Mercer Tennis Classic Serves Up $100K Tournament Featuring World-Class Talent

The 12th annual Macon event returns Oct. 13–19 with top-ranked pros, community support, and a growing national reputation

MACON, Georgia – (41NBC/WMGT) – The Mercer Tennis Classic returns Oct. 13–19 with one of the largest prize purses on the U.S. pro circuit, offering $100,000 in total prize money for a second consecutive year.

Mercer Men’s Tennis coach and Tournament director Eric Hayes said the Macon-based event, held at the John Drew Smith Tennis Center, is one of only three tournaments in the country at the $100,000 level. The ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour stop attracts top-ranked international talent and has become a staple in Georgia’s fall sports calendar.

This year’s top seed is Renata Zarazúa of Mexico, ranked No. 70 in the world. Zarazúa made headlines at the U.S. Open after defeating No. 5 seed Madison Keys in the first round.

Hayes credited the Macon Tennis Association, local sponsors, and volunteers for helping sustain the tournament, now in its 12th year. He said community support- from providing meals to driving players and working ticket gates- is essential to its success.

“We get great crowds. We have night matches. People always say after the tournament, ‘We wish we would had known about it,’” Hayes said. “Let’s get it out there and get people coming out.”

Hayes, who began the event while coaching at Troy University, said the tournament has strengthened Mercer’s tennis programs by building relationships with other college coaches and players. Last year, Mercer’s men’s team won its first Southern Conference championship.

Matches begin Oct. 13 with qualifying rounds and conclude Oct. 19 with singles and doubles finals. For more information or to volunteer, contact hayes_ea@mercer.edu.