting to attend are welcome but charged a modest fee.
Kathie Smith, a Mountain Lake Park resident and local historian, played tennis on the town’s red clay courts as a young girl and later played in the tournament. As its director for 40 years, Smith said, “I knew the importance of the social events that we provided for the players… These events help provide a feeling of camaraderie, making the tournament more than just a tennis match.”
Adding some historical context, Smith continued, “When the tournament began in the early 19th century, families and players came to Mountain Lake Park from what was then a great distance. Social gatherings were important in this summer community with residents and visitors coming from a variety of locations. At the beginning, Deep Creek Lake didn’t exist. Those with cottages stayed for the summer; connections were made and long-lasting friendships secured.”
With matches on red clay courts, the tournament is vulnerable to weather. In 2025, rain threatened to derail competition. Club members Fred Pratt and Gary Newcomb sprang into action. Pratt said, “We knew what we had to do and got right on it.”
For decades, members have learned how to maintain the Dustin Dull Teaches a Youth Clinic Dustin Dull Teaches a Youth Clinic red clay courts to endure variable and unpredictable Garrett County weather. Pratt and Newcomb, both turning 77 this year, take on that role now. As volunteers, they do it for their love of tennis and the privilege to play on clay. According to Pratt, clay courts once in Cumberland and Keyser are now gone. “If no one takes care of these courts, they just go downhill,” said Pratt who added, “Playing on clay is so much different than playing on pavement, and your body feels that benefit no matter your age.”
The red clay used on the courts is locally sourced from a farm in Pleasant Valley and is mixed with other materials. Newcomb said, “There’s so much to consider when doing maintenance because you have to experience it to know what to do. Fred is like Julia Child when it comes to blending up soils to spread on the courts.” Pratt added, “It’s like a science experiment; mixing a sample of the red clay with some water, you can learn a lot about the clay and how much sand you have to add to soften it.” Incorporating sand into the red clay surface mix helps promote drainage. Pratt’s mentor was the late Jack Jones, a long-time member of the club who was once a ball boy at the Western Maryland Championships and later in life maintained the courts. On seeing Jones working by himself several years ago, Pratt started working with and learning from him.
Tasks include sifting rocks from the clay, weeding, rolling the surface, correcting low spots, and even watering the courts if they are too dry. Pratt and Newcomb are looking to pass acquired knowledge to their successors. The town has been very helpful in providing support in their efforts to maintain the courts. The town recently purchased a machine sifter to help in the processing of material for the surface. Pratt said the mayor asks them, “What do you need that’d make your lives easier?” Newcomb quipped, “He wants to keep us alive longer.”
Mayor Don Sincell said, “We are fortunate to have two local retired educators, Fred Pratt and Gary Newcomb, who volunteer their time to maintain our courts. Tennis players love to play on clay courts, which are rapidly disappearing throughout the country because they require so much maintenance. The tennis courts represent a huge part of our town’s legendary Chautauqua history.”
Smith said the establishment of Mountain Lake Park in 1881 and the spread of the modern outdoor sport of tennis coincided, which allowed it to become one of the main recreational activities from the past that has persisted to the present. The red clay courts are sited where they were originally in1906, when the town hall was the Woman’s Civic Club.
In 2021, the original Mountain Lake Park Tennis Club donated the courts to the town and then reorganized as a public club. Applications to join are available at the courts and the town hall. Annual memberships (typical season mid-March through November) are $95 for individuals, $120 for families, and $25 for students. Vacationers pay daily fees of $15 with weekly and monthly rates available. Club amenities include restroom and shower facilities, rackets available for adults or children who may not have them, a hit board, ball machines, ball baskets, and balls.
New members are entitled to a free lesson from the club’s Tennis Pro, Joe Osment, whose first exposure to the club was as a musician playing at the tournament’s Corn Roast. Upon seeing the unique red clay courts, he knew it was a special place and joined. He said, “Playing on clay changes the nature of the game, slowing it down a bit and forcing the player to use skills and tactics rather than raw power.”
The club uses a messaging system to provide updates on court status (playability after rain), and connect members to pair up to play. The club typically has women’s doubles on Tuesday and Thursday mornings; men’s doubles on Monday and Wednesday mornings; and mixed doubles on Tuesday evenings after work. The club maintains a presence on Facebook but has no current website.
The club offered a free youth tennis clinic for ages 5-11 in June, and will be offering another for ages 12-17 on July 11-13 ($25 fee). The club has held the Garrett Open to benefit tennis programs at Northern and Southern High Schools in past years. Osment said the club is “a welcoming place for all ages and skill levels, and a great family-oriented activity that doesn’t break the bank – it’s accessible.”
Photo cutline: Players shaking hands after a doubles match. Faces Visible (L-R): Fred Pratt, Joe Osment, Gary Newcomb
Written by Evan Byrne.