Beach Tennis USA®, the organization responsible for launching the sport of beach tennis in North America, in partnership with Vision Italia, the leading European beach tennis paddle supplier, will host a two-day international open beach tennis tournament, March 27-28, at the site of the Sony Ericsson Open, in Key Biscayne, FL. The tournament, which features a total prize purse of $3,000, marks the fifth straight year BTUSA has held an event at the Sony Ericsson Open, and their first joint venture with Vision Italia. Competitors in all divisions can register to play at www.BeachTennisUSA.net. Early registration is encouraged, as player space is limited and available on a first come first serve basis.
Pro Doubles division pool play will take place on Saturday, March 27, 9:00 a.m., at Crandon Park South Beach, directly in front of the cabanas. Registration fees are $65 per person. BTUSA members can register at the reduced fee of $50 per person. Mixed Pro Doubles division players can check in at 3:00 p.m. Registration fees for Mixed Pro Doubles division are $40 per team (BTUSA members pay $30 per team).
On Sunday, March 28, players advancing to the quarterfinals of the Pro Doubles divisions will begin match play at 9:00 a.m., on the site of the Sony Ericsson Open. The Women’s Pro Doubles final will take place at 2:00 p.m. and the Men’s final at 5:00 p.m.
“We’re very excited to bring an all-paddle beach tennis event to the Sony Ericsson Open this year,” said Marc Altheim, Founder and Commissioner at Beach Tennis USA, referring to the organization’s decision to convert from standard tennis racquets to beach tennis paddles as the official tournament equipment for the 2010 season. “We’re hopeful this tournament with Vision Italia will be the first of many joint ventures that will help spread the word about competitive and recreational beach tennis throughout the U.S.,” added Altheim.
Additionally, first-time players can register online to compete in the Amateur Doubles division, which will be played on Sunday, March 28, at 9:00 a.m., at Crandon Park South Beach. Registration fees for the Amateur division are $40 per team ($30 per team for BTUSA members).
On Monday, March 29, BTUSA will hold a paddle instructor certification class, hosted by two-time BTUSA National Champions, and reigning European Champions, Matteo Marighella and Alex Mingozzi. Upon completion of the full-day course, graduates will earn a BTUSA teaching certificate, and be eligible to work as an instructor at any of BTUSA’s “Places 2 Play”. The cost of the certification course is $150 per person. Participants in the course will also receive USPTR beach tennis instructor certification. For more information, contact Jim Lorenzo at jlorenzo@beachtennisusa.net.
About Beach Tennis USA
Beach tennis, which was launched in the U.S. as a pro and recreational sport in 2005 by real estate developer Marc Altheim, combines tennis and beach volleyball into one exciting and fast-paced game. Now in its sixth season, Beach Tennis USA has established itself as the leading pioneer of American beach tennis. The company continues to grow by adding new certified “Places 2 Play” in various U.S. cities and is the one of the leading suppliers of beach tennis paddles, nets and apparel. To learn more about this fast-growing sport, or to join the movement, visit www.beachtennisusa.net.
About The Sony Ericsson Open
The 2010 Sony Ericsson Open will be played March 22-April 4 at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Miami. The combined event, founded by Butch Buchholz in 1985, is owned and operated by IMG. The Sony Ericsson Open is one of nine ATP Masters Series events on the ATP calendar, a Premier Mandatory event on the Sony Ericsson WTA TOUR calendar, and features the top men's and women's tennis players in the world. In 2009 British standout Andy Murray defeated Novak Djokovic for his first Sony Ericsson Open title, while rising Belarusian star Victoria Azarenka knocked off Serena Williams to capture her first title in Miami. For ticket information, call (305) 442-3367 or visit the website at www.sonyericssonopen.com.
