~Tournament runs through Sunday
SIKESTON -- The 12th Annual Ed Nunnelee Memorial Tennis Tournament starts today and runs through Sunday at the Sikeston High School and Sikeston Country Club tennis courts.
A record 112 entrants have signed up for this year's event.
"This is the biggest tournament we've had," said organizer Tom Nunnelee, brother of the late Ed Nunnelee. "It obviously pleases the Nunnelee family. (The tournament) is growing and getting bigger, and I can't say enough about all the people and sponsors that help us continue it. All in all, this 12th annual tournament is shaping up to be the best ever."
There are 74 in the adult division and 38 in the juniors division. Numbers probably would have been even higher on the junior side if not for Sikeston's high school baseball team playing in the Final Four at Columbia today and tomorrow.
Nunnelee credits many factors for the large turnout.
"I've got a good crew of people and we put on a good tournament," he said. "We've been able to get the word out and we provide a lot for the players. We've got bottled water, All Sport drink, bananas, apples, we've got ice, we provide all the balls, we give a nice shirt and our entry fees are reasonable. You just have to show up with a racket and everything else is provided. People have become aware of all those factors, and I think it is helping get our numbers up."
Registration is this morning at 8 a.m. A total of 11 courts will be used at the two locations. All players are guaranteed at least two matches.
In the boys singles, Sikeston's Peter Jones has been seeded No. 1. On the girls side, Sikeston's Elizabeth Killion got the top seed. In the Men's Open, Shane Anderson was seeded first. Anderson has won the tournament for the last five years.
In Men's B singles, Cole Smith, of Union City, Tenn., was seeded No. 1. Joe Navrkal, from Metropolis, Ill., was seeded first in Men's A singles.
"We've got people from Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri," said organizer Lee Shell. "And it looks like it is going to be very pretty weather all weekend. With all the entries we have, we can turn the lights on at the Country Club for two courts, and all five courts at lit at the high school. We can play late into the day if we have to."
Adult tournament play will begin on Saturday morning. All proceeds from the tournament will go toward the Ed Nunnelee Scholarship Fund, which is awarded annually to a boy and a girl from Sikeston High School.
Since 1997, the tournament has given out $7,000 in scholarships.