Junior Tennis Champions Center to Host International Tennis Federation Junior Tournament in August

COLLEGE PARK, Md., June 14, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Junior Tennis Champions Center of College Park will host the second-annual International Tennis Federation Grade 1 Junior International Hard Court Championship Aug. 19-24. The Grade 1 tournament will feature 64 boys and 64 girls in the expanded draw tournament. The tournament also features girl's and boy's doubles.

The tournament kicks off in College Park on Aug. 9-11 with the USTA Hard Court Championship Wildcard Tournament which is open to all USTA players ages 18 and under. In addition, the Junior Tennis Champions Center will also host the USTA Hard Court Championship Qualifying Tournament Aug. 17-18 before the USTA Hard Court Championship on Aug. 19-24. This is the first time the Junior Tennis Champions Center will host a USTA Grade 1 tournament.

"It is an honor to host the International Tennis Federation and the USTA Hard Court Championship," said Ray Benton, chief executive officer of the Junior Tennis Champions Center at College Park. "In just its second year, the tournament is already a must-play for junior tennis players. With its designation as a Grade 1 tournament, this year's championship will attract top junior talent. We are thrilled to be chosen by the ITF and USTA to host this event."

"The USTA is pleased that the USTA  Hard Court Championship is returning to the Junior Tennis Champions Center - this year as an International Tennis Federation Grade 1 tournament. The field was strong in 2012 and will likely be stronger this year," said Lew Brewer the director of junior competition for the USTA. "The facility is outstanding and the staff at the JTCC do a great job making the players feel special. We think the tournament has found a great home at the JTCC in College Park and we hope to keep the tournament here for many years to come."

The upgrade to a Grade 1 event makes the JTCC one of only three ITF Grade 1 tournaments within the United States, the other two being the Easter Bowl in Palm Springs, Calif. and the Orange Bowl in Bradenton, Fla. The Junior Tennis Champions Center hosted the inaugural International Hard Court Championship (Grade 2) last year when Jamie Loeb won the girl's singles and Wayne Montgomery won the boy's singles.

About Junior Tennis Champions Center
The Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) a 501(c)(3) organization, is a world-class training facility located at The Tennis Center at College Park. Its goal is to provide the athletic and academic instruction needed for talented and highly committed young people to excel both on the tennis court and in the classroom. Since its inception in 1999, JTCC has placed all 95 of its graduates at top universities, with graduates earning more than $1.6 million in athletic scholarships.

About United States Tennis Association
The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level, from local communities to the highest level of the professional game.  A not-for-profit organization with more than 770,000 members, it invests 100 percent of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Emirates Airline US Open Series, linking nine summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA's national charitable foundation, USTA Serves, provides grants and scholarships and helps underserved youth and people with disabilities. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com, "like" the official Facebook page, facebook.com/usta, or follow @usta on Twitter.

SOURCE Junior Tennis Champions Center