In the midst of 16 of the finest women's tennis players in the state, representing 10 nations, one name stands out in the Lanikai Bath and Body Women's Night Doubles, which opens tomorrow at Kailua Racquet Club.

Betsy Purpura is seeded second with partner Laura Glitz. Purpura is playing her first "serious" tennis since moving home from the East Coast. As Betsy Somerville, she won Hawai'i state high school championships in 1983 and '84 for Punahou. After sitting out a year because of transfer rules, she captured a third title as a senior at La Pietra.

Purpura would go on to earn the NCAA's No. 1 doubles ranking while playing at the University of Arizona. She turned pro after college, played in three of the four Grand Slam events and was head coach at Seton Hall before moving back here with her husband, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Purpura.

Glitz is the new coach at Cornell University, and a former All-American at Arizona State. She played on the WTA tour in the early '90s and was ranked in the top 100 in doubles.

She and Purpura won the U.S. National Grass Court 35's championship two years ago, beating 1998 Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna in the final.

Their mission this week is to find a way to beat a team from Brigham Young-Hawai'i. Seasider teams have won all but the second Women's Night Doubles. In 2001, Rosie (Vera Cruz) Bareis came home to capture the championship.

BYUH sophomore Tetyana Bula and teammate Julia Ustyuzhanina are seeded first this year. Both are from the Ukraine.

Kamehameha's Brooke Doane, who won the last state high school doubles championship with Lauren Shin, is seeded third with former Rainbow Wahine Kimberly Curtis. The fourth-seeded team is Ihilani tennis pro Rie Yukihiro and two-time state high school singles champion Kalei Gora.

There will be two matches each night, starting at 6 p.m. The final is Saturday.