Mercer Tennis Classic: Day, Townsend, Udvardy Advance to Quarters
10/19/2023 8:22:00 PM | Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis
MACON - The quarterfinals in singles and semifinals in doubles are set at the Mercer Tennis Classic which is being held this week at the John Drew Smith Tennis Center in Macon.Â
The singles final eight is a mix - a rising 25 year-old from California, a Cypriot, a college player, last year's singles finalist and more…
In a week where  Taylor Townsend, who is currently ranked No. 77 in singles and No. 8 in the world in doubles, is the top-seed, much has been expected out of the Atlanta resident. She delivered big-time on Thursday. She avenged a loss two weeks ago in Rome, Ga., to McCartney Kessler and seemed to tidy up things in her game. It was about taking the net and aggressive play and it looks like fans in Macon can expect more of that as the week progresses.Â
Kayla Day, the 2016 champ in Macon, continued her efficient play winning 78 percent of the points on her first serve and converting five of nine break points for a 6-4, 6-1 win.
Panna Udvardy of Hungary, a singles finalist in 2022, was again impressive with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Yullia Starobdubtseva of Ukraine. Perhaps no player has spent more time on the practice court in Macon this week than Udvardy, and the extra work appears to be paying off.
University of Georgia sophomore Alexandra Vecic's tournament ended on Thursday at the hands of University of Miami junior Alexa Noel. In a battle of two college players, Noel had a little too much for Vecic who had played long matches just to get into the tournament. Noel prevailed 6-4, 6-0.
Notes:Â
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 22 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. Historic 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 40 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 $15,000 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: mercertennisclassic
The singles final eight is a mix - a rising 25 year-old from California, a Cypriot, a college player, last year's singles finalist and more…
In a week where  Taylor Townsend, who is currently ranked No. 77 in singles and No. 8 in the world in doubles, is the top-seed, much has been expected out of the Atlanta resident. She delivered big-time on Thursday. She avenged a loss two weeks ago in Rome, Ga., to McCartney Kessler and seemed to tidy up things in her game. It was about taking the net and aggressive play and it looks like fans in Macon can expect more of that as the week progresses.Â
Kayla Day, the 2016 champ in Macon, continued her efficient play winning 78 percent of the points on her first serve and converting five of nine break points for a 6-4, 6-1 win.
Panna Udvardy of Hungary, a singles finalist in 2022, was again impressive with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Yullia Starobdubtseva of Ukraine. Perhaps no player has spent more time on the practice court in Macon this week than Udvardy, and the extra work appears to be paying off.
University of Georgia sophomore Alexandra Vecic's tournament ended on Thursday at the hands of University of Miami junior Alexa Noel. In a battle of two college players, Noel had a little too much for Vecic who had played long matches just to get into the tournament. Noel prevailed 6-4, 6-0.
Notes:Â
- One former Macon champion is in the main draw field - Kayla Day (2016)
- Again for 2023 are three evenings of night matches during the week.Â
- 10th Anniversary. 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 - 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 USTA.com and the Tennis Channel.
- Tickets are available at www.ustamaconclassic.com
- 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.
- Live streaming is available on USTA.com
- Tournament volunteers are needed and any help is always appreciated. Call Mercer tennis head 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 22 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. Historic 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 40 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 $15,000 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: mercertennisclassic
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