LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 5, 2024) ­­­— Seven-year-old Cate takes a deep breath, tosses a tennis ball and smashes it with a pint-size tennis racket.

It’s a wild shot, one that sends her opponent, a member of the University of Kentucky women’s tennis team, scrambling to return. There are cheers, claps and encouragements all around. Similar scenes play out at the adjacent courts in UK’s Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex. Cate’s fellow patients from Kentucky Children’s Hospital (KCH) face off against not just UK’s men’s and women’s tennis teams, but some of the best players in the sport from the Lexington Challenger Tournament.

“I just like playing tennis,” Cate said later. She doesn’t know if she won or lost, or that her opponent is one of the best in the game. Fueled by a sugary doughnut, she takes up her racket and looks for her next opponent.

“I like being here,” she said. “It’s very fun.”

Taking place before the daily matches of the Lexington Challenger, the mini pro-am is a chance for the kids of KCH to forget about their illnesses and injuries. There are no doctors around, no nurses with needles. Just a doughnut buffet, a mountain of tennis balls and a group of tennis pros who are just here for a good time.

“This is the 29th year of the tournament, but the first year we’ve partnered with the hospital, said John Backer, president of the Lexington Challenger Tennis Charity who sponsored the event along with White, Greer & Maggard Orthodonics. “It gives me chills. It’s so cool to see these kids come out and play this game. Some of them never held a tennis racket before. One young man was hitting with Liam Draxl. He played for UK and is now on the world tour, but this young man doesn’t know that. They’re just out here having a great time.”

“Not only do our community partners generously support our hospital, but they also come up with fun, innovative events to help our patients feel like normal kids,” said Scottie B. Day, M.D., physician-in-chief for Kentucky Children’s Hospital. “Being a kid with a chronic illness or serious injury sometimes means they don’t get to play sports, so we’re grateful the players of the Lexington Challenger took the time to give them that experience.”

First held in 1995, the Lexington Challenger is a combination of the USTA Challenger and ITF Women’s Tours and attracts emerging talent and established players vying for ranking points and prize money. The tournament provides an excellent platform for rising stars to showcase their skills and compete against seasoned competitors. With its competitive atmosphere and enthusiastic local support, the Lexington Challenger is a key fixture in the tennis calendar, contributing to the growth and development of the sport. 

The Lexington Challenger benefits many important organizations in Lexington. This year is the first year Kentucky Children’s Hospital is one of the beneficiaries of the tournament.