At the end of July, I reported that Charleston, South Carolina, Atlanta, Georgia and Richmond, Virginia were the three finalists of the ten cities nominated by the USTA for the second annual title of "Best Tennis Town." Today, the USTA announced that Charleston is the winner; the announcement was made today on Arthur Ashe Court at the U.S. Open. Charleston was selected for the title through online voting in July.
The city of Charleston will receive $100,000 to be used to enhance citywide tennis programming and/or facilities. There are 580 tennis courts in Charleston, which is the home of the Family Circle Cup, one of the most historically significant and fan-friendly tournaments in the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour's schedule.
I love Charleston and can easily believe that it's the Best Tennis Town. It seems strange, though, that the USTA would give a significant grant to a town that's already "the best." Why not give a grant to the "Marginal Tennis Town with Best Plans for Improvement"? Perhaps I didn't read the fine print in my latest USTA magazine....
ReplyDeleteThe finalists were cities and towns that "best exemplify the passion, excitement, spirit, and impact that tennis brings to the local level."
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