Tennis: Cajun Classic welcomes Breaux, ESPN3 for 2016

Bruce Brown, The Advertiser, Aug. 27, 2016

LSU’s Jordan Daigle, a Lafayette native, will defend his singles title at this year’s Cajun Tennis Classic, set for Sept. 22-25 at UL’s Culotta Tennis Center (Photo: Advertiser file photo)

It’s time to kick things up a notch.

When the Cajun Tennis Classic was revived in 2014, the aim was to rekindle the spirit of the Rolex Classic collegiate event that began in 1977 and rivaled the NCAA Tournament, both in talent level and presentation.

The revival was achieved with a pair of successful tournaments. Now sponsors and coach Mark Jeffrey are adding to the mix.

This year’s event, set for Sept. 22-25 at UL’s Culotta Tennis Center, will welcome Sen. John Breaux as special guest for the weekend.

Breaux, a Crowley native and Gulf South Conference tennis champion for then-USL from 1961-64, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1978-87 and in the Senate from 1987-2005.

Additionally, Sunday’s finals will be televised to millions of viewers on ESPN3, echoing the ground-breaking coverage of the 1979 Classic by fledgling network ESPN.

The Classic is already riding momentum forged last year when Lafayette native Jordan Daigle of LSU was crowned singles champion and UL freshman Arthur Libaud won the consolation finals.

Daigle will defend his title, and Libaud will also be in action, after joining a list of past standouts that includes 1984 winner Tarek El Sakka and 1988 All-American Ashley Rhoney of UL, as well as current LSU coach and past champion Jeff Brown.

Joining the host Cajuns and LSU (No. 35 in the final collegiate rankings last spring) are No. 11 Texas Tech, No. 12 Southern Cal, No. 13 Oklahoma State, No. 16 Texas, No. 23 Kentucky and No. 27 Ole Miss.

The Classic features a singles draw of 32 and 16 for doubles.

“Since the tournament was started in 1977 by Jerry Simmons, we’ve had 20 Grand Slam winners or finalists play here,” Jeffrey said. “We’ve also had 12 NCAA champions, 5 ATP Top 20 players, 4 ranked No. 1 in the world in doubles, 2 Olympic gold medalists in doubles and 21 ITA Hall of Fame players and coaches.

“The best of the best have played in the Classic. It costs $60,000 to put on, because we do it first-class. It’s the No. 1 tennis event in the nation. Coaches and players love coming here.

“The original focus was to bring in big football-playing schools and work with ESPN to draw attention to what we’re doing down here.”

Jeffrey, who noted that the Acadiana area is the No. 7 per capita tennis community in the nation, added that there will be a kids’ clinic on the Friday of the Classic.

Breaux is expected to take the court for an exhibition doubles match on Saturday. Also on Saturday will be a UL tennis reunion, featuring members of the 1977-78 Cajun squad that finished 23-7 and dominated the Southland Conference championships in the spring.

Cajun football will be on the road at Tulane that weekend, but the Cajun Classic will provide plenty of action close to home.

It’s time to kick things up a notch.

When the Cajun Tennis Classic was revived in 2014, the aim was to rekindle the spirit of the Rolex Classic collegiate event that began in 1977 and rivaled the NCAA Tournament, both in talent level and presentation.

The revival was achieved with a pair of successful tournaments. Now sponsors and coach Mark Jeffrey are adding to the mix.

This year’s event, set for Sept. 22-25 at UL’s Culotta Tennis Center, will welcome Sen. John Breaux as special guest for the weekend.

Breaux, a Crowley native and Gulf South Conference tennis champion for then-USL from 1961-64, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1978-87 and in the Senate from 1987-2005.

Additionally, Sunday’s finals will be televised to millions of viewers on ESPN3, echoing the ground-breaking coverage of the 1979 Classic by fledgling network ESPN.

The Classic is already riding momentum forged last year when Lafayette native Jordan Daigle of LSU was crowned singles champion and UL freshman Arthur Libaud won the consolation finals.

Daigle will defend his title, and Libaud will also be in action, after joining a list of past standouts that includes 1984 winner Tarek El Sakka and 1988 All-American Ashley Rhoney of UL, as well as current LSU coach and past champion Jeff Brown.

Joining the host Cajuns and LSU (No. 35 in the final collegiate rankings last spring) are No. 11 Texas Tech, No. 12 Southern Cal, No. 13 Oklahoma State, No. 16 Texas, No. 23 Kentucky and No. 27 Ole Miss.

The Classic features a singles draw of 32 and 16 for doubles.

“Since the tournament was started in 1977 by Jerry Simmons, we’ve had 20 Grand Slam winners or finalists play here,” Jeffrey said. “We’ve also had 12 NCAA champions, 5 ATP Top 20 players, 4 ranked No. 1 in the world in doubles, 2 Olympic gold medalists in doubles and 21 ITA Hall of Fame players and coaches.

“The best of the best have played in the Classic. It costs $60,000 to put on, because we do it first-class. It’s the No. 1 tennis event in the nation. Coaches and players love coming here.

“The original focus was to bring in big football-playing schools and work with ESPN to draw attention to what we’re doing down here.”

Jeffrey, who noted that the Acadiana area is the No. 7 per capita tennis community in the nation, added that there will be a kids’ clinic on the Friday of the Classic.

Breaux is expected to take the court for an exhibition doubles match on Saturday. Also on Saturday will be a UL tennis reunion, featuring members of the 1977-78 Cajun squad that finished 23-7 and dominated the Southland Conference championships in the spring.

Cajun football will be on the road at Tulane that weekend, but the Cajun Classic will provide plenty of action close to home.