The Tennis Professor retail store to hold grand opening, Oct. 15

From the Tennis Professor

Press release

Western North Carolina’s vibrant tennis community now has a new option for professional tennis equipment. Situated in North Asheville at 854 Merrimon Avenue beneath Stein Mart, The Tennis Professor “serves” up a diverse array of professional level tennis racquets, shoes, clothing, and accessories. The Asheville Chamber of Commerce will host a Grand Opening Ceremony at the store between 4-6 PM on Thursday, October 15.

The store is a labor of love for owner Walli Ann Wisniewski. Wisniewski, a former college tennis player with a doctorate in Latin American literature, recently left a university faculty position to pursue her passion for all things tennis. She was motivated by the large and active tennis community in Western North Carolina having few options for good tennis equipment, especially shoes.

“Everyone I was playing tennis with would comment that they had to chance an online order or drive 2 hours to find a wide selection of shoes and racquets,” says Walli Ann, “I wanted to bring that sort of selection right here to Asheville.”

Beyond just a tennis store however, Wisniewski wants The Tennis Professor to make a difference in the community. She is committed to supporting local business by carrying unique locally-made tennis clothing, building personal relationships with customers, and giving people a chance to try out products on the in-store hitting wall.

Wisniewski also wants to get racquets into the hands of those who might not otherwise consider playing tennis. “I don’t want people to think tennis is just for the privileged” she says. “Tennis has done wonders for me, and I want to help people enjoy the sport, regardless of their financial position or personal challenges.”