The Racquet Club of Memphis is the only private club in the world to host a professional men's and women's combined indoor event. And it all began with one man's vision.
In 1974, Memphis cotton merchant William B. "Billy" Dunavant, Jr., announced that the city would soon have a facility designed and built solely for the presentation of tennis in a world-class environment. He purchased the Memphis Athletic Club and immediately began a $7 million expansion that would fashion the facility into the current Racquet Club of Memphis, one of the premier tennis clubs in the country.
In 1977, the tournament was designated as the U.S. Indoor National Championships. Total prize money was $225,000. And tennis legend Bjorn Borg walked away with winner's check, starting a tradition of champions that, since 1976, includes nine of the 12 men who have finished the year ranked No. 1 in the world (Borg, Connors, McEnroe, Edberg, Lendl, Agassi, Courier, Sampras and Roddick). Not only did they play this event, but they won it. The only other tournament in the world able to make that claim is the U.S. Open.
Only Lleyton Hewitt (No. 1 in 2001 & 2002), Gustavo Kuerten (No. 1 in 2000) and Mats Wilander (No. 1 in 1988) are missing from our Champions Hall, and both Kuerten and Wilander have played here several times.
Under the direction of current owner Mac Winker, construction
was completed in 1984 on a 5,000-seat stadium, complete with
22 luxury executive suites - the first in the world built
exclusively for tennis. Designed to provide a uniquely intimate
setting, the furthest seat from the stadium court is as close
as the nearest seat at most other tournaments, giving every
spectator the feeling of being in the middle of the action.
With the advent of corporate support in the mid 1980s, the tournament's title sponsors included Volvo (1986-1991) and Federal Express (1992). And in 1993, the Kroger Co. came onboard with a multi-year commitment that included a beneficiary role for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The Kroger St. Jude became the first tournament on tour to include a charity in its name. And the relationship between Kroger, the tennis tournament and the children's hospital continues to produce millions of dollars in contributions towards research for a cure for childhood cancer and other catastrophic diseases.
On June 1, 2004, Allen Morgan, in behalf of Regions Financial Corporation and Morgan Keegan & Co., Inc., announced that they have entered into a three-year title agreement of the professional ATP and WTA tennis tournament in Memphis. Kroger will remain as a “Super Presenter” and the major concessionaire in the Kroger Hospitality Village. Also, the tournament will continue to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
In its storied history, the Racquet Club has also hosted the legends of the women's game. Among those to grace the indoor courts for special exhibition matches have been Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, Billy Jean King and Virginia Wade, and Monica Seles and Mary Joe Fernandez. And in juniors hard and clay court competition, Tracy Austin, Andrea Jaeger, Jennifer Capriati and Lindsay Davenport have all etched their names on the national champion's trophy here on their way to successful careers on the women's professional tour.
In November 2001, tournament owner Mac Winker brought the vision full-circle when he purchased the franchise rights to a WTA event that had been held in Oklahoma City since 1990. With the welcome addition of the women, this tournament became one of a select few in the world to host a professional men's and women's combined event. In January 2002, the tournament, in conjunction with the Kroger Delta Marketing Area, also announced that Cellular South was signing on as title sponsor of the women's portion of the event. The winner of the women's singles championship is now awarded the Cellular South Cup.
The Racquet Club offers superior facilities (186,000 sq. ft. under roof) and services for its members and guests that include first-class dining, ballrooms and meeting rooms, an executive sports and wellness center, an outdoor pool, indoor and outdoor (hard and clay surface) tennis courts, racquetball and squash courts, a top-rated pro shop and reciprocal privileges around the world with over 200 exclusive private clubs.
The Racquet Club of Memphis is also host to several more marquis events during the year, including the Comcast Road Runner Firecracker 5K Run for St. Jude (July), the USTA Girls' 18 Super National Clay Court Championships (July), the Stanford Championships featuring Jim Courier, John McEnroe, Todd Martin and 5 other players to be named (October), and the U.S. Open Racquetball Championships (November).
Questions or comments? Email us or call us at 901-685-ACES.
