BNP Paribas Open Challenge Tournament
The BNP Paribas Open will hold its fourth annual Challenge tournament, a two-stage event that begins with the 64-player women’s and men’s draw Challenge Round, February 12-15, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
The Challenge Round matches will be the best of three sets with a 10-point Match Tie-break to be played for the third set. The finalistsfrom the Challenge Round will advance to the Pre-Qualifier scheduled for March 6-7.
The Pre-Qualifier will feature a women’s draw consisting of two Sony Ericsson WTA Tour players and the two women’s Challenge Round finalists and a men’s draw consisting of two ATP World Tour players and the two men’s Challenge Round finalists. The women’s and men’s champions of the Pre-Qualifier will receive wildcards into the BNP Paribas Open Qualifying draws. To enter, visit bnpparibasopen.org or call (760) 200-8200.
Indian Wells Fey Given 2 Awards
Indian Wells Tennis Garden Director of Tennis Tom Fey recently was given two prestigious awards, the USTA Recreational Coaches Workshop Trainer of the Year Award and the USTA/USPTA) Community Service Award.
The USTA Recreational Coaches Workshop Trainer of the Year Award recognizes a trainer that goes above and beyond to train coaches who are beginners and promote the sport of tennis through RCWs. Fey is a USPTA certified teaching pro who has performed more than 25 RCWs in the five years he has been with the program. “Tom is one of our Master Trainers and is very deserving of this award,” said Kirk Anderson, Director, Recreational Coaches and Programs, USTA.
Fey received the Community Service Award for his unwavering commitment to grow tennis in the Coachella Valley. Fey recently completed his eighth summer tennis camp for the Hispanic youth of the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition, conducted clinics on four different Native American reservations for Standing Tall Tennis, worked with Special
Olympic athletes, ran more than 40 workshops as a USTA QuickStart Tennis Specialist and Welcome Back to Tennis clinician, chaired the SCTA’s Community Tennis Committee, and is on the executive board of the NJTL of the Coachella Valley. He also acts as the tournament director for the USTA National Men’s 55 Hard Court Championships, the NCAA Big West Conference Championships and numerous other tournaments. For more info about the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, visitiwtg.net. Fey wasn’t the only Indian Wells staffer to recieve and award as Peggy Michael was recently inducted into the USTA’s Middle States Hall of Fame.
Mission Hills Offers Abundance of Activities
Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, which was recently named a winner of the USTA’s 28th annual Facility Awards Program, features 20 hard courts, four clay courts, and five world-class grass courts. It offers a variety of programs under the eyes of Director of Tennis Stephen Welt. Mission Hills offers a variety of adult and junior clinics, private lessons, match arranging, league play, a ball machine court, a hitting wall, and video analysis. A Tennis Boot Camp will be held in November. Call (760) 328-5800.
