Montgomery families host Blue Gray National Tennis Classic, players building lifelong bonds

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - College tennis players from universities across the country are in Montgomery this weekend for the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic, staying with local host families who open their homes and show them classic Southern hospitality.

The tournament runs through Sunday at Lagoon Park.

While athletes compete on the court, families like George and Mildred Wakefield provide a home base. The Wakefields may not be tennis players themselves, but the sport holds a special place in their hearts.

“It’s just a lot of fun. The athletes that come in are amazing and they work so hard and they’re polite,” George Wakefield said.

Host families bring athletes into their homes and make them part of the family for the weekend, sharing meals, providing a place to rest and cheering them on during matches.

“Sometimes we made more of a connection with some of the players other than others,” Mildred Wakefield said. “I know my daughter was really interested in following one of the players who got to play in the NCAA tournament afterwards, and so we drove over to Athens, Georgia and watched him play, and so that was fun.”

Some athletes who have stayed with the Wakefields have gone on to win major titles at the professional level.

George Wakefield said many host families stay in touch with former players through social media and follow their careers. Right now, he said, they are following a couple of players from their who have stayed with them in the past who are playing on the WTA circuit, including Erin Routliffe, who has twice won the U.S. Open women’s doubles title.

“And she got to play Serena Williams,” Mildred Wakefield added.

Though the tournament lasts just a weekend, organizers and host families say the relationships often last a lifetime.

The Blue Gray National Tennis Classic continues through Sunday at Lagoon Park in Montgomery.

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