400 play for titles at Rome Tennis Center
Forget about a United States Tennis Association state championship that may be on the line, Mattie Smith of Fairburn wishes the clubhouse at the Rome Tennis Center had a larger variety of clothing to shop for while she’s between matches this weekend.
“My motto is I may not play well, but if I look good ...” Smith said.
Close to 400 players have packed the Rome Tennis Center complex for the weekend, bringing family and friends from all over the state to Rome for the USTA Georgia State Combo League Championships. RTC Director Tom Daglis said the pro shop always does a good business when big tournaments are in town.
“We have a certain amount of stringing business, and especially during this cooler weather we have sold a lot of sweatshirts,” Daglis said. “That was real positive.”
Daglis said players from multiple levels of proficiency at the game are competing in the event.
Rayleen Monroe, from Sharpsburg, said her husband was a big tennis player when they got married 40 years ago.
“He asked that I start playing tennis and I said no I don’t have time,” Monroe said. “Now all of a sudden I found time and I’m hooked.”
Mattie Smith said she started watching tennis on TV in the Jimmy Connors/Chris Evert era.
“Then I took a tennis class in college and I just fell in love with it,” Smith said. “I think it’s a sport for life.”
Jessica Walker of Tyrone said that her grandfather played tennis well into his 80s, and her mother was a good tennis player and she took it up about 11 years ago.
“I decided I wanted to get into better shape and lose weight, so I started when I was 40,” Walker said. She has become hooked and admitted to playing six days a week now. Walker said she loves to play at the team level and travel to tour- naments all over the place.
“I just love my friends and being able to travel and come to beautiful places like the Rome Tennis Center.”
Daglis said the RTC will host a big juniors tournament next weekend and the weekend after that Daglis has created a Southeast Interscholastic Tennis Classic event capped at 128 players. He expects players from ten states to participate in that event. Two person teams are guaranteed five doubles matches and five singles matches each over the course of the event.