logo_usta_shield_hdrHawaii’s premiere and only professional tennis event, the Royal Lahaina Challenger is a USTA Pro Circuit event and will be held Jan. 19-26 at the Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch, located at the Royal Lahaina Resort. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) Hawaii Pacific Section’s 2014 Royal Lahaina Challenger will feature some of the world’s top tennis professionals – and will offer up a $50,000 purse.

Whether you are a resident of Maui or enjoying your vacation, you can be part of the action at this prestigious event! The Royal Lahaina Challenger is seeking volunteers in the following areas:

Ball Runners           Court Monitors               Facility Crew

Shuttle Drivers      Ticket Sales                      Player Services

If you’d like to participate as a volunteer, please contact Madeleine Dreith at 808.277.4201.

The USTA Pro Circuit event will draw highly ranked male players from countries throughout the world including Russia, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Taiwan and the U.S.

Qualifying singles and doubles matches will be held January 19-20; spectators will be allowed free entry to the Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch on those days. Main draw daytime and evening tournament matches will be played Jan. 21-24; semi-final and finals matches will be held Jan. 25-26, each with a daily, spectator entry fee of $5 per person for each of the sessions.

Throughout the qualifying and tournament play, the Royal Lahaina Challenger will host a number of community events, including an invitational Pro-Am, adult and teen tennis clinics, Boys & Girls Club visit, Big Brothers/Big Sisters visit, youth tennis fest, ice cream and flag nights, and special appreciation nights for families and USTA Adult League and members.

The Boys & Girls Club members will visit the tournament site Jan. 22 and Big Brothers/Big Sisters will have an on-court tennis clinic Jan. 25. There also will be a USTA Member Appreciation booth and a national anthem singing competition, which will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the finals weekend.

The USTA Pro Circuit was launched in 1980 to give players an opportunity to gain professional ranking points needed to compete on the major pro tennis tours. The Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch – with a 3,500-seat stadium and 10 surrounding courts (six lighted for night play) — is considered one of Hawaii’s premiere tennis complexes and host locations. It is credited with promoting tennis in Hawaii and providing tennis-related activities benefiting the local Maui community.

The USTA Hawaii Pacific Section is one of 17 geographic Sections within the USTA organization. Incorporated in 1973, the Hawaii Pacific Section includes more than 7,500 individual members and 109 organizational members in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam and Northern Marianas.

The Hawaii Pacific Section is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to carrying out the goals of the national association within its region, particularly with respect to promoting tennis opportunities for juniors and adults of all abilities and all cultural backgrounds. For more information on the USTA Hawaii Pacific Section, visit hawaii.usta.com.

For the complete schedule and community events associated with the 2014 Royal Lahaina Challenger, visit www.royallahainachallenger.com.

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