TENNIS CLASSIC OF MACON FIELD FEATURES DEPTH, YOUTH, AND WILDCARDS
MACON, Georgia, (October 3, 2013) The player field has taken shape for the 2013 ButlerCars.com Tennis Classic of Macon and Mercer tennis coach and tournament director Eric Hayes couldn’t be more excited.
“I’m blown away,” said Hayes. “From the players that have entered the tournament, to the support of the sponsors and the Macon tennis community, this is going to be a great event.”
Heading the entry list is world No. 85 Ajla Tomljanovic of Croatia, Michelle Larcher De Brito of Portugal, who notched a win over Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon this year, and American Coco Vandeweghe.
There is considerable depth in the event, unlike other 25K events around the world.
“Our initial ranking cut off was around 200,” explained Hayes. “That is unheard of for a USTA 25K event.”
Making up that depth are solid young Americans like former Stanford All-American and NCAA singles champ Nicole Gibbs, former Florida Gator Allie Will, and a pair of promising American juniors in Allie Kiick and Brooke Austin. Austin, of Indianapolis was one of the wildcard recipients.
Other players of note playing in Macon are Anna Tatishvili of Georgia and Sharpsburg, Georgia’s Natalie Pluskota. Tatishvili was ranked 50 in the world about a year ago and Pluskota played her college tennis at Tennesse.
Former University of Alabama player Alexa Guarachi also received a wildcard into the event.
Play begins on Sunday morning at Stratford Academy.
—R. Limpert
Tennis Atlantic 