You’re invited to compete in the 2017 Mercedes-Benz Greater Richmond Mixed Championship held by the Richmond Tennis Association at acac.
The 2017 Mercedes-Benz Greater Richmond Mixed Championship will be held on Thursday and Friday, April 20 and 21, on the outdoor courts at acac Fitness & Wellness Center Midlothian. This is the mixed doubles tournament of the long-running multi-event “City Open” run by the Richmond Tennis Association (RTA), and Mercedes-Benz is the title sponsor for the second consecutive year.
“Richmond has a vibrant tennis community and Mercedes-Benz is proud to again partner this year with the RTA on the series of City Open tournaments,” said Thomas Mills, Marketing Coordinator for Mercedes-Benz of Richmond and Mercedes-Benz of Midlothian. “We’re excited to kick things off this year at acac with the mixed doubles tournament benefitting JDRF. We’ve added prize money for three divisions and one lucky tournament participant will win a trip for two to this year’s US Open in New York.”
The winner of the US Open trip will be chosen at random from all tournament entrants. Prize money will be awarded to winners of the three divisions: Open, 9.0 and below, and 7.0 and below. The Open division winning team earns $500 and the Open division finalist team earns $250. The 9.0 and below division winning team and 7.0 and below winning team each will be awarded $250.
Jason K. Kinder, Director of Tennis for acac Richmond added, “Players from all around RVA are encouraged to come out and compete for a great cause. We’ll be outdoors on the clay and hardcourts, kicking off the outdoor season with a fun, social atmosphere.”
Each team is guaranteed two matches, a participation gift from Mercedes-Benz, t-shirt from the RTA and food and beverages on both days of the tournament. Spectators and guests are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Players can register for the tournament by going to www.richmondtennis.org and through the USTA’s TennisLink. The entry fee is $40 per person, with all player entry fees donated to the Central Virginia Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) that is working to create a world without Type One diabetes.
The City Open has run since 1923 and has historically attracted the region’s top talent. “Richmond is a great tennis town with a rich history of professional and recreational events,” Richmond Tennis Association President Bill Carli noted, “and this event will add to that legacy of growing and developing both adult and junior tennis in RVA.”
Since the 1950s, the RTA has organized and promoted a variety of junior and adult tennis programs, including the Anthem Club Challenge held in the Fall and a program for top competitive juniors in the area. Over 200 area juniors have gone from RTA junior programs to play for collegiate tennis, and several have achieved success on the men’s and women’s professional tours.
Other upcoming 2017 Mercedes-Benz Greater Richmond Championship tournaments:
May 13: Family Doubles at Byrd Park
May 26-29: Boys & Girls Juniors at Byrd Park
July 27-31: Open Singles & Doubles at Raintree Swim & Racquet Club