Tennis organizations on national and local levels campaign hard to increase participation. One of those efforts takes place in the Triangle starts this weekend.
Triangle "Tennis Night in America" programs will be held Friday, Saturday and Monday. (A list is below.) Area clubs and organizations, assisted by the U.S. Tennis Association, will conduct events to get youths involved in leagues and team tennis, including USTA Junior Team Tennis.
The events are held in conjunction with Monday's BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup at New York's Madison Square Garden for the second straight year. Former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic will face Kim Clijsters, and Venus Williams will play Svetlana Kuznetsova in the semifinals of the one-night exhibition.
Registration events for youth leagues and team tennis will take place at these Triangle facilities, according to an event news release:
Friday, Feb. 26
Millbrook Exchange Park, Raleigh, 4:30 p.m. (David Baird 919-878-5423)
Millbrook Exchange Tennis Center, Raleigh, 4:30 (David Baird 919-878-5423)
Biltmore Hills Community Center, Raleigh, 4:30 p.m. (David Bell 919-872-4128)
Saturday, Feb. 27
Quail Hollow Swim and Tennis Club, Raleigh, 9:30 a.m. (Jim Rufiange 919-818-9961)
Chapel Hill Tennis Club, Carrboro, noon (Alan Rader 919-929-5248)
Raleigh Racquet Club, noon (Tim Whitehead 919-876-0565)
Raleigh Racquet Club, 5 p.m. (Marc Blouin 919-876-0565)
Monday, March 1
Prestonwood Country Club, Cary, 5:30 p.m. (Daniel Weant 919-469-1559)
If your event is not listed, email play@newsobserver.com.
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You'll also find an extensive Play! calendar of tryouts, tournaments, camps, clinics and events, including the Triangle's many running events.
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- Teri Boggess
play@newsobserver.com
