July 18, 2022 – Lucas Horve, graduate student at the University of Illinois, has been awarded main draw wildcards in both the singles and doubles events at the USTA/Ursula Beck Pro Tennis Classic.
Horve, a Forsyth resident, is a member of the Fighting Illini men’s tennis team and played high school tennis at Maroa-Forsyth. Hunter Heck of New Brighton, Minnesota will partner with Horve in the doubles draw.
Horve and Heck played the number one doubles position this past season for the Illini. Times of the matches will be published closer to tournament time.
ABOUT THE USTA/URSULA BECK PRO TENNIS CLASSIC
The USTA/Ursula Beck Men’s Pro Tennis Classic began in 1999 and has developed into one of the premier tournaments on the United States Tennis Association Professional Circuit. Each year, 70 players from over 20 countries participate in the seven-day event, battling it out for ATP professional ranking points.
Top players from the Decatur Futures have gone on to compete at all four Grand Slam tournaments against the likes of world no. 1’s Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. The tournament is coordinated by the Decatur Community Tennis Foundation, a not-for-profit 510 (c) 3 organization.
ABOUT THE USTA PRO CIRCUIT
With more than 100 tournaments hosted annually throughout the country and prize money ranging from $15,000 to $100,000, the USTA Pro Circuit is the pathway to the US Open and tour-level competition for aspiring tennis players and a frequent battleground for established professionals. The USTA launched its Pro Circuit in 1979 to provide players with the opportunity to gain professional ranking points, and it has since grown to become the largest developmental tennis circuit in the world, offering more than $3 million in prize money.
Last year, more than 1,000 men and women from more than 70 countries competed in cities nationwide. Andy Murray, Naomi Osaka, Taylor Fritz, Sloane Stephens, Kei Nishikori, Victoria Azarenka, and John Isner are among today’s top stars who began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit.
