2020 Mercer Tennis Classic Crown Doubles Champion

MACON, Ga. - The two best players all week in Macon will square off for the 80K Mercer Tennis Classic on Sunday and both players have reason to be excited.

One of the best comeback stories in tennis, Cici Bellis took out veteran and former Macon champ, Varvara Lepchenko on Saturday. Bellis anticipated well and moved a visibly tired Lepchenko from side-to-side in the 6-3, 1-0(ret) win.

Bellis said she put the hard work in before getting to Macon.

"I trained super hard before these two tournaments, so I was coming in prepared."

She also said that she found the right balance during the break where there were no events to play.

"It was tough. I think everyone found it as a challenge. I think I found a good combination of training and working out, and it's good to be back."

Bellis hasn't dropped a set in the tournament.

Marta Kostyuk has been great all week and has been hot since tennis resumed over a month ago. The 18-year old from Ukraine upset the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals and took out a tough customer in Magdalena Frech from Poland on Saturday.

Since tennis resumed in 2020, Kostyuk reached the third round at the US Open, falling in three sets to Naomi Osaka, qualified for the French Open and reached the quarterfinals in doubles at Roland Garros.

Kostyuk has been in Macon now for over a week and is enjoying the city.

"Macon has been great. At the tennis here there are a lot of courts the hotel is great, lotd of food around and of course, Walmart."

In the doubles final the Polish pair of Frech and Kawa defeated DiLorenzo and Loeb 7-5, 6-1.

The Mercer Tennis Classic is the first USTA Pro Circuit event being held in the U.S. since professional tennis came to a halt in March.

Singles Final on Sunday at 1pm

Saturday's Results:
Catherine BELLIS (USA) Varvara LEPCHENKO (USA) 6-3 1-0 Ret.
Marta KOSTYUK (UKR) [6] Magdalena FRECH (POL) 6-3 6-2
Magdalena FRECH (POL) / Katarzyna KAWA (POL) Francesca DI LORENZO (USA) / Jamie LOEB 7-5 6-1

The women's event features a 32-player singles qualifying draw, a 32-player singles main draw and a 16-team doubles draw. Now in its eighth year and fourth year as an W80 event, the Mercer Tennis Classic will once again feature many of the best women tennis players in the world. It is the second biggest professional tournament in the state of Georgia in terms of prize money (ATP World Tour 250 event - BB&T Atlanta Open in July, is the largest). It is also the longest running professional women's tennis tournament in the state of Georgia. The 2019 event was showcased on the Tennis Channel.

The Mercer Tennis Classic has featured players with major titles, including 2014 Macon singles champ, Kateryna Bondarenko, of Ukraine, and her sister, Alona, who she teamed with to win the 2008 Australian Open Doubles title, and 2010 French Open singles champion Francesca Schiavone, of Italy, who was the tournament's top seed in 2018.

The event will adhere to all government-mandated COVID-19 restrictions, including social-distancing, throughout the duration of the tournament.

Tournament volunteers are needed and any help is always appreciated. Call Mercer tennis coach and tournament director Eric Hayes at (478) 301-2269.

About the John Drew Smith Tennis Center

The John Drew Smith Tennis Center (JDSTC) is regarded as one of the top 25 public municipal facilities in the nation by Tennis Magazine and the United States Tennis Association. It has 24 tennis courts, 6 pickleball courts, a beautiful observation deck and pro shop. The facility is a haven for programming for juniors, adults, and everyone in the community. John Drew Smith Tennis Center is renowned for hosting local, state, and national tennis events. Tennis players not only from the state of Georgia but all over the country, are familiar with JDS. Almost every competitive junior player from the state of Georgia in the last 30 years has played at this renowned facility. The activity is so extensive and the atmosphere is so conducive to tennis that, in 2005, Racquet Sports Industry (RSI) named John Drew Smith Tennis Center the Municipal Facility of the Year.

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. The USTA launched its Pro Circuit in 1979 to provide 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. Victoria Azarenka, Eugenie Bouchard, John Isner, Madison Keys, Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori, Sam Querrey and Caroline Wozniacki are among today's top stars who began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit.

For more information:

On-site PR contact: Rick Limpert (209) 920-7425 or email: Rick.Limpert@gmail.com Website: www.ustamaconclassic.com
Twitter: @USTAMacon80K
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaconTennisClassic/ Instagram: wl_amos_tennis

2020 Mercer Tennis Classic Crown Doubles Champion

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