Chicago is a huge tennis town with numerous tennis leagues for all . However, It's a huge sports town as you know with the popularity of the Bulls, Bears, Cubs, Sox and Blackhawks. I think the low turnout during the frigid months of usually Jan & Feb when the tours usually made it's stops were very ill advised during the 80"s and 90s. They really should have tried to capitalize on the popularity of the Williams Sisters and Fedalnovic during the past 15 years but Chitown has always been derelict in public relations.
The men have never done well here in Chicago; winter or summer! The women a lot more sustainable with the top players usually competing; Court, Evert, Navratilova, & Goolagong! I attended '75 final with Court defeating a very young Navratilova who was probably wiped out by beating Evert the night before! Court had some trouble though with a leg injury that forced her to stand during the court changes! The last news I can remember of a men's event here was Lendl scheduled to play and he either lost his 1st match or WD! His name was being used to get people to attend since he was the #1 player in the world, but it obviously didn't work! You know how long that has to have been; maybe 35 years ago! That was a winter event on an Ill. college campus! I remember attending the tournament in the summer of '75; court set up on the football field of
"Soldiers Field!" Roscoe Tanner defeated John Alexander of Aust., the last of the Mohicans (as was coined by Bud Collins) 7-6,6-7,7-6! It's ridiculous that we don't support pro tennis here, but as was said, we're busy with sports around the calendar year with 2 baseball teams, basketball, football, hockey, soccer, figure skating, (all sport) tourns. that center in the Midwest, college and high school teams, etc.! :whistle:
