A great tennis town meets its moment

NEW YORK -- What constitutes a great tennis town?

You don't have to come to New York to find passion for this game, but the answer just popped out at me Friday when I arrived here.

It's obvious. Charleston loves tennis.

I made two phone calls Friday to complete this column. And guess what? All-Lowcountry standout Alexis Prickett was already in New York, and Wando coach Becky Williamson was coming the next day.

On my non-stop flight to New York, Kiawah Island legend Roy Barth rode shotgun in the front seat. In the rear section, there was ex-USTA South Carolina president Ron Charron.

There's no lull at the U.S. Open. The world's highest- attended annual sporting event is going full blast.

For Charleston, it's the interim between Shelby Rogers and Monday's Best Tennis Town announcement.

Just making it to the U.S. Open was a major achievement for Rogers. The fact the 17-year-old Daniel Island girl came close in her opening- round match, but lost in three sets to China's Shuai Peng, wasn't a major disappointment. Six months ago, who would have believed that America's "unofficial best tennis town" even would have had a player in the U.S. Open's main draw?

Shelby will be back. Hopefully next year.

But for this Best Tennis Town competition, it's now or maybe never, although the second- and third-place finishers can enter the competition again next year.

The announcement is expected to come Monday afternoon. The plan, according to USTA media representative Kristen Clonan, is to make the announcement in a specific luxury suite in Ashe Stadium with the JumboTron showing the presentation to everyone in the stadium. Both Edwards and Eppelsheimer are scheduled to be in the designated luxury suite for the announcement, which will be posted on www.besttennistown.com within minutes.

As Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr., said, "Charleston deserves it." There's no doubt about that.

But, of course, it's not a "done deal" when Atlanta is in the game. We should beat "top three" rival Richmond, but as many fans fear, "Atlanta just has so many tennis players."

That seems to be the sentiment of fans of Charleston tennis. Too many Atlantans play tennis. If not for Atlanta's tennis population, this might be a slam-dunk.

Prickett leaves Wando

Alexis Prickett, who earned All-Lowcountry honors last year at Wando, is attending First Baptist Church School on Meeting Street for her senior year. "I wanted to try some other sports ... maybe basketball and soccer," Prickett said.

First Baptist doesn't have a tennis team.

Prickett said she committed in mid-July to join the Georgia Southern tennis program.

"I didn't think Coach (Becky) Williamson was coming back. She decided to come back at the last minute," Prickett said.

Williamson is back

"I wanted to coach one more year with the seniors," Becky Williamson said.

And with reason. Wando has won a state record 99 straight dual matches while winning six consecutive SCHSL Class AAAA state championships.

Wando suffered a loss to two-time SCISA Class AAA defending state champion Ashley Hall recently, but Williamson pointed out that the loss doesn't count against the Warriors' long winning streak since it was in a preseason tournament. The Warriors will go for 100 straight on Tuesday when Summerville visits the Wando courts.

Williamson has retired from the school system, but is coaching the Warriors' girls team for a 12th year.

With Prickett elsewhere, the Warriors could have difficulty winning a seventh straight state title. Senior Clair Larkin and eighth-grader Melanie Allen lead the way in the absence of Prickett and All-Lowcountry player Corin Hallman, who now attends Erskine College.

Ashley Hall third

Ashley Hall took third place recently in the Florence Tennis Association's girls high school tournament. Coach Mary Gastley's team lost to eventual champion Providence Day of North Carolina in the semifinals, but then defeated Wando, 4-3, in the playoff for third place.

Carter selected again

Charleston's Brenda Carter has been selected for the USTA's women's 60 Alice Marble Cup team that will participate in the International Tennis Federation's Super Seniors World Team Championships Oct. 11-16 in Antalya, Turkey.

The ITF Individual World Championships will follow the team championships.

LCTA news

--The league tennis state mixed doubles tournament will be headquartered next weekend at Charleston Tennis Center. The players' reception will be held Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the Farmfield Avenue complex, with play beginning next Saturday morning. Matches also will be held at Maybank Tennis Center, Moultrie Playground, the Porter-Gaud courts and the St. Andrew's Parks and Playground complex.

--Tuesday is the deadline for forming a team (having the minimum number of players registered to fill all positions in a league match) for the league tennis fall leagues.

--This year's LCTA party will coincide with the Charleston Pro Tennis League match at Family Circle Tennis Center on Friday, Oct. 1.

Reach James Beck at jamesbecktennis@gmail.com. See his columns on pro tennis at ubitennis.com/english.