AUSTIN, Texas — While Hollywood stars graced the red carpet at the Oscars, Matthew McConaughey watched from home in Austin after sitting courtside at the ATX Open.
The Austin-based actor, who recently embraced the sport, expressed his enthusiasm for the growth of professional tennis in the city.
“Whoda thunk it, man?” McConaughey said. “We’re not talking football, are we? We are not talking baseball. We are not talking basketball. We’re talking tennis in Austin. And not UT tennis. This is world tennis right here.”
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He praised the ATX Open’s rapid growth, noting, “Brian Sheffield started this thing, we’re three years to 250. I was out here yesterday for the semis. It was great. Now we got the finals today. I’d love to see it keep growin’ man, this would be awesome to have this turn into a 500 down the road and have this be even more of an international destination that it’s already becoming, ya know.”
McConaughey also issued a challenge to fellow Austinite and former US Open champion Andy Roddick, hinting at a potential local showdown.
“You wanna hit Roddick? You know where to find me,” McConaughey said.
The ATX Open is a WTA 250 women’s professional tennis tournament held at the Westwood Country Club in Austin, Texas. Organized by the DropShot Tournament Series, it marks the return of the WTA Tour to Texas, featuring matches played on outdoor hardcourts. The event brings world-class tennis to Austin, attracting both local fans and international attention.
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