New tennis apparel line looks to lower sport's cost for young players

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - The U.S. Open qualifiers are going on right now ahead of the first round beginning Monday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. But did you know that it can cost over $80,000 a year for equipment, apparel and travel for junior tennis players?

Now, Ascot Manor is trying to change that. Founded by a local New York entrepreneur and former athlete Ahlilah Longmire, the new tennis apparel line is socially conscious, setting its price point at between $30 and $70, using high-quality, sweat-wicking, sustainable materials. 

“IT’s an interesting time for junior tennis,” Longmire said. “In terms of, I don’t think people realize that these kids train like the pros.  A lot of them are home-schooled, full schedules, the amount of hours that they have to play, travel, all of that adds up. Can you imagine if you’re a single mom, maybe one or two kids, you’re only making about $40,000? The average cost to play competitive tennis a year is $80,000.”

Longmire’s mother Sybil Williams just passed away this February and is the inspiration behind the launch of Ascot Manor because she introduced Longmire to tennis.