Deadline Approaching for U.S. Open National Playoff Entries

May 4, 2012 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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The USTA has announced that registration will close next week for the first U.S. Open National Playoffs Sectional Qualifying Tournament of 2012, held in the USTA Southwest Section. The registration deadline for the USTA Southwest tournament, held in Scottsdale, Ariz., May 19-21, is Wednesday, May 9. Players age 14 and older can register for singles competition and/or mixed doubles. Registration deadlines for the sectional qualifying events vary by tournament. Registration for each of the 13 sectional qualifying tournaments is available at www.USOpen.org/NationalPlayoffs.The U.S. Open National Playoffs presented by playtennis.com returns for a third year as a series of 13 sectional qualifying tournaments. The men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed doubles champions from each sectional qualifying tournament will advance to the U.S. Open National Playoffs Championship, which will be held in conjunction with the New Haven Open at Yale presented by First Niagara, an Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series event. The U.S. Open National Playoffs – Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles Championship will be held Aug. 17-20. The U.S. Open National Playoffs – Mixed-Doubles Championship will be held Aug. 22-25.

The U.S. Open National Playoffs men’s and women’s singles champions earn a wild card into the U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament, held the week prior to the U.S. Open. The U.S. Open National Playoffs mixed-doubles champions receive a main draw wild card into the 2012 U.S. Open.

This year’s playing fields range from experienced professionals to recreational players of all talents and walks of life. Those players expected to compete include former University of Illinois standout Ryler DeHeart, who peaked at No. 174 in the world and faced Rafael Nadal in the 2008 US Open. DeHeart has since retired and leads a youth tennis program in Florida, which highlights 10 and Under Tennis. Other players include Syracuse University freshman Amanda Rodgers, who reached the U.S. Open National Playoffs–Mixed Doubles Championship last year with two-time Grand Slam doubles champion Ellis Ferreira; 2009 Orange Bowl quarterfinalist Junior Ore, who now plays at Texas A&M; and Danny Riggs, the teenage grandson of Bobby Riggs, who faced Billie Jean King in the famous Battle of the Sexes match in 1973. Danny plays college tennis at Cornell.

Recreational players include New York City TV reporter Francesca Maxime, Rabbi Gregg Ackerman, and David Spellman, who plays tennis to benefit Crohn’s disease. Both Ackerman and Spellman have competed in the previous two USTA Eastern Sectional Qualifying Tournaments. Other recreational players include a software engineer from San Francisco, a pastor at a drug/alcohol reformation program in Arizona, and a 75-year-old art historian who is an avid USTA League senior player. Husband-and-wife and brother-and-sister doubles teams also highlight the mixed doubles draws.

“The U.S. Open season kicks off with the U.S. Open National Playoffs presented by playtennis.com, which gives players the chance to have their own special connection to the U.S. Open,” said Jeff Ryan, U.S. Open National Playoffs Tournament Director. “We again expect all players of all ages and playing levels to hit the courts this summer to fulfill their tennis dreams and get excited about earning the opportunity to play on tennis’ biggest stage—the U.S. Open.”


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Pointset
Century

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