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| USTA TOURNAMENT ENDS 11-YEAR RUN AT THE CLOCK TOWER RACQUET CLUB By Emily Tropp Committee members of Rockford’s annual USTA Women’s Professional Tennis Tournament announced Wednesday there will not be an event in 2007 because there’s no guarantee of a venue. The SwedishAmerican Tennis Classic, formerly known as the Rockford Challenger, was held at the Clock Tower Racquet Club since it’s beginning in 1996. New owners now operate the Clock Tower and they failed to confirm the space for the tournament’s committee members. “We met with the new management in early May and they told us we’d have an answer by June 1,” said tournament committee spokesperson Bob Presman. “It’s October now and we still don’t have an answer. We delayed this decision as long as we could, and at this point we have to pull the plug.” But this does not mean the tournament is over forever, Presman said. If the Clock Tower decides to hold the event in 2008, the USTA will bring the $25,000 women’s tournament back. “We’ve talked about all the options,” Presman said. “If someone builds another tennis facility in town, and we’ve also discussed with the Rockford Park District about moving the event to the summer and maybe using Guilford Tennis Center. “Our relationship with the USTA is great. If we can somehow resurrect it, we will do it.” The week-long event is held every February and features some of the top up-and-comers in the world. Anna Kournikova won the first tournament. “We’ve been talking with the new owners of the Clock Tower for several months and they’re currently reviewing other possible uses for the facility,” tournament director Yvonne Smith said. “There’s no guarantee the racquet club will be available in early February when we’re scheduled to have the tournament.” Clock Tower general manager Mike Ginther was unable to be reached Wednesday, and other resort employees, including head tennis pro Cindy Nevenhoven, did not comment. Staff reporter Emily Tropp can be reached at 815-987-1385 or etropp@rrstar.com. Published in the Rockford Register Star October 5, 2006. |
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