Gateway To Success

St. Louis welcomed some of the world's best tennis athletes for a topnotch competition.

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Korie Homan returns a ball against Esther Vergeer, who defeated Homan, 6-0, 3-6, 6-1, for the women's title.

For the 30th year, athletes from around the globe came to America for the U.S. Open USTA Wheelchair Championships. More than 250 matches took place in St. Louis, September 1-6.

The best players in the world were on hand to battle it out for the last of three ITF Super Series titles on the 2009 NEC international wheelchair tennis tour. Just after the conclusion of this event, some players had to catch planes to New York for the final Grand Slam of the year at Flushing Meadows.

In previous years, this event was called the ROHO Gateway Classic, but in 2009 the ITF (International Tennis Federation) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) bumped it up to National Championship status; ROHO remained the title sponsor.

For someone like me who had never been to, worked at, or even seen wheelchair tennis in person—let alone an event with the world's best athletes—this was a display of sportsmanship, camaraderie, kindness, and athleticism.

Melissa Keim, vice president, marketing, for The ROHO Group, said, "This Super Series title elevates the exposure of a larger range of athletes, wheelchair and able-bodied. More exposure to wheelchair tennis and wheelchair athletics is a good thing for everyone involved. Plus, one of three Super Series events in the world is serious business."


Check out the complete article in the November 2009 S'NS.

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