Mercer Tennis Classic in Macon purse upgraded to $100,000, attracts top pro players

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The tennis scene in Macon is drawing more professional players from across the country as the Mercer Tennis Classic Tournament rises in the pro circuit. The John Drew Smith Tennis Center is now one of only four locations in the U.S. hosting a top pro tennis tournament.

While the tournament is not new to Macon, the stakes are higher this year. Previously, the total tournament prize was $80,000, but the United States Tennis Association recently upgraded the tournament, raising the purse to $100,000.

Eric Hayes, the tournament director and head tennis coach at Mercer University, says the event will attract the top 50 players in the world to Macon.

“It just shows where tennis is on the landscape in Macon,” he said. “A lot of cities are decreasing the money and losing the tournaments, but we just keep building and going up.”

In recent years, the tournament has attracted Olympians, and last year, Taylor Townsend, who won the Wimbledon Doubles Championship this past Saturday, competed in Macon. Hayes expects to draw not only top players but also fans.

“We’re finally now getting fans to come here and stay in hotels, spend money on food, gas,” he said. “We’ve never had that before.”

Hayes noted that they are still looking for volunteers. Contact the John Drew Smith Tennis Center for more information.

The tournament is October 16-22.