Cajun Classic Comes With Rich History

LAFAYETTE, La. - In 1977, former Ragin' Cajuns head coach Jerry Simmons created the Cajun Tennis Classic, the first corporate-sponsored collegiate fall event in the nation. It quickly attracted some of the nation's top talent on the amateur men's tennis circuit, helping vault Louisiana into the national top 20 and propelling the program to six straight Southland Conference Championships from 1977 thru 1982.

The first Cajun Tennis Classic included eight teams with a 32-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw, much like the format implemented today. The tournament also featured some of the top talent in collegiate tennis, essentially serving as a preview of the spring's NCAA Tournament.

In the six years that followed, the Cajun Classic played host to a dozen NCAA champions and more than 20 future professional players. Members of the Cajun Classic field also has included a pair of Olympic gold medal winners and 27 players or coaches who have found their way into the ITA College Hall of Fame.

One of those coaches was the Classic founder, Simmons, who found his way to the Hall of Fame in 1988. Included in his induction class were Cajun Classic alums Kevin Curren, Robert Seguso, Ken Flach and Peter Fleming – all of whom won grand slam events as professionals.

This year, eight more of the top teams in the nation will make their way to Lafayette for the revived Cajun Classic, beginning Thursday, Sept. 18 at Cajun Courts. Teams include reigning Big 12 champion Texas, reigning SEC champion Georgia, and nationally-ranked teams such as Kentucky, Oklahoma State, Wake Forest, LSU, TCU and the reigning Sun Belt Conference champion Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns.

#GeauxCajuns

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

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