The eighth annual Kailua Racquet Club Women's Night Doubles opens Wednesday with Hawai'i tennis players from all over the world competing. In its first seven years, the tournament has donated more than $30,000 to women's services at Castle Medical Center for the fight against breast cancer.

The event's title sponsor is Island Design Center of Maui. Presenting sponsor is the Bruce Nagel Tennis Academy. Total purse for pros is $2,000. Matches will be at 6 and 7:15 each night, with the final scheduled for Nov. 15.

The University of Hawai'i and Hawai'i Pacific each have three teams in the eight-team field. About half the players are teenagers. Brigham Young-Hawai'i, whose teams have won five of the previous seven Women's Night Doubles titles, does not have a team entered.

Sophie Kobuch, the Rainbow Wahine's No. 1 player last year, is teamed with UH freshman Ellen Linsenbolz, from Germany. Kobuch has been ranked in the top 10 in France in every age group since she turned 8.

Teammates Anja-Vanessa Peter, another freshman from Germany, and Melinda Wong, a senior transfer from Washington, are playing together, along with Alyssa Nafarette and Natasha Zorec. Nafarette is a UH freshman from California, Zorec a sophomore from Slovenia.

The Sea Warriors are represented by the international teams of Aleksandra Stankovic (Sweden) and Zora Vlckova (Czech Republic), Ingrid Cseh (Romania) and Tinka Mihova (Bulgaria), and Anastasiya Ageychik (Belarus) and Sandra Wikstrom (Sweden).

Big Island pro Kady Pooler, a former Arizona State player with a big serve, is teamed with Chaminade's top player, Audra Takara. Kana Aikawa, who went from No. 1 on the UH tennis team to playing on the Rainbow Wahine golf team last year, is with Ihilani pro Rie Yukihiro.

There is no admission charge. Dinner will be available for purchase. Corporate and individual sponsorship packages are available, which include a catered dinner party, silent and live auctions Monday and a Pro/Am round-robin tournament Tuesday.

DIVISION II

BYUH, HPU WOMEN RANKED IN TOP 15

Brigham Young-Hawai'i is No. 2 and Hawai'i Pacific No. 12 in the first ITA Division II women's tennis national ranking. The Seasiders are also first in the West Region, with HPU second. University of Hawai'i-Hilo is 23rd, and fourth in the West.

BYUH's Elwen Li is the West's top-ranked singles player, and fourth in the country. Teammate Jenny Chin is 10th (No. 2 West). Hilo has two players in the top 50 — Eve Castaing at No. 24 (5 West) and Christie Pagatpatan at No. 44 (No. 8 West). HPU's Nina Mihova is 49th (No. 10 West).

Notes: International Tennis Hall of Famer Michael Chang married two-time NCAA champion Amber Liu two weeks ago. Liu's grandparents are from Nu'uanu.