Southampton’s FS Tennis Club launches prize-money tournament for UTR 5.0+ players

FS Tennis Club has given Southampton a different kind of Hamptons tennis moment, one built around prize money, verified UTRs and a field small enough to feel like a real draw. The inaugural FS Tennis Club Hamptons Prize Money $$ Tournament was set for May 29-31, with singles only, no gender or age restrictions, and a maximum of 32 players.

That selectivity is the point. The event was open only to players with a verified UTR of 5.0 or higher, and it would not move forward unless at least eight players signed up, with refunds tied to cancellation if the minimum was not met. Draws and match times were scheduled to be released Wednesday evening before the tournament, no later than 7 p.m., and play was set to begin Friday at 11 a.m. on outdoor clay and hard courts.

The money was the clearest sign that this was meant to be more than a club hit. In fields of 16 or more, the champion was to earn $1,000, the finalist $500 and semifinalists $135 apiece. Even the smaller 8-to-15 player fields still carried prize money, with $500 for the winner, $250 for the runner-up and $135 for semifinalists. That kind of structure makes room for strong adults, juniors and current or former college players who want a competitive weekend on the East End rather than a social round robin.

FS Tennis Club itself is a year-round, non-membership facility in Southampton with eight courts, split between four Har-Tru clay courts and four hard courts. Its outdoor season runs from May through September, with indoor play from September to May, which put the tournament right at the handoff into the summer calendar. Future Stars Southampton’s camp sessions were also set to begin June 1 at 1370A Majors Path, just as the tournament weekend closed.

The event also arrived with a more polished tournament setup than many local summer entries. Manual + Sport Physical Therapy was listed as the on-site recovery partner, and its Southampton office is at 167 Main Street. The practice traces its roots in Southampton to 1988, which gave the weekend a local support network that felt built for players going hard over multiple matches.

Put against the rest of the Hamptons tennis map, the new Southampton draw reads as a meaningful addition. East Hampton Indoor Tennis has operated since 1995 and lists six indoor courts, 18 outdoor courts, two platform-pickleball courts and three padel courts, while East Hampton Tennis Club offers 15 outdoor Har-Tru courts. Meadow Club Southampton, founded in 1887, remains one of the village’s historic anchors. FS Tennis Club’s prize-money debut did not replace that landscape, but it did carve out a sharper competitive lane, and Southampton now has a weekend that points toward something more than summer membership tennis.