Edwardsville Futures Slated for July 25-31

The Edwardsville Futures USTA Pro Circuit event — the St. Louis area’s lone professional tennis tournament — is set to run July 25-31. The 11th all-time rendition of the Futures, which features an array of fun activities beyond the tournament itself, will again take place at Edwardsville High School.

“At the heart of what makes this event unique is it is hosted by a public high school,” said Tournament Director David Lipe, who also works as the EHS boys’ and girls’ tennis coach. “It’s not hosted by a country club or university like 95 percent of the other Futures. This is a school district-hosted event.

“The EGHM Foundation — the presenting sponsor of the whole event which supports all District 7 students and activities — has been there since the beginning. We couldn’t do it without them.”

Throughout its decade-plus existence the Edwardsville Futures has consisted of promising rising talents in the tennis ranks. Former participants have gone on to claim 47 championships on the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour. Lipe said the top priority for him and his team in 2022 has been working to better the fan experience for all attendees.

“This is an exciting year for us because we feel like we improve our game every year,” Lipe said. “It took us 10 years to figure out from an operational standpoint the best way to accommodate players, staff, trainers and officials. Now we feel like we’re in position to improve on a very good model. We want the tournament to be more fun this year for fans. We want a heightened VIP experience. We want people to come here and have a good time.”

While the Futures tournament runs throughout the week and culminates with the singles championship on July 31, a host of other activities likewise take place that week. Kids of all ages can jump in on a free tennis clinic as part of Kids’ Night at the Futures the night of July 25. Diversity Day at the Futures — which includes a free kids’ tennis clinic, lunch and presentations recognizing the sport’s trailblazers — occurs July 27.

A special-needs clinic for children with physical, emotional or intellectual special needs titled Mitch ‘n’ Friends is slated for July 28. And Edwardsville Township residents receive free admission for matches all day, including the doubles title match, as part of Fan Appreciation Day on July 29. For the full calendar of events, click here.

“Come out and watch the tournament, as tickets are just a couple bucks and free for kids,” Lipe said. “We want kids, teams and high school coaches who want to bring their teams. We want high school kids to see this. It’s a very powerful thing and very important for the game.

“If you go into a classroom and say, ‘Raise your hand if you’ve seen the Cardinals or Royals,’ 90 percent of kids are going to raise their hand. Everybody wants to grow up and be a pro baseball player. We want pro tennis to be right in front of kids, right where they can see it. The possibility, the level of excellence, the dedication and benefits of it. We have that here to inspire kids and adults, too.”

In addition to fan attendance, Lipe highlighted sponsorship assistance as an area of need. While financial contributions are appreciated, individuals can also chip in by providing donations such as cases of bottled water and food.

“Hosting a professional tennis tournament is fundraising and organizing, plain and simple,” Lipe said. “Cash sponsorship is lovely. We have to house officials. We have to feed officials and staff. We’re one of the very few Futures in the world that has ball kids from the first round on. That’s a big deal. If you’re going to provide ball kids, you have to feed ball kids.”

Individuals interested in attending the Futures or donating can learn more by clicking here. Lipe also encouraged folks who’d like to follow along to check out the Edwardsville Futures on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Lipe credited his staff, members of the Edwardsville school district/school board and sponsors for making the 2022 tournament possible.

“We feel like every year our following, our saturation of the market and our awareness grows among tennis fans and sports fans,” Lipe said. “Of course we still meet people who say, ‘Oh, I didn’t realize we had a professional tennis tournament.’ But we try to get the word out the best we can.”