Abilities Tennis of North Carolina Shines in Winston-Salem

Athletes from Abilities Tennis of North Carolina had an opportunity to showcase their amazing tennis skills on court at the Winston-Salem Open on Aug. 22, at Wake Forest University.

Twenty-one athletes performed a 10-minute Net Generation on-court demonstration on the main court prior to the second round match between Benoit Paire and Ugo Humbert. 

“The on-court demo was awesome,” said Lou Welch, Executive Director of Abilities Tennis. “The athletes did a great job. The opportunity to perform here really built their confidence as they prepared to go to the US Open to do the same demo on Arthur Ashe Stadium.”

Abilities athletes also helped celebrate USTA Member Appreciation Day at the tournament, as they were invited to the special dinner for USTA members, where they were honored for their exhibition demonstration and applauded for their upcoming trip to the US Open.

The Winston-Salem Open is the final tour-level tournament of the US Open Series and recently completed its ninth edition at Wake Forest University.

The relationship between the tournament and Abilities Tennis has grown and strengthened over those years, and one result of this collaboration was the inclusion of Abilities athlete Justin Hunsucker in the pro-am tournament that kicked off the main event.

Adaptive programs throughout the country are building relationships with pro events like this one. If you are interested in showcasing your program at such an event, contact your section to get an introduction to your local tournament director.

To learn more about Abilities Tennis, visit their website at www.atanc.org. (Photo credit: Susan Mullane/Cameraworks USA)