The Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club is in the spotlight again, and that’s not surprising.
The same goes for John Chanfreau, who eyes players and sees himself.
“A little bit,’’ he said. “When they tell stories about being in some faraway country, I tell them just imagine it 25 years ago.’’
Chanfreau is the club’s general manager, and he’s nearly as busy as when he was a pro crisscrossing the tennis landscape. He’s no longer chasing a paycheck in that manner, but for those who do, he’s in their corner.
“It’s nice to be able to give them a facility that feels like they are really playing in a pro event,’’ Chanfreau, 46, said. “Sometimes they have to go to a park to play, and no one is there watching.’’
That wasn’t the case at this week’s TaliMar Rancho Santa Fe Open, where appreciative and encouraging spectators were attentive to those competing for the $60,000 in prize money.
It’s the third year that this slice of the Women’s Tennis Association Tour has planted its flag here.
Those attending get a peek at the players embracing the grind and earning their dough and stripes on the US Tennis Association Women’s Pro Circuit.
Among the local players in the field were Oceanside’s Megan McCray, Torrey Pines High’s Alyssa Ahn and University of San Diego’s Solymar Colling.
McCray won a SoCal Pro Series event four months ago at RSF, and Ahn won over spectators with a first-round upset of No. 6-seeded Martina Okalova of Slovakia.
The teenager from Torrey knocked off a player ranked No. 624 in the world with a quick commute, to boot.
“I just live 15 minutes from here,’’ she said.
Everyone here is chasing, to some degree, their 15 minutes of fame with the tenacity that they track that yellow, fuzzy ball.
It’s easy to tune into marquee tennis events and ooh-and-ahh at its elaborate trappings and the big paydays that accompany them for the game’s biggest names.
The truth is there are countless other under-the-radar events for those going up and down the tennis ladder. A significant climb could come as quickly as a career-changing tumble that will test one’s resolve.
Chanfreau played at the high school and junior college levels and then chased his dream. To do so, he would give tennis lessons to pay for his next tournament while squeezing in school at night.
It’s a rinse-and-repeat cycle for many that illustrates how daunting the odds can be for young players longing to make their mark.
“I didn’t have a ton of funding, so I know how hard it is and all the hard work that goes into it,’’ Chanfreau said. “And that’s what makes having an event here so fulfilling because I know what it’s like for them.’’
The USTA showed its love for RSF with a recent honor. It was named among its outstanding facilities in its category for private small venues with less than 12 courts.
That had Chanfreau making a summer trek to the US Open, just another stop on his journey that led him to RSF nearly four years ago.
Before that, Chanfreau had stints at the Palos Verdes Tennis Club and an 11-year run at Lomas Santa Fe Tennis Club in Solana Beach.
With Chanfreau settled in at RSF, just maybe the Rancho Santa Fe Open players will be familiar faces as their futures unfold.
“It’s neat to be able to see some of these players from 50, 100 feet away,’’ Chanfreau said. “Three months from now, you could be watching them from 50 rows up.’’
If so, Chanfreau will have a front-row perspective of their challenging path to get there.
Contact Jay Paris at [email protected] and follow him @jparis_sports
