Third Annual Club Doubles Championship Presented By Dunlop Sports Returns to Family Circle Cup
February 27, 2011
Tournament Expands to Include Eight Cities From the Southeast
CHARELSTON, SC – February 25, 2011 – The Family Circle Tennis Center announces the return of the Club Doubles Championship presented by Dunlop Sports, which will once again be played on-site during this year’s Family Circle Cup, Thursday, April 7 and Friday, April 8. New to this year’s Club Doubles Championship will be preliminary tournaments in eight different cities throughout the southeast leading up to the Cup. Marking the tournament’s 39th consecutive year, the Family Circle Cup is scheduled April 2-10, 2011 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in the Best Tennis Town in America, Charleston, SC.
The Family Circle Tennis Center is dedicated to promoting the game of tennis on a local and regional level, which was the intent in both creating and expanding this special tournament.
“We are excited to expand Club Doubles Championship to include mixed doubles teams from the entire southeast region,” said Rob Eppelsheimer, Family Circle Tennis Center Director of Facilities and Tennis Development. “This event is designed to give players from four states the opportunity to be a part of the Family Circle Cup in a unique way.”
The eight participating cities from the southeast include Charlotte, NC (Old Providence Racquet Club), Myrtle Beach, SC (Dunes Club), Greenville, SC (Thornblade), Columbia, SC (Lexington County Tennis Complex), Savannah, GA (Palmetto Bluff Tennis Center), Sumter, SC (Sumter Tennis Center), Jacksonville, FL (ATP World Tour) and Charleston, SC (Family Circle Tennis Center). Each city’s facility will run a tournament featuring four divisions of USTA-rated mixed doubles: 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0. Each division will produce a winning mixed doubles team, sending eight players from each city to represent their city in the 2011 Family Circle Cup Club Doubles Championship presented by Dunlop Sports.
The Charleston qualifying event will be held this weekend on Saturday, February 26 and Sunday, February 27 at the Family Circle Tennis Center. The 8.0 and 9.0 divisions will be held on Saturday beginning at noon, while the 6.0 and 7.0 divisions will play on Sunday at noon. To sign up for this weekend’s Charleston event, e-mail Meg Farrelly at [email protected].
Each member of winning teams from each city will receive a Grounds Credential for April 2 through April 7 of the Family Circle Cup, two tickets for Friday, April 8 day and night sessions, official tournament t-shirt, and access to the Club Doubles Party on Friday night on the Althea Gibson Club Court patio. The overall winning team during final round play will receive a Dunlop Sports racquet and bag for each player, one team trophy, recognition on Stadium Court and bragging rights for one year.
Family Circle Cup tickets are required for Club Doubles Championship spectators to enter the facility.
Ticket packages, travel packages, individual session tickets, and Game, Set, Rock! Tennis. Amplified. presented by Dove tickets are on-sale now at familycirclecup.com, where fans can also visit for continuous updates on player commitments as the event approaches.
The Family Circle Tennis Center, home of the Family Circle Cup, is a public facility owned by the City of Charleston and operated by Meredith Corporation that also hosts a variety of additional events including concerts, festivals, tennis tournaments and other activities throughout the year. Charleston, South Carolina bested 81 U.S. cities in being voted the Best Tennis Town in America in the United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) 2010 contest. The Family Circle Cup receives four days of live broadcast domestically on ESPN2, and is viewed internationally by over 25 countries, featuring over 140 hours of live and delayed global broadcast time, reaching 4.33 million viewers worldwide. With over 21 million readers, Family Circle is one of the most widely read monthly magazines in America and is one of 14 leading subscription magazines owned by Meredith Corporation. The Tennis Center features a 10,200 seat stadium, Grand Lawn, 17 tennis courts lighted for night play, Pro Shop, and a full service event management staff capable of handling all aspects of an event including ticketing, operations, sales, marketing, public relations, and food & beverage. For tickets or more info, call (843) 856-7900 or visit familycirclecup.com.
