The leap from Wimbledon to Newport, R.I. is not as far you would think.

Newport, like the village of Wimbledon, is well established. It was founded in 1639; the port community is steeped in tradition, yet evinces a quaint atmosphere loved by its residents and thousands of tourists that invade over the summer months. It boasts the highest number of ‘surviving colonial buildings’ in the United States — including the opulent Newport mansions, which were home to the wealthy during America’s Gilded Age of the late 19th century.

The obvious connection Newport has with Wimbledon, at least this week, is tennis. The Tennis Hall of Fame tournament is the only ATP event played on grass in the United States, and it always follows the two weeks of hoopla that engrosses Wimbledon village and the most coveted of Grand Slams.

Although the Hall of Fame tournament is small — an ATP…