Home » TIMag.com news » Media » Tennis Channel's Destination Tennis Heads South to Atlanta in August

Tennis Channel's Destination Tennis Heads South to Atlanta in August

LOS ANGELES — Tennis Channel, the only 24-hour, television-based multimedia destination dedicated to tennis and the surrounding lifestyle, heads to Atlanta, the “tennis capital of America,” in the next edition of original travel series, Destination Tennis. The episode premieres Monday, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m. ET. For complete schedule visit http://www.tennischannel.com/schedule/.

Destination Tennis shows audiences how to enjoy great vacations in the most glamorous tennis locations on earth. Hosted by Mieke Buchan, the series explores cities and all they have to offer; uncovers local tennis cultures; and illustrates the best way to navigate a destination and its attractions, resorts, facilities and history. Whether they plan to travel with family, friends or alone, Destination Tennis viewers learn how to get the most out of their tennis vacation - both on and off the court.

This latest edition of Tennis Channel’s Destination Tennis showcases Atlanta and the reasons behind its reputation as America’s best tennis town. A haven for tennis players of all ages and skills, the region boasts more than 250,000 registered recreational players - the largest tennis community in the United States - and 4,000 clay, hard and grass courts.

“There’s no vacation destination like Atlanta where, more than any other place in the world, such a high percentage of the local population plays tennis recreationally,” said Victoria Quoss, executive vice president, programming and network strategy, Tennis Channel. “Beyond a large tennis community, the combination of classic Southern hospitality, great facilities and the vibrant tempo of Atlanta make it a ‘can’t miss’ adventure for any tennis-travel enthusiast.”

Destination Tennis: Atlanta explores two of the country’s finest tennis resorts, in addition to the sights and sounds of Atlanta’s daytime amenities and bustling nightlife. Calloway Gardens, in Pine Mountain, is consistently a top-50 tennis destination of Tennis magazine and Chateau Elan Winery and Resort, located in Braselton, is an exclusive retreat 40 minutes outside the city. In addition to playing tennis at each club, Buchan tours both grounds and gives viewers a glimpse of other activities such as hiking, cooking classes, fly fishing, wine tasting, and unique dining and outdoors experiences.

Atlanta is also home to the 2007 NCAA Division I women’s tennis champions, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Destination Tennis: Atlanta takes a detour to the pristine university campus for Buchan to talk with Yellow Jackets’ head coach Bryan Shelton and the team’s players about practice, playing professionally and the college tennis experience.

While much of the focus of Destination Tennis: Atlanta is on the enormous tennis opportunities in the city and surrounding area, the episode makes a point to sample the one-of-a-kind sights and attractions that can only be found in the city, one of America’s fastest-growing metropolises. Among these are Centennial Olympic Park, built for the 1996 Olympic Games, and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. Buchan also samples Underground Atlanta and Little Five Points for shopping and entertainment.

Tennis Channel will replay Destination Tennis: Atlanta in the weeks that follow its Aug. 18 premiere. Listings can be found on the network Web site, http://www.tennischannel.com/schedule/.

Tennis Channel (www.tennischannel.com) is the only 24-hour, television-based multimedia destination dedicated to both the professional sport and passionate lifestyle of tennis. A hybrid of comprehensive sports, health, fitness, pop culture, entertainment, lifestyle and travel programming, the network is home to every aspect of the wide-ranging, worldwide tennis community. It also has the most concentrated single-sport coverage in television, with telecast rights to the US Open, Wimbledon, Roland Garros (French Open), Australian Open, Olympus US Open Series, ATP Masters Series, top-tier Sony Ericsson WTA Tour championship competitions, Davis Cup and Fed Cup by BNP Paribas, and Hyundai Hopman Cup. Tennis Channel is carried by eight of the top 10 MSOs and has a national footprint via DIRECTV and DISH Network.

Posted on August 14, 2008
Permalink