32nd Annual Cajun Classic Wheelchair Tennis Tournament
ITF Super Series and USTA National Level 1 Event
March 14-19, 2023
Paula G. Manship YMCA, Baton Rouge, LA
Social media: Facebook
2023 Cajun Classic Players, draws, schedules, and match results
ITF Super Series (professionals): Click here to see the latest updates
USTA Level 1 (amateurs and juniors): Click here to see the latest updates
Click here to see our 2023 photo gallery
Thanks to our friends at the Louisiana Photographic Society for their amazing photographs of the 2023 Cajun Classic.
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2023 Cajun Classic Attracts World’s Top Players to Baton Rouge
Seventy five of the world’s top-ranked professionals, including several Grand Slam winners, competed in the 32nd annual Cajun Classic Wheelchair Tennis Tournament, held March 14-19, in Baton Rouge, at the Paula G. Manship YMCA.
The field was comprised of 128 professional and amateur players from 20 countries and 25 states (including Louisiana) and included the winners and finalists of the world’s four Grand Slams: the U.S. Open, the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon.
The tournament also attracted 15 junior players from across the United States who competed for top honors among players under 18 years of age.
The Cajun Classic, long recognized as one of the most popular wheelchair tournaments worldwide, is a “Super Series” level event, just one step below the Grand Slams. There are only four Super Series tournaments in the world, and only one in the United States.
Tournament play began Tuesday, March 14, and continued through the finals on Sunday, March 19, at the Manship YMCA, Lamar Tennis Center. The Cajun Classic is part of the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour, is presented by the Greater Baton Rouge Community Tennis Association (GBRCTA), and is produced by the Baton Rouge Wheelchair Tennis Association (BRWTA).
The 2023 Cajun Classic featured 26 top International Tennis Federation (ITF) stars, including:
* Eight of the top-10 men: ITF World #1 Alfie Hewett of Great Britain; #2 Tokito Oda of Japan; #3 Gustavo Fernandez of Argentina; #4 Joachim Gerard of Belgium; #6 Martin de la Puente of Spain; #7 Ruben Spaargaren of the Netherlands; #9 Tom Egberink of the Netherlands; and #10 Takashi Sanada of Japan.
* Nine of the top-10 women: ITF World #1 Diede de Groot of the Netherlands; #3 Aniek van Koot of the Netherlands; #4 Jiske Griffioen of the Netherlands; #5 Zhenzhen Zhu of the People’s Republic of China; #6 Momoko Ohtani of Japan; #7 Manami Tanaka of Japan; #8 Kgothatso Montjane of the Republic of South Africa; #9 Dana Mathewson of the United States; and #10 Lucy Shuker of Great Britain.
* Nine of the top-10 quads: ITF World #1 Niels Vink of the Netherlands; #2 Sam Schroder of the Netherlands; #3 Heath Davidson of Australia; #4 David Wagner of the United States; #5 Donald Ramphadi of the Republic of South Africa; #6 Andy Lapthorne of Great Britain; #7 Rob Shaw of Canada; #8 Ymanitu Silva of Brazil; and #9 Koji Sugeno of Japan.
“The Cajun Classic continues to attract the world’s top adult athletes, and we are equally excited to host 15 players under the age of 18. These juniors will be future top professionals and amateurs, and we are proud that the Cajun Classic serves as a major part of their formative years,” said Tournament Director Jennifer Edmonson.
The Cajun Classic is sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA). The tournament is part of ITF’s UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour where players compete for more than $1 million in prize money in tournaments throughout the world.
The rules of wheelchair tennis are the same as regular tennis, except the ball is allowed to bounce twice.
Edmonson said the Cajun Classic is made possible by a host of donors and sponsors, including the presenting sponsor GBRCTA, and platinum sponsors: the United States Tennis Association (USTA), USTA-Southern Section, Louisiana Tennis Association (LTA), the Louisiana Office of Tourism, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge Rehab Hospital, Sunrise Medical, Tiger Canopy, and Gill’s Crane Service.
The 2023 Cajun Classic also received $51,994 from the Edward Jones Investments / Tex Morris “Hallowheel” charity tennis and pickleball tournament, held last October in Baton Rouge. Since 2015, the Hallowheel tournament has raised $175,000 to help offset expenses of the Cajun Classic.
GBRCTA President Rusty Jabour said Baton Rouge tennis league players help sponsor the Cajun Classic through a portion of the fees collected by GBRCTA’s City Championship league.
“The Cajun Classic is a signature event, presented by GBRCTA, and we couldn’t be prouder to have such an amazing world-class tennis event right there in Baton Rouge. We welcome everyone to come watch these incredible athletes,” said Jabour.
The Cajun Classic is produced by the Baton Rouge Wheelchair Tennis Association, a non-profit, volunteer board that raises funds to pay for the required prize money, ITF-badged referee and umpire fees, meals, drinks, transportation, accommodations at the host hotel, player party, programs, and wheelchair repair station.
Financial support and donations are accepted to pay for costs associated with the tournament. Persons or businesses interested in helping may contact Jennifer Edmonson through the Cajun Classic website at https://brwta.org or by calling 225-939-4086.
The Cajun Classic is proud to be part of the UNIQLO Wheelchair World Tour.
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors
Underwriters
United States Tennis Association (USTA)
USTA – Southern Section
Louisiana Tennis Association (LTA)
Presenting Sponsor
Greater Baton Rouge Community Tennis Association (GBRCTA)
State Sponsor
Lt. Governor William “Billy” Nungesser
Louisiana Office of Tourism
(LouisianaTravel.com)
Bronze Level Donors
Bateman’s Ice, Brownfields Lions Club, Capitol City Produce, Catholic High School, Chick-fil-A, Chicken Salad Chick, Coca-Cola, Community Coffee Company, Dr. John Nyboer, EBR Parish Sheriff’s Office, Gorman Brothers, Highland Park Tennis Association, Kelly Elkins State Farm, McClain Trailers, McDonalds of Acadiana, National Charity League – River Road Chapter, Olinde Event Rentals, Permobile, Price LeBlanc Lexus, Quantum Rehab, Ronnie’s Boudin & Cracklin House, Saltwater Seduction, Second Serve, Southeast Baton Rouge Lions Club, Southern Maid, SportsBR, St. Joseph’s Academy, Triton Industries, Westport Linen Services, and World’s Finest Chocolate.
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About the Cajun Classic
The Cajun Classic Wheelchair Tennis Tournament is sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and is the only Super Series tournament in the United States and is one of only four Super Series worldwide. Every year, the Cajun Classic attracts top professionals and amateurs from throughout the world.
Players who participate in the Cajun Classic are all ages — seniors to teenagers — and include those who are paraplegics, quadriplegics and amputees, as well as those with birth defects. But, the players’ disabilities have become “different abilities” as they play amazing and highly-competitive tennis.
The Cajun Classic is supported by the United States Tennis Association (USTA), USTA-Southern Section, the Louisiana Tennis Association (LTA), and the Greater Baton Rouge Community Tennis Association (GBRCTA), which is the presenting sponsor.
Baton Rouge Wheelchair Tennis Association 