Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 14, 1995 TAG: 9504210014
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Some can see them for free ... by first winning a tournament in Roanoke.
A Virginia Slims Legends grassroots challenge will be held in Roanoke April 21-23. The doubles-only event is for women 21 and older who have ratings of 4.5 and below or 3.5 and below according to the National Tennis Rating Program.
The winners in each division will advance to the regional challenge tournament in Richmond the same weekend the legends are in town and receive a free ticket to each session of the Slims event as well as admission to a concert featuring Gladys Knight and Barbara Mandrell.
Local winners also will be invited to a clinic to be conducted by some of the touring pros.
In short, the women who win the Roanoke tournament could eventually find themselves on the same court as Evert, Navratilova, King, Virginia Wade, Tracy Austin, Evonne Goolagong or other women's tennis legends.
``This is a rare opportunity for the women tennis players of our area,'' said Tim Strawn, the director of the Roanoke grassroots tournament. ``This tournament could have passed us by in favor of the larger metropolitan areas in the eastern and northern part of the commonwealth. Our women have a chance to represent western Virginia in this tournament. If we support this tournament ... we should have a great shot at being a host site in the future.''
Regional winners advance to the national championship in Delray Beach, Fla., Nov. 30-Dec. 3. All players who compete in the Roanoke tournament will get a Virginia Slims grassroots challenge T-shirt and a $5 discount on tickets to the Legends Tour event in Richmond.
Roanoke's tournament will be held at River's Edge and Crystal Spring tennis complexes.
In the event of rain, the tournament will be held the following weekend - April 28-30 - at the same sites.
To sign up, call Strawn at 772-4408 on weeknights after 7 p.m. and Saturdays between 9 and 11 a.m.
MCDONALD DOWN UNDER:Tommy McDonald of Salem won the Alinta Sports Challenge Prize Money Tennis Tournament in Hobart, Australia, earlier this week. McDonald, 23, won the eight-player round-robin event by posting a 6-1 record.
McDonald was 11-4 in three professional satellite tournaments and two prize-money tournaments during his six-week stay in Australia.
McDonald graduated in December from East Carolina University, where he played at No.1 singles and served as team captain during his senior season.
by CNB