(SAVANNAH, GA) The $50,000 Savannah Challenger Tennis Tournament is pleased to announce that proceeds raised during the 2011 Pro-Am Tournament will benefit Special Pops Tennis, Savannah.
Special Pops Tennis is an adaptive tennis program designed to share the lifetime sport of tennis with children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The nonprofit organization began in the Atlanta area and expanded to Savannah in the spring of 2010 with the help and support of the Savannah Area Tennis Association. The program is offered free of charge to all skill levels. The Landings has served as the home base for Special Pops Tennis, Savannah, providing courts, racquets, gently used clothing, a host of volunteers, and the financial support to send several athletes to adaptive tennis tournaments in Atlanta and South Carolina.
“Special Pops Tennis is thrilled to be the recipient of this year’s Challenger Pro Am,” says Mary Smith, director of Special Pops Tennis, Savannah. “Sharing the game of tennis with these special needs athletes is a win-win for all of us—it’s a great way for volunteers to give back to the game, and our athletes love learning the game. The Landings tennis community provides a great example for other Savannah tennis facilities to follow!”
This is the third consecutive year The Landings on Skidaway Island has hosted the $50,000 Savannah Challenger Tennis Tournament. This year’s tournament will take place April 30-May 8 at the Franklin Creek Tennis Center. The tournament is open to the public and will feature 32 world-ranked tennis professionals vying to win highly coveted ATP ranking points in addition to the prize money.
The Pro-Am will take place Sunday, May 1 from 3-5 p.m. and is limited to the first 16 entrants. The entry fee is a minimum of a $150 donation per person. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the Pro-Am will go directly to Special Pops Tennis, Savannah.
For more information on the 2011 Savannah Challenger Tennis Tournament, please visit www.savannahchallenger.com. To learn more about the Pro-Am or to register, please call The Landings Club Pro Shop at 912-598-3500. For more information on Special Pops Tennis, please email marymillersmith@hotmail.com.