Tournament officials announced that defending singles champions Henry Choi and Mariko Fritz-Krockow (above) have been named top seeds for the United States Tennis Association National 40 Hard Court Championships scheduled for Monday, Nov. 27 through Sunday, Dec. 3 at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, 2000 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla.
Choi, the top men’s seed, is a 42-year-old resident of Vancouver, Canada. He is ranked No. 3 in the International Tennis Federation Singles 40-plus Rankings. Choi defeated Wojtek Bratek of Panama City Beach, Fla., 6-1, 7-6 (5) in last year’s men’s singles final to win the title.
The 40-year-old Fritz-Krockow of Orinda, the top women’s seed, is currently ranked a career-high No. 2 in the ITF Singles 40-plus Rankings. She won last year’s women’s singles title after defeating Dina McBride of Thousand Oaks, 6-0, 6-2 in the final. In the semifinals, Fritz-Krockow overcame five-time singles champion Hiromi Sasano of San Diego 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.
To view the complete list of seeded players for each tournament division, click aquí.
Choi received a first-round bye and will play his second-round match at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28 against the winner of a first-round match between David Schneider of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., and Henry Soong of Fremont.
Fritz-Krockow also received a first-round bye. She will meet unseeded Sheila Rao of San Diego in her opening match at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29.
To view all tournament draws, click aquí.
Starting times for each day of the tournament will be as follows: Monday, Nov. 27 — 10 a.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 28 through Thursday, Nov. 30 — 9 a.m.; Friday, Dec. 1 — 8 a.m.; Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3 — 9 a.m.
La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club da la bienvenida a los espectadores de tenis al torneo con entrada gratuita. El estacionamiento en el lugar está disponible por una tarifa nominal.
RadioTennis.com will air live audio coverage of the USTA National 40 Hard Court Championships during the final weekend of the tournament. Tennis broadcaster Ken Thomas will provide live commentary from Court 1 at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club on Saturday, Dec. 2, and Sunday, Dec. 3 starting at 10 a.m. each day.
Also on the agenda is the USTA National Father/Son and Grandfather/Grandson Hard Court Doubles Championships beginning Friday, Dec. 1, with matches concluding Sunday, Dec. 3. The Father/Son championship has been held continuously at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club since 1959, and attracts the top father and son tennis teams in the nation.
USTA Gold, Silver, and Bronze balls will be awarded to the first, second, and third-place finishers in all events.
The USTA National 40 Hard Court Championships are part of the International Tennis Federation World Tennis Masters Tour. Formerly known as the ITF Seniors Tour, the recently rebranded Masters Tour includes individual and team singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events across various grade levels for each five-year age increment from 30-plus to 90-plus. Approximately 27,500 players worldwide aged 30-plus to 90-plus compete in Masters Tour events each year.
Designated one of the Top 100 Tennis Resorts in the world by Tennis Resorts Online, the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club’s reputation as a top tennis destination started in 1942, when it attracted its first major tournament, the Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship.
