SCTA Rallying the Average Tennis Player in the Park

With the Southern California Tennis Assn. in the midst of its centennial year, a lot of emphasis is expected this summer on the SCTA Grand Prix tennis program, a series of sanctioned matches scheduled throughout the Southland. Designed for amateurs, the program allows players to compete with other players on their own level and vie for the Master’s playoff, which is planned early in 1988.

“The 2-year-old Adult Class Grand Prix is still in its infancy, but it’s growing fast,” said Robert Kramer, executive director of the SCTA. “We feel it has a real potential for reaching out to the masses of average American public-park-type players.

“We’ve always run our events at the championship level, presenting the top players to promote the sport, because they’re so exciting to watch,” Kramer says. “But with the Grand Prix, we’re offering an event that gives players the experience of participating in a tennis circuit without having to compete with--and instantly get eliminated by--the top echelons in the game.”

Upon entering the program, players have an opportunity to accumulate points in both singles and doubles matches. The top eight winners in singles and the top four doubles teams will be invited to participate in the Master’s Grand Prix. Class divisions are designated as C (3.5), B (4.0), B+ (4.5) and A (5.0), based on the National Tennis Rating Program system. That rating method is not mandatory, however, and players who prefer a self-rating system are also eligible to enter.

If tennis is your game, what better time to choose a tournament that’s right for you than during National Tennis Week, which has been designated Saturday through June 28.

Here are tournaments at just 10 Southern California locations that players may enter:

58th Annual Balboa Tennis Club Championships, Morley Field Tennis Complex, 2221 Morley Field Drive, San Diego, Calif. 92104. Entries close July 10. Tournament dates are July 17-19 and July 24-26. Events include both men’s and women’s singles and doubles B+, B and C. Entry fee is $16 for singles, $18 for doubles; make checks payable to Balboa Tennis Club and mail to above address. No refunds after the draw is made; players are limited to two events. Jim Ferrari is chairman, (619) 295-9278.

26th Annual Glendora Tennis Championships, Glendora High School, 1600 E. Foothill Blvd., Glendora. Entries close July 17. Tournament dates are Aug. 1 and 2 and Aug. 8 and 9. Events include men’s and women’s singles and doubles B and C, mixed doubles B and C, open B and C divisions, junior vets (35 and older) and 30s (30 and older.) Entry fee is $15 for singles, $20 for doubles; make checks payable to Glendora Tennis Championships and mail to Glendora Tennis Championships, 235 La Quinta Drive, Glendora, Calif. 91740. Entrants must be available to play as scheduled; no refunds after July 17. To assist the committee in seeding, entrants are asked to enclose a list of their important wins and losses. The chairman is Paul Baiotto, (818) 335-8640.

59th Annual Santa Monica Tennis Tournament, Lincoln Park, 7th Street and Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica. Entries open July 1 and close Aug. 15. Tournament dates are Aug. 29-Sept. 7, and the events include men’s and women’s singles and doubles A, B+, B and C. Entry fees for the class divisions are $20 for singles, $24 for doubles; open fees are $25 singles, $30 doubles. Make checks payable and mail to Santa Monica Tennis Club, P.O. Box 2012, Santa Monica, Calif. 90406. Bill Nissley, (213) 453-3009, is chairman.

101st Annual Southern California Sectional Championships, the Racquet Centre of Universal City, 10933 Ventura Blvd., North Hollywood. Entries accepted Aug. 1-27; tournament dates are Sept. 12-20, and the events are men’s open singles and doubles, women’s open singles and doubles and open mixed doubles. Executive director Robert Kramer, son of tennis great Jack Kramer, is chairman. Fees are $20 singles or doubles. Make checks payable and mail to SCTA, P.O. Box 240015, Los Angeles 90024-9115; no refunds after the draw is made.

Anaheim Tennis Center Classic, Anaheim Tennis Center, 975 S. State College Blvd., Anaheim, Calif. 92806. Entries open Aug. 19-Sept. 18, and tournaments are scheduled Sept. 26 and 27 and Oct. 3 and 4. Events include men’s and women’s singles and doubles open to A, B and C players. Entry fees are $25 singles, $30 doubles; no refunds after the draw is made. Mail checks made payable to the Anaheim Tennis Center. The chairman is Laurie Boesel, (714) 991-9090.

Los Caballeros Adult Class Tennis Tournament, Los Caballeros Sports Village, 17272 Newhope St., Fountain Valley, Calif. 92708. Entries accepted Sept. 1-25, and events include men’s and women’s singles and doubles and mixed doubles A, B+, B and C. Tournaments are scheduled Oct. 10-18. Sally Clinard, (714) 546-2900, is chairman. Make checks payable and mail to Los Caballeros Sports Village at address above.

California Tennis Programs Annual Tennis Tournament, Marina High School, Edinger Avenue and Springdale Street, Huntington Beach. Entries open Sept. 20 and close Oct. 15, with tournaments scheduled Oct. 24 and 25 and Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Events include men’s and women’s and mixed doubles A, B and C. David Magnuson, (714) 895-2450, is chairman. Fees are $20 singles and $30 doubles. Make checks payable and mail to California Tennis Programs Inc., 5285 Industrial Drive, Huntington Beach, Calif. 92649. T-shirts are available for $5; state size when ordering. Trophies will be awarded to all finalists.

8th Annual Cal Poly Pomona Tennis Tournament, Cal Poly Pomona, 3801 W. Temple Avenue, Pomona. Entries open Sept. 15, close on Oct. 24; tournaments are Oct. 31, Nov. 1 and Nov. 7 and 8. Bob Gelfand, (714) 869-2822, is chairman. Fees are $15 singles and $20 doubles. Events include men’s, women’s and mixed doubles, all C. Make checks payable to Cal Poly Associates and mail to Cal Poly Pomona Athletics, 3801 W. Temple Ave., Pomona, Calif. 91768.

10th Annual Chase Manhattan Community Tennis Tournament, Jewish Community Center, Eastgate Mall, La Jolla. Entries open Oct. 10, close Nov. 13; tournaments are Nov. 21 and 22, Nov. 27 and 29. Call Virginia Glass, (619) 224-5746. Fees are $20 singles and $22 doubles. Events include men’s singles and doubles A, B, C; women’s singles and doubles B, C; mixed doubles B, and seniors (30 and older). Make checks payable and mail to Community Tennis Services, P.O. Box 83105, San Diego, Calif. 92138-3105.

11th Annual Winter Holiday Tennis Tournament, Cal State University Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, Calif. 90840. Entries close Nov. 20, and tournaments are scheduled Nov. 28-29 and Dec. 5-6. Chairmen are Gene Yamate and Larry Easley (213) 498-5374. Fees are $16 singles, $20 doubles. Events include men’s and women’s singles and doubles A, B and C. Make checks payable to CSULB and mail to Larry Easley, Athletic Department, CSULB, at the address above.