MACON, Ga. — Beginning next week, professional women’s tennis returns to Macon at the Mercer Tennis Classic. This week, preparations are well underway, and now in its ninth year, the tournament will be held from October 18th to the 24th at the John Drew Smith Tennis Center, featuring both a singles and doubles draw.
This year’s edition of the event is the biggest yet; four players featured this year are currently ranked inside the WTA top 100, with the tournament champion essentially earning an automatic entry into the 2022 Australian Open. New in 2021 are night session matches, as well as the ability to purchase tickets both on-site and online. These additions are all testaments to just how much the event has grown, according to Mercer Tennis Head Coach Tournament Director Eric Hayes.
"Every year, the event has grown," Hayes said. "We started as a $60,000 event, now up to an $80,000 event, and you know we have marquee players here. There’s a real demand to watch them, so daily tickets and weekly passes.”
Those daily tickets cost just $5, and passes for the entire week are just $20.