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EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Futures tennis tournament is right around the corner, and over the years, it's become an important tournament for up-and-coming players who hope to make an impact on the Association of Tennis Professionals world tour.
Two of those players are Chris Haworth of Oklahoma City, Okla., and Nicholas Shamma of Los Angeles, who competed against each other in the semifinals of the Pro Wildcard Tournament presented by THEBANK of Edwardsville Wednesday afternoon at the Edwardsville High School Tennis Center.
Haworth, the second seed, defeated Shamma in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the finals against top-seeded Sam Shropshire Thursday morning. The winner will receive a automatic wildcard berth in the Futures Tournament beginning Monday, while Shamma, fellow semifinalist Toby Boyer and the loser of the final each receive berths in the qualifying tournment for the Futures main draw this weekend.
“I thought it went really well,” Haworth said in a post-match interview. “I definitely played my way into the match after the first set, the first three or four games, (Shamma) was serving really well, and then, after I got into a rhythm, I played my way into it, and I played really well the last half of it.”
Haworth has been playing for only four months in his return to tennis. He stopped playing for three years, and had graduated from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla. just over a year ago.
“I've actually have been playing tennis for four months,” Haworth said. “I played in college, and then I quit tennis for three years, didn't touch a racket, then started playing again in February.”
Shamma gave credit to his opponent after the match.
“Yeah, it was a good level of tennis,” Shamma said. “My opponent played well today. He had a good match.”
And Shamma did do much good things for his part.
“Just trying to stay a little more relaxed,” Shamma said, “trying to work on the serve a little bit, and just transition on the court. Trying to hit through the ball and play a little more aggressive, just kinda working on those things.”
Both players are impressed with the quality of play in the tournament.
“Overall, it's not a bad tournament,” Shamma said. “Not exactly the way I wanted to play today. I have to keep working on a few things, and keep improving a few things, and hopefully, I can work on these things this week, and get better for the quality that's coming up in a few days.”
“Oh yeah, it's great,” Haworth said. “It's great to have the wildcard tournament just to get some matches in before you're playing in qualifying or hopefully the main draws, if everything goes well.”
In the case of Haworth, it's having to go through the wildcard tournament just to possibly qualify for the main draw.
“I actually hadn't signed up for this tournament,” Haworth said, “so I had to get the wildcard to get in.”
Both players hope to accomplish great things in the upcoming Futures tournament as well.
“I just want to go out there and kinda play my game and play aggressive,” Shamma said. “Not worry too much about the results, and just try to play my game, and try to get a little bit better with each match.”
“Yeah, it's good,” Haworth said. “The more matches I play, the more confident I'm getting, so it's definitely good to have tournaments like this, where it's matches, and a little bit of pressure, but not the same amount as qualifying, because you know that you'll be able to play on Saturday still, even if you lose that match.”
Both Shamma and Haworth's tennis backgrounds are somewhat similar.
“Just from Los Angeles, I grew up there, started playing there,” Shamma said. My dad put me in sports, and I just liked it, and pretty much went with it ever since. I just enoyed playing.”
In Haworth's case, it was a return to the game after a stint in the nine-to-five world.
“I took a corporate job,” Haworth said, 'and after working there for six or seven months, it was definitely not the same as being on the tennis court, so I was really missing it after not playing for so long. I kinda got the itch again, and then started training again full time, and it's been going ever since.”
As far as their futures in the game, both see the main draw as a possible stepping stone into the pro tour, and eventually the Grand Slam events.
“I'm hoping to get a couple of main draw wins, hopefully,” Haworth said. “I don't have a main draw win since I've come back yet, so to get an ATP point would be the goal for this tournament.”
“Just to be the best I can be, and to make it on the pro tour,” Shamma said. “Hopefully try to make it to the big shots one day.”
And one day, if Chris Haworth and Nicholas Shammaboth make the ATP Tour, they will remember getting a start in the Edwardsviile Futures.
