Pictured: Singles Champion Peyton Stearns (at left) is pictured with runner-up Alexandra Vecic after the trophy presentation for the McLeod for Health Florence Open.

The McLeod for Health Florence Open concluded on Sunday, October 16, with the finals in the Singles Championship. Florence’s only professional tennis tournament, made possible by the partnership between McLeod Health and the City of Florence, helps raise awareness of breast cancer and physical activity through the seven-day event, which benefits women in the region with mammogram scholarships.

McLeod Physicians supporting the tournament included Dr. Amy Murrell and Dr. Rodney Alan (Tournament Physician). Dr. Murrell also represented McLeod Health during closing ceremonies of the singles championship and doubles championship.

American Peyton Stearns won the 2022 McLeod for Health Florence Open Singles Final beating Alexandra Vecic of Germany. On Saturday, twins Allura and Bella Zamarripa representing USA won the Doubles Final against Samantha Crawford and Clervie Ngounoue of USA.

Dr. Murrell’s daughter Allie also qualified to play in the main draw of this year’s tournament. During the 2021 McLeod for Health Florence Open, Allie scored her first professional victory during the tournament. A Pro-Am event was also held on October 10. Playing on behalf of McLeod Health were Dr. Rodney Alan, Dr. Carol Alan, Allie Murrell, Jeff Murrell and Grace Murrell.

Players competed for ranking points and a $25,000 purse. As one of the smallest cities on the USTA Pro Circuit, Florence was selected to host the event because of its world-class courts, strong volunteer base, and the generosity of its sponsors.

The City of Florence and Florence Open tournament formed an alliance in 2014 with McLeod Health to help support the fight against breast cancer in the region. McLeod Health, the tournament’s presenting sponsor, is deeply committed to the early identification and treatment of breast cancer and works with the McLeod Center for Cancer Treatment and Research and the McLeod Health Foundation to provide mammogram scholarships to women in need of assistance for this important annual screening.