Southern players and organizations are constantly making their mark in the world of tennis. Here's a list of recent awards, achievements and news in December 2016.
Winston-Salem Open receives award in player vote
The ATP has announced the Tournaments of the Year in the 2016 ATP World Tour Awards presented by Moët & Chandon, with the Winston-Salem Open and If Stockholm Open sharing the 250 category award as the most favored ATP World Tour event. It was the first time either tournament was named.
The Tournament of the Year awards, voted annually by ATP players, recognize the leading standards set across the three tournament categories on the Tour: 1000, 500 and 250 levels.
Bill Oakes, the Tournament Director of the Winston-
Salem Open and USTA Southern Collegiate Committee member, said, “We recognise this award is due to the amazing dedication of not only the tournament staff but because of the many volunteers and those in the Winston-Salem community who work to make our tournament and city a great place for the ATP World Tour players to compete and prepare for the US Open.”
The tournament, which runs the week before the US Open, will hold its seventh event Aug. 19-26, 2017.
Champions of Tennis Awards go to two Southern companies, public park
Tennis Industry magazine has honored three Southern recipients with 2016 Champions of Tennis Awards. Visit www.tennisindustrymag.com for more on all winners.
The recipients from USTA Southern are:
- Builder/Contractor of the Year: Court One, Raleigh, N.C.
- Public Park of the Year: North Main Athletic Complex, Holly Springs, N.C.
- Mass Merchant/Chain Store of the Year: PGA Tour Superstore, Roswell, Ga.
Southern juniors win 12s Junior Orange Bowl singles
Raleigh, N.C.'s, Victor Lilov, and Cori Gauff, of Atlanta, won the 2016 Junior Orange Bowl 12s singles titles in Coral Gables, Fla.
Second-seeded Gauff won a straight-set final over Katrina Scott, the fourth seed, 6-4, 7-6(4). Scott hails from Woodland Hills, Calif. Lilov saved six match points in his 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(2) semifinal win over Paraguy's Adolfo Vallejo.
Lilov overcame a dismal start to roar back to a 0-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Bruno Kuzuhara. LIlov was the third seed while Kuzuhara, of Coconut Creek, Fla., was the ninth seed.
The Junior Orange Bowl, is considered one of the most prestigious international tournaments. Former participants include Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Jimmy Conors, Andy Roddick, Kim Clijsters, Jennifer Capriati, Justine Henin, and Caroline Wozniacki, all of whom were ranked No. 1 in the world.
For a story about the tournament, including a video of Gauff winning her final, click here.
Hall of Famer Wade Herren passes
Southern Tennis Hall of Fame inductee Wade Herren passed away on Dec. 7.
The native of Birmingham, Ala. was born on June 7, 1927. He was the member of three other Halls of Fame: the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, the USTA Alabama (Tennis Association) Hall of Fame and the Birmingham-Southern Hall of Fame.
Herren attended Tulane University and Birmingham-Southern University on tennis scholarships. He won over 200 tennis titles, including an SEC Championship in 1948 while at Tulane and four national championships. He founded Highland Racket Club and contracted to build tennis courts all over the South.
Herren also served as president of the USTA Alabama President. Read full obituary here.