The Fitz USTA Challenger Announces Tournament Players
Tournament Scheduled May 6-12
TUNICA, Mississippi (May 4, 2007)—Tunica National Golf & Tennis is gearing up for some of the top tennis names in the world to hit their courts during the The Fitz $50,000 United States Tennis Association (USTA) Pro Circuit tournament, coming May 6-12. All of the main draw players and wild card players were announced recently with more qualifying players to be determined soon.
Director of Tennis, Keith Evans, is announcing some of the players to watch in the tournament.
“Robert Kendrick, of Fresno, California, is the top-ranked player in the main draw, and he is a seven-time USTA Pro Circuit champion,” Evans said. “In addition to Kendrick, Paul Goldstein, is the only player in the history of collegiate tennis to be part of four NCAA championship teams and has almost caused some major upsets playing against top ranked players at Wimbledon and the Australian Open this year.”
The wild card players that will be competing in the Challenger are local player Chris Wettengel of Bentonville, Arkansas and two-time USTA National Boys’ 18s Champion and youngest-ever year-end world No. 1 ranked junior player Donald Young.
While this Challenger is only in its third year, it has seen two prominent players reach the finals as part of their comebacks. Current world No. 9 James Blake was the first champion at Tunica National. Last year Mardy Fish, currently ranked No. 30, was runner-up. Fish, the Olympic silver medalist at the Athens games, followed Blake’s path back to the top of the game through the USTA Pro Circuit.
“We are inviting the public to this free event because it will be exciting to watch these top players perform on Tunica National’s indoor clay courts,” Evans said.
This year the tournament will be raised to the highest level available for a Challenger, which also gives players more ATP ranking points. The Fitz Casino will be hosting all of the players for the six day tournament at their newly renovated hotel.
Viewing will be free to the public during qualifying rounds and the daily main draw matches. There will be free on-court bleacher seating for the quarter finals, semi-finals, and the Championship match. A features match with one of the top-seeded players will be held every night. The finals will be held May 12th. For exclusive upstairs seating, tickets may be purchased for $20 each by calling the Tunica National Tennis office at 662-357-0777.
Tunica National is the only Challenger on this year’s schedule of 24 events to be played on indoor clay courts. More than 1,100 men and women from 79 countries competed on the USTA Pro Circuit in 2006 for nearly $3 million in prize money and ranking points making it the world’s largest developmental tennis tour.
At Tunica National Golf and Tennis Club, the four indoor tennis courts are the only Hydro-Grid Har-Tru indoor clay courts south of Washington, D.C. Har-Tru’s granular surface acts as a shock-absorbing cushion, allowing players to slide into their shots, preventing joint-jarring stops. One of the most impressive aspects of the technology is the sub-surface irrigation and the ability to control humidity indoors. Tunica National is managed by KemperSports. Tunica National is located on Highway 61 North near the casinos.
About Tunica National
Located on U.S. Highway 61 North in Tunica, Tunica National features an 18-hole Mark McCumber-designed public golf course, six-hole par-3 practice course, 20,000-square-foot clubhouse, circular driving range, and Golf Training Academy. The four indoor tennis courts are the only Hydro-Grid Har-Tru indoor clay courts south of Washington, D.C. Har-Tru’s granular surface acts as a shock-absorbing cushion, allowing players to slide into their shots, preventing joint-jarring stops. One of the most impressive aspects of the technology is the sub-surface irrigation and the ability to control humidity indoors. Tunica National is managed by KemperSports. For additional information and services provided by Tunica National, call 662-357-0777.
About KemperSports
Northbrook, Ill.-based KemperSports operates golf facilities as well as athletic clubs, lodging venues and major sporting events, including nationally ranked courses and tournament venues such as Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Dorado Beach Resort & Club, The Glen Club, Gillette Ridge, Harding Park, Bolingbrook Golf Club, and Desert Willow. For more information, visit www.kempersports.com.
About Tunica
Tunica, an area where cotton, rice, soybean fields and catfish ponds still thrive, is “The South’s Casino Capital.” Located 30 minutes south of Memphis, Tunica welcomes more than 15 million visitors annually to its nine world-class casino resorts, with more than 6,300 hotel rooms, over 40 restaurants, championship golf, outdoor recreation, museums, outlet and antique shopping, and much more. For travel information, please visit the Tunica website at www.tunicamiss.com, or call Tunica at 1-888-4TUNICA. |
