Press release from USTA:
The USTA today announced that it will provide resources to assist in the renovation of the tennis facilities at Aston Park in Asheville as a part of the USTA’s Fed Cup Legacy program. The legacy program, started more than a decade ago, is designed to leave a lasting mark in the communities which host Fed Cup ties in the United States.
Aston Park will be undergoing a renovation to allow for an even brighter future. Aston Park in downtown Asheville is one of North Carolina’s most historic tennis facilities. With access to 12 clay courts for public play, these courts make it unique for Western North Carolina. Aston Park hosts USTA League play, junior programming, and sanctioned tournament play for adults and juniors. The Asheville Open, the longest consistently-running sanctioned tournament in North Carolina, has also been hosted at Aston Park for more than 85 years.
Asheville hosted Fed Cup for the first time when it held the World Group First Round, where the U.S. faced the Netherlands, Feb. 10-11, at the U.S. Cellular Center. The U.S. won the match-up, 3-1, to advance to the semifinals A special on-court ceremony took place at Fed Cup today to honor the Fed Cup Legacy in Asheville with Mayor Esther Manheimer and Vice Mayor Gwen Wisler.
The project will be jointly funded by the USTA, USTA North Carolina, and USTA Southern, providing $35,000 to the project for its goods and services. With a Fed Cup Legacy, USTA professional tennis and community tennis departments partner to leave a lasting impression in communities that host Fed Cup ties.
“Asheville has truly embraced everything that Fed Cup stands for and has been an absolutely wonderful host for us during Fed Cup week,” says Katrina Adams, USTA Chairman of the Board and President. “We have been able to showcase the USTA’s mission of growing the game by involving all groups of tennis players and fans from youth to adults to wheelchair athletes, in front of sell-out crowds. With this Fed Cup Legacy project, we are proud to leave a footprint in Asheville by assisting in the renovation of Aston Park. We are honored to give Asheville’s tennis players an improved facility to play the game and we look forward to bringing Aston Park’s tennis facilities back to its glory.”
The U.S. Fed Cup Team came to Asheville after winning its record 18th Fed Cup title in November against Belarus, 3-2, in Minsk. That was the U.S.’s first Fed Cup title since 2000. Fed Cup is the world’s largest annual international team competition in women’s sport, with approximately 100 nations taking part each year. The U.S. now holds an overall 150-36 record in Fed Cup competition with a 41-6 record in home ties. For more information, including access to player and historical Fed Cup records, please go to www.usta.com/fedcup or www.fedcup.com. Keep up with Team USA using hashtag #TeamUSATennis on Facebook (@USTA), on Twitter (@USTA), and on Instagram (@USTA).
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