USTA Women’s $50,000 Tennis Challenger comes to Grapevine July 6-12

by PegNews wire

The USTA recently selected the Hilton DFW Lakes in Grapevine to host the USTA Women’s $50,000 Tennis Challenger July 6-12, 2009. The tournament, a USTA Pro Circuit event, is the largest women’s tennis competition in Texas and is a qualifying event for the U.S. Open.

Joining the field of Challenger contenders is Alexandra Stevenson, 28, daughter of pro basketball star Julius Irving, who is one of only three women ever to reach the semifinals in her Wimbledon debut. Duke University freshman Mallory Cecil, 18, capped off her stellar rookie season last month, defeating Miami’s Laura Vallverdu 7-5, 6-4 to win the NCAA Women’s Tennis Singles Championship on May 26, 2009. Cecil is the second player in Duke Women’s tennis history to win the NCAA individual crown and just the fifth in ACC history. Cecil is the first NCAA women’s player to win a team national title and individual crown in the same year since 2004.

The field for the Grapevine USTA Women’s $50,000 Tennis Challenger will feature 32 singles players and 16 doubles teams. Players ranked as high as No. 40 in the world typically compete in these Pro Circuit events. The four winners of the qualifying tournament, July 4-5, received a spot in the main draw of the tournament.

The event, which begins the day after the 2009 Wimbledon Finals, featured a wild card tournament July 1-3, which will award the two singles finalists with a spot in the Challenger’s qualifying event. These wild card tournaments are open to any woman.

Throughout the event, Hilton DFW Lakes will be hosting tennis clinics for local schools and the Grapevine community including free clinics for Grapevine residents, as well as clinics for the Special Olympics and the Multicultural Initiative of the USTA.

Situated on 40 forested, lakeside, acres in historic Grapevine, the Hilton DFW Lakes is the setting for a USTA tournament. It is located 2 miles from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and 20 minutes from downtown. Choose from endless recreational options such as tennis, basketball, swimming, and horseback riding, and enjoy guest privileges at nearby Bridlewood and Cowboys Golf Club. When you're ready to soak up some local flavors, popular landmarks like Texas Stadium and the Fort Worth Stockyards are just minutes away.

Tickets are currently available for all sessions of the Grapevine USTA Women’s $50,000 Tennis Challenger, Monday-Friday, are: $8 at gate and $6 in advance; Finals-Saturday-Sunday: $15 at the gate and $12 in advance.

Source: Endicott & Company