Atrium Health Hosts 3rd Annual Charlotte Amateur Tennis Championship | PHOTOS

September 11, 2021

Samantha Gilstrap,

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P.C. @CharlotteAmateurTennisChampionship

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The 3rd Annual Atrium Health Charlotte Amateur Tennis Championship kicked off on September 9th.

Presented by Atrium Health and the Cynthia Graham Hurd Foundation, the tennis tournament is a USTA-sanctioned event that brings together players in the Charlotte area for a weekend of matches, civic engagement, and a chance to win $2,500.

Event officials say currently 12,000 adults are registered with the Charlotte Tennis Association, so the tournament was created to bring these tennis enthusiasts together to meet as well as compete.

The tournament weekend features adult social play, a Rock & Rally Kids Day, and a Wheelchair Tournament in addition to the matches.

Over 60 kids showed up for the Rock & Rally Kids Day on September 11th, where Queens University tennis players coached them through various tennis exercises.

Special guest Sir Purr and cheerleaders with the Carolina Panthers also made an appearance at the event.

They arrived in style, taking the Cat Cruiser, to surprise and encourage these young players.

DJ Jus Joe kept the music going and acted as the MC for the event sponsored by Tepper Sports Entertainment.

All the proceeds from the tournament, running from September 9th through September 12th, will benefit the Cynthia Graham Hurd Foundation for Literacy and Civic Engagement, which was created in honor of Cynthia Hurd.

Hurd was one of nine people shot and killed at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston back in 2015.

Hurd’s brother, Charlotte City Council member Malcolm Graham, founded the tennis tournament as an avid tennis player himself and as a way of continuing his sister’s work and legacy of instilling a love for reading and creating positive change within the community.

Click here to learn more about the Charlotte Amateur Tennis Championship.