Players' Days Don’t End With Leaving the Court at Atlanta Tennis Championships

NORCROSS, Georgia - If an hour of practice, followed by a two-hour match, and then smiling for 45 minutes while you glad-hand tournament sponsors and their families isn’t for you, then you don’t belong on the ATP Tour.

While most of what gets reported on is what happens on the court, players often have off the court duties to attend to once their practice session or match is over.

Take for instance an early week afternoon at the Atlanta Tennis Championships, an ATP 250 event being held this week at Racquet Club of the South outside of Atlanta.  American pro Donald Young was helping kids at a junior clinic, upstart Ryan Harrison was signing autographs and posing for pictures at the USTA tent, while former top-five player James Blake was due to make an appearance at a Fidelity cocktail party.

The players know it’s the sponsors and fans that make it possible to earn a living playing tennis all over the world.  Most players are to take a few minutes out of their busy schedules to show appreciation. 

American, Alex Bolgomolov Jr. was the featured attraction at the USTA luncheon on Wednesday, and the gaggle of USTA members was happy to have him.  “It’s the least I can do,” stated Bolgmolov when asked about making appearances for sponsors.  "They do a lot for us."

Friday night was Corona Night at the tournament, and that meant the British doubles team of Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins were appearing at the Corona Beach House.  Corona is a major backer of the ATP Tour.  While it may not seem like hard work for a couple of Brits to hang out at a bar for 30 minutes, the duo just had finished a practice session and were preparing to play in the semi-finals on Saturday.  Hutchins served as master of ceremonies, asking trivia questions and entertaining the raucous crowd at the beach house.  Fleming greeted fans and thanked them for coming out. 

The marriage of corporate sponsorship and professional sports traces its roots all the way back to the turn of the century when outfield fences at ballparks were often adorned with advertisements for Bull Durham Tobacco. Since relievers warmed up in a nearby pen, the term bullpen was created.

The grounds of the Racquet Club of the South may not have a bullpen, but it does have 10 & Under Tennis courts for kids, the Corona Beach House for adults and BMWs on the grounds for fans to marvel at. 

 

And oh yeah, there is some tennis thrown is as well.