Ojai Valley tennis tournament

WHO: Top amateur tennis players.

WHAT: The Ojai Valley tennis tournament, featuring competition in high school, junior college, college, juniors and open divisions.

WHEN: Today through Sunday, starting at 8 a.m.

WHERE: Junior and high school competition will be at Thacher School (5025 Thacher Rd.) and other sites around Ojai; junior college men play at Ventura College (4667 Telegraph Rd.), Buena High School (5670 Telegraph Rd. in Ventura) and Camino Real Park (corner of Dean Dr. and Varsity St. in Ventura); junior college women play at Pierpont Racquet Club (500 San-Jon Rd. in Ventura), Marriott Residence Inn (2101 West Vineyard Ave. in Oxnard), Ventura High School (2155 E. Main St.) and Anacapa Middle School (100 Moills Rd. in Ventura); independent college men and women play at Cabrillo Racquet Club (3945 Clubhouse Dr. in Somis) and the Oxnard Tennis Center (801 Hobson Way); Big West Conference women play at Ojai Valley Racquet Club (409 So. Fox St.); Pacific 10 Conference men play at Libbey Park (Hwy. 150 at Signal St. in Ojai); Pac 10 women play at Ojai Valley Inn (Country Club Rd. off Hwy. 150); Open men play at Spanish Hills Country Club (999 Crestview Ave. in Camarillo); Open women play at Las Posas Country Club (955 Fairway Dr. in Camarillo). All finals will be played at Libbey Park.

DIRECTIONS: Libbey Park is in downtown Ojai. (Take Hwy. 101 to Hwy. 33 to Ojai. Then take Hwy. 150 east into downtown. Or take Hwy. 5 to Hwy. 126 West (just past Magic Mountain in Santa Clarita) to Santa Paula and take Hwy. 150 North to Ojai.

TICKET INFORMATION: At Libbey Park, adults $5 during the week and $8 on Saturday and Sunday. Discounts for seniors and students. Children under are $1. All other sites are free.

PARKING: Free at all sites. Lots at the south end of Libbey Park.

HISTORY: The oldest amateur tournament in the United States and one of the largest. It was founded in 1895 by William Thacher, a teacher at The Thacher School. Past participants include Bill Tilden, Jack Kramer, Pancho Gonzalez, Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors and Billy Jean King.

TRADITION: A favorite for players and spectators, Ojai has the flavor of Wimbledon. Fresh orange juice is served each morning and tea and cookies are offered each afternoon in a large tent with flowers, linen and fine china. This is a community wide event with more than 600 volunteers. Several residents donate private courts during the first two days of tournament play.

ON THE INTERNET: New this year, players and fans can go online to access scores, sites and pairings. Address: www.ojaitourney.org.