Calling all tennis players who want to have fun while competing and contributing to the growth of the tennis community: do not miss the 40th Annual Princeton Tennis Classic on Sept. 17-18.
A pre-tournament dinner and pro exhibition will be held at the Eve Kraft Community Tennis Center in West Windsor Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. A seven-flight tournament takes place Sept. 18 at Mercer County Park. Play moves indoors to the Eve Kraft Center if it rains.
“This provides an opportunity for some good tennis for a great cause,” PTP tennis director John-Michael Zafirelis said.
Now in its 70th year as a non-profit organization, The Princeton Tennis Program is committed to making tennis affordable and accessible to everyone.
The Princeton Tennis Classic is PTP’s sole fundraiser and proceeds go to funding the organization’s programs such as Tennis for Children and Young Adults with Autism, Financial Aid, Scholarships and Discounted Senior Programs, to name a few.
Also offered are community tennis programs and lessons year-round at Eve Kraft, Princeton’s Community Park and Hamilton’s Veterans Park. Some of the area’s top high school players have been produced by PTP.
“The Classic has been a great way to create awareness for grassroots tennis in New Jersey,” said Zafirelis, who proudly noted that PTP has a long history of partnering with such organizations as Special Olympics and local schools to provide tennis for those who would otherwise not have access to the sport.
The Pre-Tournament Dinner begins Tuesday at 6 p.m. and offers the opportunity to watch PTP’s pro division with other tennis enthusiasts while enjoying dinner and a ceremony.
On Wednesday, tournament competition runs from 9 to 11:30 a.m. for Men’s A & B Divisions, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for Women’s A & B Divisions and 1:45 to 4:15 p.m. for Mixed A & B and Senior Divisions. All players receive a commemorative T-shirt with a special PTP 70th Anniversary logo.
The cost is $110 per person for both the dinner and tournament, $85 for the tournament only, and $45 for the dinner only. Participants may play in a second division for an extra $30.
Registration deadline is Friday, September 13.
“This is just a great way for people who enjoy tennis to socialize and have fun while supporting local recreation tennis,” Zafirelis said. “People have enjoyed this so much, they have forged friendships after playing in the tournament or attending the dinner. This has assisted PTP in continuing its proud tradition of promoting health, wellness and good citizenship for all through the sport of tennis.”
Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For further information or to register for the event, go to ptp.org and click on the “events” link at the top of the page. For questions email classic@ptp.org.
