Adult One Night Tournaments a Popular Player Option
USTA St. Louis kicked off its slate of Adult One Night tournaments in mid-October, and the district is set to run at least one Adult One Night tourney each upcoming month through May 2024. The fun and well-attended offerings require a low level of commitment and are great entry points for individuals seeking a doubles tournament experience in a relaxed atmosphere.
“Adult One Night tournaments are good to participate in for a number of reasons,” said Megan Kovacs, USTA St. Louis executive director. “The majority of them include mixed doubles, so it’s an opportunity for people who enjoy mixed to continue to play throughout the year.
“They’re a great way to have a fun evening without a long-term commitment to a league or team. They’re fun and just have a good vibe. People who come tend to really enjoy themselves on the court. And off the court, people are laughing and having a good time.”
The next opportunity for individuals to jump in on the action is Sunday, November 26 with the Turkey Trot-Off event. This Adult One Night tournament — which takes place the weekend after Thanksgiving — includes options at the Mixed 7.0, 8.0 and Open levels. The event, which is being held indoors at Vetta Sports Concord, also features men’s and women’s 3.5 doubles as well as men’s 3.5 singles.
USTA St. Louis is then hosting an Adult One Night tournament on Saturday, December 16. Players can participate in mixed doubles at the 7.0, 8.0 and Open levels. In January, February, March, April and May, the district intends to hold at least one Adult One Night tournament per month. Individuals should be on the lookout for these tourneys to go live online soon.
“Some people are intimidated when they hear the word tournament or believe they have to be at the absolute top of their level to play in a tournament, and it’s really not true,” Kovacs said. “If it’s a level-based tournament — 3.5, 7.0 or whatever — we get a range of players. You might just surprise yourself.
“Plus, it’s just good experience. Like anything, it’s always good to push yourself to improve. One way to do that is to play against people you don’t always play against and learn new things. Every time you play tennis, it’s a learning opportunity.”
Kovacs also noted Adult One Night tournaments present players interested in earning USTA ranking points opportunities to do so. The first USTA St. Louis Adult One Night tournament of the season took place Saturday, October 14 at Dwight Davis Tennis Center. The East St. Louis Community Tennis Association ran the event as a fundraiser for their organization.
“The East St. Louis leadership was out in full force, which was really neat to see the entire organization get behind running an activity like that,” Kovacs said. “It was a great event. They provided food for all the players from Gioia’s Deli and had really unique and fun trophies.”
The East St. Louis CTA mixed doubles tournament included a 16-team draw with players paired at the tournament site based on their WTN ratings. The event featured an auction including several autographed items and US Open posters. The tournament raised about $2,500 for the East St. Louis CTA.
“The people who participated really wanted to be there not to just play tennis but to support the organization,” Kovacs said. “That was very clear in people’s demeanor, level of participation and positive attitudes. It was really cool.”
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