Tournament starts today at Waikoloa
Advertiser Staff
Taylor Dent, the world's 56th-ranked tennis player, is the top entry in the 2003 Hilton Waikoloa Village U.S. Tennis Association Challenger, which begins this weekend on the Big Island.
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The USTA Professional Circuit event annually draws players on their way home from the Australian Open.
Taylor Dent reached the finals of the Hall of Fame Championships last July before losing to James Blake, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
U.S. Davis Cup players Andy Roddick and James Blake won the last two Waikoloa Challengers and have since moved into the top 25. Paul Goldstein won the inaugural event in 2000. He will play again this week, along with Robby Ginepri — another U.S. Davis Cup player, Justin Gimelstob, 2001 NCAA champion Alex Kim and Brian Vahaly. All are ranked in the world's top 120.
The singles draw is 32 and 16 teams are in the doubles draw.
The $37,500 tournament opens with qualifying today, starting at 9 a.m. Doubles qualifying is tomorrow. The main draw begins Tuesday, and the singles final will be played at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Main draw matches begin at 10 a.m. each day.
Hilton Waikoloa now has total control of the tournament. Total Eclipse Sports, which initially brought the event to Hawai'i, declared bankruptcy last month.
The new tournament director is Erik Vervloet, Hilton Waikoloa's Tennis Director. His complex was awarded the 2000 and 2002 USTA/Hawai'i Pacific Section Facility of the Year Awards and was also named a Top 50 Tennis Resort by Tennis Magazine last year.
The cost of admission has dropped this year, with tickets $5 through Thursday and $10 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They are on sale at the gate and all resorts along the Kohala Coast. Half the weekend admission will be donated to the community groups selling tickets to benefit their tennis programs.
The USTA's Hawai'i Pacific Section will sponsor free clinics for adult and junior spectators Saturday, along with an autograph session.
The USTA Professional Circuit is described as "the gateway" to tour-level competition for aspiring tennis professionals and has also become a starting point for players trying to climb back up in the rankings after injury or poor play. Alumni include Andre Agassi, Michael Chang, Patrick Rafter and Jan-Michael Gambill.
The singles champion at Waikoloa receives $5,400 and 55 ranking points.
Hilton Waikoloa is offering a special $174 kama'aina package for the tournament, which includes a room and two tickets. For more tournament information, call (808) 886-2222 on the Big Island.
