Tennis lessons for experienced players to novices began Monday at Halls Ferry Park in an effort to increase visibility of the sport in Vicksburg.

Alcorn State University tennis player Shashank Kulkarni – Shank to both friends and strangers – will offer free lessons from 1-8 p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.

&#8220People know we always will have softball and baseball,” parks and rec director Joe Graves said. &#8220We hope to expand things and get leagues started like they have in Madison and Ridgeland.

&#8220We have beautiful courts here. We need to utilize them more.”

The Pune, India, native plays tennis under former St. Aloysius coach Tony Dodgen. During a Tennis in the Park program last year, Shank assisted Dodgen and eventually landed the job with the rec department.

&#8220We hope to offer youth and adult leagues to build interest to get more people on the courts,” said Shank, who has been in Lorman for 2 1/2 years and is spending the summer living on campus.

Graves said getting the tennis program started again is part of a larger plan to increase the number and variety of sports offered by the City.

The program will run throughout the summer until Shank returns to Alcorn. Graves said he hoped to have him work sparingly throughout the school year.