New Name, New Dates, More Prize Money for USTA Tennis Classic of Macon
4/9/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
RELEASE BY RICK LIMPERT
MACON, Ga. - Professional tennis returned to Macon, GA in 2013, with the 25K Tennis Classic of Macon. It was a rousing success, but some good news… it will be bigger and better than ever in 2014.
A new presenting sponsor in The W.L. Amos Sr. Foundation means the tournament moves up to a 50K event and shifts dates to two weeks later on the USTA Pro Circuit calendar. This means a stronger field and added importance leading into the 2015 Australian Open.
Tournament director and Mercer University Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach Eric Hayes said the response the tournament received in 2013 was 100% positive.
"I was blown away," said Hayes. "From the players, to the support of the sponsors and the Macon tennis community, it was a great event."
Local tennis players raved about the Monday evening pro am where they were able to play sets with and against the WTA professionals.
It was great to see the entire Macon tennis community get behind the tournament and interact with the players," explained Hayes. "Talking to the players, I think they had even more fun than the locals."
This year, with the USTA Tennis Classic of Macon moving to a 50K women's event, tennis fans in Middle Georgia can expect to see more top-100 players, and many of the top American competing along with live streaming of the event.
The USTA Tennis Classic of Macon will be one of the few live streamed women's tournaments.
Live streaming of USTA Pro Circuit events debuted in mid-2012 and last year, all men's Challengers were streamed, as well as select women's tournaments. Live streaming of the USTA Pro Circuit can be viewed on the USTA Pro Circuit's website at www.procircuit.usta.com.
Tickets will be available soon, and volunteers will be needed once again. Call Mercer tennis coach and tournament director Eric Hayes at (478) 301-2269.
About the USTA Pro Circuit
With approximately 90 tournaments hosted annually throughout the country and prize money ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, the USTA Pro Circuit is the pathway to the US Open and tour-level competition for aspiring tennis players and a frequent battleground for established professionals. Celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2014, the USTA Pro Circuit provides players with the opportunity to gain professional ranking points, and it has since grown to become the largest developmental tennis circuit in the world, offering nearly $3 million in prize money. Last year, more than 1,000 men and women from more than 70 countries competed in cities nationwide. John Isner, Maria Sharapova, Sam Querrey, Sloane Stephens, Mardy Fish, Victoria Azarenka and Andy Murray are among today's top stars who began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit.
Jaime Kaplan Tennis Center at Stratford Academy
The Jaime Kaplan Tennis Center is the beautiful new tennis facility at Stratford Academy. The SP Design Group and Hulsey McCormick & Wallace, Inc. coordinated the design effort with the USTA and the K-12 school for the concession/restroom/locker building and the eight new playing courts. In 2011, the new facility was awarded the USTA Outstanding Facility Award for an educational institution.
The W.L. Amos Sr. Foundation
The W.L. Amos Sr. Foundation is the presenting sponsor of the tournament
Middle Georgia Tennis Foundation
The mission of the Middle Georgia Tennis Foundation is to raise funds to support tennis programs, especially youth programs in Middle Georgia.
