The sun crept out just in time to give tennis fans a glimpse of U.S. tennis?s past and Hope College?s future.
Former grand slam runner-up Todd Martin was on hand to help dedicate the Vande Poel-Heeringa Stadium Courts at Hope College?s Etheridge Tennis Complex on Saturday.
?It is an amazing facility,? Martin said. ?Hope College has a lot to be proud of. It certainly now is up to the standard of the rest of the athletic facilities. Kids are going to be awfully lucky to be able to play here.?
This is not Martin?s first trip to Holland or Hope College. His sister graduated from Hope in 1989.
?As a fellow who grew up in Michigan, I am awfully proud to see Hope College do right by tennis and build a great facility and build a great program for youth tennis,? Martin said.
Martin was a runner-up at the U.S. Open and the Australian Open during his career.
During his career, Martin was named the 1999 "Male Comeback Player of the Year" by Tennis Magazine, the 1993 and 1994 ?Adidas/ATP Tour Sportsmanship Awards,? and a 2002 ?Jean Borotra Sportsmanship Award.?
Martin is the founder of the Todd Martin Development Fund, which provides tennis and leadership programs to at-risk youth in Lansing and surrounding areas.
Martin signed autographs at the 12-court, outdoor Vande Poel-Heeringa Stadium Courts are part of the Etheridge Tennis Complex at the college's Ekdal J. Buys Athletic Fields, and are located east of Holland Municipal Stadium.
The $2.2 million facility, which also includes elevated seating for spectators, is designed for competition, instruction as well as casual play.
The Hope Tennis Camp already has competed on the new courts, but Saturday?s event opened the doors to the community.
?It makes it feel more than official,? Hope women?s tennis coach Nate Price said. ?The facility is as top-tiered as it could be. It means a lot that the college supports the program with an event like this.?
Price played in a doubles exhibition against Martin on Saturday. Price teamed with Adam Ford and Martin paired with former West Ottawa coach Matt Bradley.
?I have played against him in a couple exhibitions,? Price said. ?It is so cool to have him here.?
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