Former George Washington and University of Charleston tennis star Alyssa Hackworth-Irvin was competing in the Public Courts Tennis Tournament with her husband, former WVU standout and current Seattle Seahawk Bruce Irvin, watching.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It is common for players competing in the Public Courts Tennis Tournament to have friends and relatives watch.
For Alyssa Hackworth-Irvin, however, one of her main supporters this week is a little more out of the ordinary.
That’s because Bruce Irvin, a former West Virginia University standout and current player in the National Football League with the super bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, is in Charleston to root on his new wife, who married the former WVU star in May.
After graduating from WVU after the 2011 season, Irvin was a first-round pick (No. 15 overall) by the Seahawks in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Irvin was on hand to see his wife, with longtime tennis doubles partner Erica White, win their semifinal match on Tuesday in the women’s open doubles division to advance to Saturday’s championship.
Hackworth-Irvin, a former George Washington and University of Charleston tennis standout, was happy to have her husband and son Brayden, who recently turned 1, on hand for the first time.
“Bruce had never seen me play,” Hackworth-Irvin said. “It was good. It is different. It’s not quite to the caliber of his sport but it is nice to have his support.”
Irvin, meanwhile, was glad to switch roles and support his wife in her athletic endeavors instead of the other way around.
“I always heard she was good but I’ve never seen her play tennis,” Irvin said. “It’s not very often I get to see her at her highest level. It is a good experience to see her on the court and see what she can do.
“I am enjoying it and taking it all in. I’m trying to see if she fits the Irvin last name. We are athletes. The way our son is running around, I’m thinking I would rather be playing right now.”
The Irvins live in Renton, Wash., rarely being able to return to the Mountain State…