2021 Mercer Tennis Classic Returns to Macon
10/6/2021 9:28:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Professional Tennis Returns To Macon Oct. 18-24
MACON, Ga. - Professional women's tennis returns to Macon as the Mercer Tennis Classic will be once again held Oct. 18-24 at the John Drew Smith Tennis Center in Macon. This is an 80K USTA Pro Circuit event featuring WTA professionals ranked between 70 and 200 in the world.
"This is exciting. It will be great tennis in Macon. With many of the players still in the US after the US Open and Indian Wells, we will have potentially a new crop of top players entered this year. The word is out about how great Macon is, so that means a great entry list of current and former top-100 players in Macon. We will have a strong event in singles and doubles, explains Tournament Director and Mercer Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach, Eric Hayes."
More than 30 players who have competed in the Macon event have gone on to compete for Grand Slams in 2021.
The women's event will feature a 32-player singles qualifying draw, a 32-player singles main draw and a 16-team doubles draw with a field made up of well-known professional players as well as up-and-coming junior tennis stars.
Over the years, the event has been shown on the Tennis Channel and Tennis Channel+.
"It's a testament to how much our event has grown and the quality of field we get each year that the Tennis Channel would want to come to Macon and show live tennis. I personally hear from tennis coaches, fans and players all over the world when the coverage from Macon airs. It's amazing coverage and exposure for not only Mercer, but for the city of Macon and Middle Georgia."
Now in its ninth year and fifth 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 - Truist Atlanta Open in July, is the largest). It is also the longest running professional women's tennis tournament in the state of Georgia. The event has been 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.
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.
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.
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
Sunday, May 10
Saturday, May 09
Saturday, May 09
Sunday, May 03
