The Sentinel: Dodds Tennis Center

Dodds Tennis Center offers tennis workouts throughout the week

Champaign - Like the flocks of geese that fly south for the winter and Snowbirds that trek to Florida for the winter months, it is time for tennis players to migrate from outdoor courts to the more comfortable environment provided by indoor tennis facilities.

Whether you are a seasoned competitor or an avid recreational player, Dodds Tennis Center, located at 2802 Farber Dr, Champaign, offers several drop-in workout sessions to help keep your level of play in top form during the winter months.

Ian Wang hits the ball back over the net while playing mixed-doubles this past summer back in late August. Now that temperatures have dipped below 50º recently, most tennis players have started playing indoors to enjoy the sport.

Photo: PhotoNews Media

Workouts and additional drop-in programs are available for everyone, from beginners to competitive weekend warriors.

For more information and program placement, contact Yuri Sohn at yuri.sohn@champaignparks.org or at (217)819-3993.

The park district also announced that Discounted Court Rates promotion will be back again for the Christmas Holiday season, starting Sunday, December 17, through Sunday, December 31. Bring family, friends, or guests in town for a little holiday fun at Dodds Tennis Center. Random court time rentals are just $21 per hour.

Winter Workout Schedule

Monday Lunch Club Workout 12-1:30pm
Level: Players 3.5 & Up
Member Fee: $13/visit
Guest Fee: $16/visit

Wednesday Ladies Day 9:30-11am
All Levels
Member Fee: $13/visit
Guest Fee: $16/visit

Thursday Intermediate Workout 5:30-7pm
Level: Players 2.5 & Up
Member Fee: $13/visit
Guest Fee: $16/visit

Thursday Late Night Workout 7-9pm
Level: Players 3.5 & Up
Member Fee: $17/visit
Guest Fee: $20/visit

Saturday Morning Workout 9-11am
Level: Players 3.0 & Up
Member Fee: $17/visit
Guest Fee: $20/visit

Sunday Morning Workout 9-11am
Level: Players 3.0 & Up
Member Fee: $17/visit
Guest Fee: $20/visit

Your guide to playing outdoor tennis in the Midwest this winter

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Fighting Illini Open women's tennis tournament starts November 6

Atkins Tennis Center, located on the University of Illinois campus, will host the area's final women's professional tennis tournament of the year on November 6-13. The Fighting Illini Open will be a unique opportunity for central Illinois tennis players and fans to see rising stars on the ladies' side of the sport and top players from all over the world. Thirty-two singles players and 16 double pairs will compete for a $15,000 purse during the first full week of November.

Labor Day tennis tournament crowns champions

CHAMPAIGN - It was a hot holiday weekend of fun at Lindsey Courts for area tennis players. Five singles players and five doubles teams earned titles at the 2023 Labor Day Tennis Tournament sponsored by the Champaign Park District.

St. Joseph-Ogden head tennis coach Kevin Martlage talks to his players at his team's first practice last month. Martlage, a third-year head coach, won the Mens' 35s division consolation bracket title after defeating Travis Davis, 7-6(3), 3-6, 1-0(9), at the Labor Day Tournament.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Out of a field of 12 area recreational players, Alejandro Gomez, from Savoy, defeated Young Kim, Champaign in straight sets 6-4, 6-0, to take the Men's Open title.

The Junior Boys 16s title went to Hunter Madigan after squaring off with Mahomet's Nolan Kogut in the title match. Undefeated in United States Tennis Association play this year at 4-0, Kogut, was moved up from the 14-year-old division. He was unable to take a game from his older opponent from Champaign, losing, 6-0, 6-0. Entering the tournament with an impressive USTA record himself, Madigan is 16-3 playing singles.

In doubles competition, Jason Zumwalt & Shaun Peterson won the Men’s Open Doubles Final. Zumwalt, the head boys' tennis coach at Centennial High School, and Peterson, an Urbana native and former teaching pro at Atkins Tennis Center were a formidable pair, cruising past Hunter Antonisse & Alejandro Gomez, 6-2, 6-1.

Below are this weekend's championship results.

Men’s Open Singles Final:
Alejandro Gomez def. Young Kim 6-4, 6-0

Men’s Open Singles Consolation Final:
David Diep def. Tony Wang 6-0, 6-1

Men’s 35 Singles Final:
Bill Cawley def. Charles Sikora 6-3, 7-6(4)

Men’s 35 Singles Consolation Final:
Kevin Martlage def. Travis Davis 7-6(3), 3-6, 1-0(9)

Men’s 55 Singles Final:
Eric Peterson def. Daniel Morris 6-2, 0-6, 1-0(8)*

Men’s 55 Singles Consolation Final:
Nitin Bhosale def. Steve Friend by default

Boy’s 16 Singles Final:
Hunter Madigan def. Nolan Kogut 6-0, 6-0

Men’s Open Doubles Final:
Jason Zumwalt & Shaun Peterson def. Hunter Antonisse & Alejandro Gomez 6-2, 6-1

Men’s Open Doubles Consolation Final:
David Diep & Chris Sarol def. Andy Wilke & Charles Sikora 6-3, 6-3

Women’s Open Doubles Final:
Cindy Crist & Sarah Kim def. Beth Hoag & Mary Sandhal 6-4, 7-6(5)

Women’s Open Doubles Consolation Final:
Shiho Gimbel & Rhoda Lewis def. Eileen McGill & Shelley Siuts 6-3, 6-2

Men’s 35 Doubles Final:
Sendhil Kumaran & Kai Wang def. Nitin Bhosale & Angad Mehta 6-1, 6-1

Men’s 35 Doubles Consolation Final:
Clark Brooks & Charles Nerone def. Jacob Rundall & Trey Smith 6-3, 6-2

Mixed Open Doubles Round Robin:
1st place Sarah Benevento & Chris Kuehn
2nd place Diane Winder & Travis Davis
3rd place Rocio Valdebenito & Ivan Flores

* This score was updated after a correction to the offical results.

Champaign Park District fall tennis workout schedule released

O.J. Watkins focuses on hitting a server during his mixed-doubles match while playing outdoors at Atkins Tennis Center earlier this month. When the daily tempertures start to plummit as winter approaches, area tennis players can enjoy the sport indoors at the Champaign Park District's indoor facility located in the Interstate Research Park in north Champaign.

Photo: PhotoNews Media

CHAMPAIGN - Champaign-Urbana tennis players looking to stay in shape and hone their skills don't have to miss a point as the weather turns cooler this fall. The Champaign Park District offers affordable clinics and workouts throughout the week starting the second week of September. For more the more competitive spirit, four leagues available based on skill level.

Clinics and classes are held at park district's indoor facility at 2802 Farber Drive in Champaign.

Follow this link for a complete list of tennis programs available at Dodds Tennis Center.

Fall Workout dates are:

Ladies Day
Ages 18+ & All Levels
9:30-11am Wednesdays 9/13-12/27
Member Fee: $13/visit
Guest Fee: $16/visit

Saturday Morning Workout
Level: Players 3.0 & Up
9-11am Saturdays 9/16-12/30
Member Fee: $17/visit
Guest Fee: $20/visit

Sunday Morning Workout
Level: Players 3.0 & Up
9-11am Sundays 9/17-12/17
Member Fee: $17/visit
Guest Fee: $20/visit

Intermediate Workout
Level: Players 2.5 & Up
5:30-7pm Thursdays 10/26-12/28(no workout 11/23)
Member Fee: $13/visit
Guest Fee: $16/visit

Late Night Workout
Level: Players 3.5 & Up
7-9pm Thursdays 10/26-12/28(no workout 11/23)
Member Fee: $17/visit
Guest Fee: $20/visit

Lunch Club Workout
Level: Players 3.5 & Up
12-1:30pm Mondays 10/30-12/18
Member Fee: $13/visit
Guest Fee: $16/visit

Fall 1 Singles Leagues:

(consultation with the head pro is necessary before registration)

Adult 1:30-3pm Sunday Singles League
Generally Men’s 2.5-3.0/Women’s 3.0-3.5
9/17-10/29
Member Fee: $125
Guest Fee: $140

Bronze Flex Singles League
Generally Men’s 3.0-3.5/Women’s 3.5-4.0
9/17-10/29
Member Fee: $125
Guest Fee: $140

Shumaker Silver Flex Singles League
Generally Men’s 3.5-4.0/Women’s 4.0-4.5
9/17-10/29
Member Fee: $125
Guest Fee: $140

Gold Flex Singles League
Generally Men’s 4.0-4.5/Women’s 4.5-5.0
9/17-10/29
Member Fee: $125
Guest Fee: $140

CU is a great place for tennis; 5 really good reasons why you want play, too

If you love tennis, then Champaign-Urbana is a great community to live in. With over 120 courts available, two well-maintained indoor facilities, and plenty of options for lessons and instruction, tennis is a fun sport for all ages to stay physically active, mentally sharp, and compete as a recreational player anywhere from a local level all the to way various national championships.

Urbana tennis team ready to face all challengers this fall

The Urbana High School girls' tennis team hopes to become the most-improved program in the Big 12 Conference this fall. The Tigers will take the first step toward that goal next Saturday at the multi-team Charger Invite.

"We are striving to be the most-improved team from day one until the end of the season," said Tigers' head coach Parker Sands on Tuesday during the ...

CU is a great place for tennis; 5 really good reasons why you want play, too

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

David Diep, from Champaign, hits a backhand shot while playing during the USTA state tournament at Atkins Tennis Center in August of 2022. Tennis is a widely popular recreational sport in Champaign-Urbana, so much so that there are well over 120 public and private courts in or within a 10-minute drive for most players.

URBANA - If you love tennis, then Champaign-Urbana is a great community to live in. With over 120 courts available, two well-maintained indoor facilities, and plenty of options for lessons and instruction, tennis is a fun sport for all ages to stay physically active, mentally sharp, and compete as a recreational player anywhere from a local level all the to way various national championships.

There are so many tennis players in the college town, home of the University of Illinois, that even with the unbelievable number of courts available for a community its size, there are times and days throughout the warmer months when players can have a hard time finding an open court.

Playing tennis, like several other active sports, is a worthwhile activity for activating the brain and keeping neural networks functioning longer because it requires a combination of tactical thinking, creativity, coordination, and agility. One benefit to hitting the courts on the reg is hanging out with other players, sharing postmatch stories, and thrill of hitting a match-winning shot, which seems to delay the onset of Alzheimers and other cognitive diseases.

Tennis for older adults can help them stay physically and mentally active well into your 70s and 80s. For example, a study conducted in Japan found that male tennis players enjoyed a significantly lower risk of developing dementia, like to the tune of being 25 percent less likely to develop the disease because of the social aspects of the game.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

In Champaign-Urbana there are dozens of opportunities to play for all ages. Between private instruction, organized workouts, leagues, teams, and informal groups, you can almost play tennis every day of the week, all year long.

Social tennis, meeting new people and making new friends (and sometimes rivals) is a never-ending in a college community like Champaign-Urbana. There are dozens of informal groups that meet at neighborhood courts and daily clinics and drill sessions every week at Atkins Tennis Center and the park district's Dodds Tennis Center. All three area country clubs have tennis courts available for their members, or you can join the United States Tennis Association to play on a team or in sanctioned tournaments around the country.

Here are five other reasons why you should grab a new can of balls, that old racquet in the closet or garage, and a few friends for a couple hours a week with friends:

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

There is nothing like the thrill of putting the ball away for a winner in a during a tough match. Sometimes it is hard to contain your emotions when you come out on top with a win.

Enjoyment ~
Regardless of your level of experience, tennis is fun. Whether you play casually with friends or competitively in tournaments, the thrill of hitting the perfect shot to win a game is hard to beat. Whether you are pounding 100 mph serves down the T for an ace or hitting the perfect drop shot to humiliate your opponent, technique and strategy can overcome youth, and in many cases, experience.

Cardiovascular Health ~
Tennis can be a physically demanding sport. Most players find that as their level of play improves, the more calories they burn on the court. Young or old, playing tennis can help improve your cardiovascular health by getting their heart rate up and increasing your endurance.

Bone Health ~
Tennis is a weight-bearing activity that can help improve bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis in older adults. Stronger bones reduce the chances of breakage from a routine, run-of-the-mill injury like tripping and falling off a slippery, ice-covered curb in the wintertime.

Stress Relief ~
Tennis is a fun and challenging activity that can help reduce stress and promote relaxation. After spending an hour and half chasing the ball from one side of the court to the other, concentrating on something enjoyable will put any stress you might have on the furthest backburner. For older adults, tennis is beneficial in taking a break from their daily routines and enjoy time outdoors or tennis buddies.

Mental agility ~
Playing competitive tennis is mentally challenging. Not only does it require quick thinking and strategy, but also a high-level emotional control and focus. Playing regularly, can help improve problem-solving skills, decision-making abilities, and the ability to remain focused under pressure.

Champaign-Urbana has a large, friendly, and vibrant tennis community. You can have fun playing seven days a week: After all, it is all love out on the courts.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

When the stakes are high, tennis can become a very emotional sport. The level of camaraderie with teammates and opponents, even at the recreational level, creates lasting memories.