The 2017 Knoxville Challenger Professional Tennis Tournament, with a purse of $75,000, is just around the corner. This event is near and dear to both Farragut Rotarian Adam Brock and the Helen Ross McNabb Center. Adam is the tournament director. The Helen Ross McNabb Center is the recipient of approximately $1.1 million from this tournament since 2007.
Adam Brock
The Challenger, one of 16 worldwide, will be played at the Goodfriend Indoor Tennis Center at the University of Tennessee Nov. 7-12. This is a United States Tennis Association (USTA) Pro Circuit Event with 64 players after the top prize, not to mention those important world and U.S. rankings.
This is the largest professional tennis event in our region and one of the few run by local non-profit organizations. Adam is in his third year as the tournament director and the Rotary Club of Farragut again is a $1,000 net sponsor for this event.
“The ultimate goal of those who compete in Challenger-level pro tennis tournaments is to advance to the next level and to compete on the biggest stage in Grand Slam-level events,” Adam says. “This year, 39 former Knoxville Challenger players made it into the main draw of the 2017 U.S. Open, 27 in singles and an additional 12 in doubles.”
When Adam talks about this tournament, he does so with pride, love and enthusiasm. “Hey, you’ll see some great pros play here in our town and I’ll tell you, they can flat play the game,” he says. “And the players love coming here. One big reason is the housing. No motels or hotels. They stay in the private homes of sponsors and officials. They get to know us.”
He said the USTA provides 25 professional officials for this event — including chair umpires for all matches on each court and five line judges per match. Knoxville provides 300 volunteers to make it all happen – 140 being ball boys and ball girls.
Adam lives and breathes for this event and for the sport. His backyard is dominated by a regulation court. He played at the University of Virginia and then two years as a pro. He met his tennis-playing wife, Jenny, at the University of Virginia. He and daughter Berkeley won three United States Tennis Association Mixed-Doubles National Championships. Today she is a teaching pro in Miami. This tennis bug runs in the family.
“There are 16 Challenger events around the country and world, and 15 of them lost money,” Adam said. “This one makes money for our community. Being involved in the Knoxville Challenger is a great way to give back to the community and to help a great organization – the Helen Ross McNabb Center.”