DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — Pro tennis is back in Decatur after a years long hiatus, but this year it’s a little bit different.
For the first time, women are taking center stage. Historically, only men have participated in the competition. On Tuesday, over 50 women competed at the Fairview Tennis Complex, aiming to earn ranking points and face the top names in the sport.
The tournament supervisor said he’s happy it’s back.
“There has been immense support from the community. It goes beyond financial aid, although that is crucial for hosting the tournament. It’s the volunteer support, the dedication, and hard work from a group of individuals committed to bringing high-level tennis to the Decatur community,” stated tournament supervisor Brian Earley.
Earley expressed that the objective is to introduce as many people in Decatur as possible to this level of tennis. With over 40 years of experience, he noted that only men competed in previous competitions, but this year, they wanted to try something different.
“There are so many good players, so many women can play,” Earley said.
Earley said women from all over the country came out to compete. Some were from the area — like one mom who was out there for fun.
“It’s been a while. A little over a year ago, they hosted a tournament in Champaign, and I was lucky enough to get to play,” Michaela Eddins said.
Michaela Eddins is 36 years old. She’s the oldest person in the tournament this year but she’s still holding her own.
“You don’t have to give up your dreams fully. You know, you should you should still strive to better yourself every day and do something that you love,” Eddins said.
Eddins said being able to live free on the court once again was like no other.
“Since we moved here, I don’t get to hit quite as much as I did prior when we lived in West Virginia,” Eddins said.
Earley said it’s support from the community that allows them to host these pro tennis matches.
“You’ll see them here and then you’ll see them at the biggest tournaments at the end of the summer. I mean, the level of play has just improved so much over the years,” Earley said.
Players came from several different countries including New Zealand, China and Canada. Tuesday morning, Eddins won her match… Now she’ll continue for a chance at winning the more than $4,000 top prize. You can catch the action from now through June 15.
