Granville Athletic Park hosting USTA state championships

Jun. 17—HENDERSON — The brand-new tennis courts at the Granville Athletic Park are set to be put to use early as the location is set to host the U.S. Tennis Association's State Championships for players aged 40 and older later this month.

Betty Lou Davis, who is a member of Granville County's Parks, Greenways, and Recreation Advisory Committee and the Oxford Community Tennis Association, is confident that having the UTSA use the new courts will bolster the burgeoning tennis culture in the county and provide the GAP more recognition.

"These tennis courts greatly enhance what the county already has in place," Davis said. "Since they are UTSA-sanctioned, we can now attract a broader spectrum of tennis players from outside the county and increase the number of visitors to our area."

The six tennis courts were completed in April as part of the GAP's Phase III expansion plan that added more than 11 acres to the existing facilities.

A key component towards the construction of the tennis courts came from funding provided by UTSA and UTSA Southern, which awarded a combined total of $70,000 to go along with the grants Granville County received from the state's Parks & Recreation Trust Fund and the Land & Water Conservation Fund.

While the UTSA will make frequent use of the additions to the GAP, the tennis courts are also expected to be used for practice by local tennis clubs and high schools such as J.F. Webb and Granville Central.

Four of the six courts at the GAP have been reserved for the UTSA's 40 and Over State Championships, which are scheduled to take place from June 24-26.