TOPS’L Beach & Racquet Resort hosted One of the Largest Tennis Tournaments in the Nation

TOPS’L Beach &  Racquet Resort wrapped up one of the nations largest sanctioned USTA (United States Tennis Association) tournaments on April 18, 2010. Nearly 300 Players were competing in their age division for points toward state and national rankings. Known as The Helen Drake Tournament, the five-day event has been voted ‘Florida’s Tournament of the Year’ three times. “This tournament has grown exponentially since inception in 1987. In fact, participation has doubled in the past 15 years. Players come from all over the south. A few of our participants started playing the tournament when they were in their 40’s and are now playing in the 70’s division. It is a great testament to the tournament experience,” said Tennis Director Joe D’Aleo.

The tournament consists of singles and doubles events for both men and women. Tournament matches are paired by age - starting from 30’s up to 80’s. Additionally, players can choose the ‘Open Division’ as an option for those who want to compete with the best, at any age. Plans for the 2011 Helen Drake Tournament are already underway. “We expect the tournament to keep growing. Our plan has always been to make tennis at TOPS’L a world-class experience,” remarked D’Aleo, “And with the quality of players attending The Helen Drake year after year, we are on our way to the top.”

Evidence TOPS’L Beach & Racquet Resort is making strides in the tennis sector, USPTA (United States Professional Tennis Association) has chosen TOPS’L as the destination for their annual regional conference; making this the first Southern Division Conference in the history of the USPTA to be held in Northwest Florida. The conference is a four-day event and is expected over one hundred of the South’s finest Tennis Professionals.

Managed by ResortQuest, TOPS’L Beach & Racquet Resort is a renowned destination for tennis lovers. In 2009, consumers voted TOPS’L as the 9^th best tennis resort in the world by tennis resorts online. For over a decade TOPS’L has been recognized as being one of the U.S. Top 50 Tennis Resort destinations by Tennis Magazine.