The Atlanta Cup Serves Up Excitement Mere Miles from Oglethorpe University

Just down the street from Oglethorpe University, the inaugural Atlanta Cup tennis exhibition brings together world-class athletes and the enthusiastic Atlanta tennis community for a one-night-only event. Held on Dec. 6, 2025, at Gas South Arena, less than 20 miles from Oglethorpe, Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka, Nick Kyrgios, and Atlanta local Ben Shelton will compete in an unforgettable showdown.

The Atlanta community is no stranger to pro tennis, as the Atlanta Open just concluded a 14-year run in 2024. According to Oglethorpe University Head Tennis Coach Taylor Stewart, the Atlanta tennis community hopes the ATL Cup will fill this gap in the Atlanta professional tennis scene. The cup match is made possible through the combined efforts of the United States Tennis Association and the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association.

The Atlanta Cup logo

As quoted in a press release, Jason Dolan, founder of The Atlanta Cup, stated, “We’re proud to launch the inaugural Atlanta Cup, bringing four of the world’s most elite and beloved tennis stars to Atlanta. With well over 100,000 active league players in ALTA and USTA, Atlanta is the heartbeat of American tennis participation—and it once again has a marquee annual event that its legacy deserves.”

With any significant named event coming to Atlanta, there is a lot of buzz around the players and opportunities for networking within the Atlanta community. The Oglethorpe University men’s and women’s tennis teams concluded their 2024–2025 season with 14 wins and are now preparing for the upcoming season.

Arnya Sabalenka | Sourced from The Atlanta Cup website

With a big night of tennis in the near future, many Oglethorpe students share their excitement about the opportunity to be around world-class players. Taylor Glover, a player on the women's team, said, “I know many of us on the tennis team watch these players as they compete in tournaments such as the U.S Open and are inspired to play with the level of grace, strength, and intensity they all have.”

When speaking about how The ATL Cup benefits Oglethorpe’s tennis teams, Stewart said, “Getting our players in front of and around other good tennis people is a great opportunity.”

The ATL Cup not only brings momentum to the Atlanta tennis community but also highlights two of the world’s most awarded female athletes, Osaka and Sabalenka, who share eight Grand Slam titles between them. With the No. 1 world-ranked player, Sabalenka, coming to the city, the conversation about the importance of women in sports continues to inspire young, aspiring athletes.

Naomi Osaka | Sourced from The Atlanta Cup website

Former Oglethorpe women's tennis team captain Alyssa Merletti said, “In the case of Naomi Osaka, many young black women and Asian women, and those who intersect those two identities like herself, are given a successful role model that they can look up to.”

The excitement stretches far beyond Oglethorpe’s gates, just northeast of the city, to the University of Georgia campus. UGA Pickleball President Ben An said, “The Atlanta Cup is such an exciting event for both the tennis and pickleball communities; it’s awesome to know that players at that level are competing right here in our city.”

From Oglethorpe to UGA and everything in between, the ATL Cup builds excitement amongst the local tennis community. Get your tickets here for the Dec. 6 tournament.