Eighth Mercer Tennis Classic gets underway Monday

          Eight top-100 players highlight the main draw part of the field of the eighth Mercer Tennis Classic that starts Monday morning.

          It’s the first UTSA pro event in the country since tennis was sideline in March by COVID-19.

          Play begins at 10 a.m. Monday at John Drew Smith Tennis Center with qualifying at the Leroy Paddy Tennis Center at Mercer, four courts in action to get started.

          Nearly three dozen players will work to qualify on Monday and Tuesday, with the main draw action beginning on Wednesday and continuing through Sunday.

          There won’t be fans on hand to start with, but that may change as the tournament progresses.

          Shelby Rogers is 55th and Patricia Maria Tig is 59th.

          Rogers reached the quarterfinals of  the 2020 U.S. Open, and was ranked 116th when she beat Serena Williams this summer in the Top Seed Open. She lost to Katerina Stewart in last year’s MTC final.

          Tig reached the third round of the French Open, and won the Istanbul Cup. Monica Puig is 98th, but has been in the top 30.

          The format has a 32-player singles qualifying draw and 32-player main draw, plus 16-team doubles draw.

          Again, the semifinals and finals will be televised on the Tennis Channel, with early action on the USTA website.

          The tournament is in its eigthh year, making it the longest-running in Georgia, and the $80,000 prize money makes it the second-most lucrative in the state. It’s a qualifier for the Australian Open as well as a major chance for players to get WTA points.

          A pro/am will be held Tuesday evening, and the week includes a Kids Day on Wednesday, and visits to local schools along with free lessons and more.

          For more information, or to inquire about volunteering, contact Mercer head tennis coach and tournament director Eric Hayes at 478-301-2269.