From July 27 to Aug. 2, the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex at the University of Kentucky will host the Kentucky Bank Tennis Championship, a professional tournament that is part of the United States Tennis Association’s Pro Circuit, with many of the top finishers going on to compete in the U.S. Open.
The event, an international competition that began in 1995 for men and 1997 for women, is run by the Lexington Challenger Tennis Charity Inc., an organization that seeks to raise funds to increase awareness for healthy living and promote tennis as a way of enhancing other life skills. The organization also contributes funds to other charities that have similar objectives.
Tickets to the main draw cost $10 per day, and $50 for a weeklong pass. Qualifying rounds took place July 25 and 26. The event itself will consist of men’s and women’s singles and doubles brackets, with the championship finals scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 2.
According to Joanne Moore Wallen, a former professional tennis player and current general manager of the Lexington Tennis Club, the level of skill and intimate setting at the tournament make it an exciting time for any fan of competitive sports.
“It’s a first-class experience where you can experience these players up close and personal, and then you’re going to see them at the U.S. Open in three weeks,” said Moore Wallen. “You just don’t get that in many places.”
The tournament is considered a stepping-stone toward higher tennis competitions, with players competing for prize money and points in the hopes of increasing their world ranking.
There is $100,000 in prize money that will be awarded at the event, with earnings being equal for men and women – not only one of the few tournaments at this level to do this, but also one of the few tournaments to have the men and women’s tournaments occur simultaneously.
As an international tournament, participating players are from all over the world. Recent winners have come from a variety of countries, including England, Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan, Canada and France.
Some notable and highly ranked players who have competed in this event include James Blake, Lleyton Hewitt, Katarina Srebotnik and John Isner – who won the men’s singles championship in 2007. With a world ranking of 19, Isner is currently the top ranked American male in the world.
Throughout the week, approximately 15,000 people will attend the event, and that number has been growing each year. Tournament director Brooks Lundy estimates that about 70 percent of attendees are from Lexington, with the rest coming from elsewhere in Kentucky or out-of-state. In addition to 15,000 attendees, about 250 players and coaches come to Lexington to participate in the tournament.
“The community gets really involved,” said Moore Wallen. “We’ve had a ton of kid’s clinics, and then a lot of the players are housed by families, so the families get very involved too.”
This year, through a generous donation from the Hilary J. Boone Foundation, new antique trophies will be awarded to the champions of the tournament. They will be considered “perpetual trophies”, meaning the trophy will continue to be awarded at each tournament, often changing hands from year to year.
The two trophies are named after Mary McDowell Boone (Women’s Championship) and Hilary J. Boone (Men’s Championship). They were on display at the Kentucky Bank in the Powell-Walton-Milward Building at 360 E. Vine St., and are currently on display at the tournament.
In addition to Kentucky Bank, some other sponsors of the event include Kentucky Eagle, BlueGrass Home Entertainment, Business Lexington, Lex18, Tops Lexington, Lexington Tennis Club, Net Gain Technologies, Hilary J. Boone Foundation, The Campbell House, UK Health Care and Pepsi.
Throughout the week, several fun proceedings will be held in addition to tournament play, including Kids Day and Ladies Day events, as well as some group exercise sessions.
“There’s a little bit of something for everybody,” said Lundy.
Lundy believes these types of additions and the general philosophy of the Lexington Challenger Tennis Charity help lessen the stigma that tennis is a niche sport, and that tennis has much to offer a wide range of people from varying age groups.
“We’re just making sure tennis is a sport for everyone,” Lundy said. “I think tennis is a growing sport, and I think the community as a whole is finding ways to open tennis up for everybody.”