Today, we announced that the “Prince Georges County International Junior Tennis Championships” scheduled to take place August 18 – 24, 2014 at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park will be re-named the “Wayne K. Curry Prince George’s County International Tennis Championships” in memory of former Prince George’s County Executive Wayne K. Curry (1994-2002). In 1999, during his term of office, County Executive Curry helped create the Junior Tennis Champions Center. The Center has since flourished into one of the world’s premier tennis training centers. From National Harbor to FedEx Field to the Junior Tennis Champions Center, Wayne Curry was always ahead of his time and envisioned the kind of facilities that would bring visitors and positive attention from around the world to Prince George’s County. Wayne was also a champion of youth activities and athletics as exemplified by the Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learning Center in Landover. It is a fitting tribute to name this premier tennis tournament for a champion of our community as we welcome the best junior tennis players and their parents to Prince George’s County. The “Wayne K. Curry Prince George’s County International Tennis Championships” competition is slated to begin with a local wild card qualifying tournament from Aug. 11-13, which will lead into the event Qualifying tournament Aug. 16-17. The main draw will kick off on Aug. 18 and conclude on Aug. 24. The tournament will take place two weeks prior to the junior US Open, and will attract the finest male and female junior players from around the world. Over the past two years, this tournament has drawn over 1,500 spectators. With national and international media attention on #1 seed, JTCC student athlete, and Prince George’s County resident, Francis Tiafoe, attendance at this year’s tournament should be the highest in the tournament’s history. Tiafoe, 16, from Riverdale Park, the top seed in the tournament and currently ranked #6 junior in the world, was recently featured in The Washington Post as “An improbable tennis prodigy” and on CBS This Morning as the “next great American champion.” 22 out of the top 100 world ranked male junior players are competing in the tournament. Other top juniors playing in the tournament include Naoki NakaGawa (JPN) - #9 in the world, Michael Mmoh (USA) - #11 in the world, Taylor Fritz (USA) - #18 in the world, and Seong Chan Hong (KOR) - #27 in the world. 40 players out of the 64 in the boy’s draw are international competitors. In the girls tournament, 24 of out the top 100 world ranked players are competing in the tournament including top seed, Catherine Bellis, (USA) who is the 2nd ranked junior in the world. Other top junior girls playing in the tournament include Tornado Black (USA) - #4 in the world, Anna Kalinskaya (RUS) - #20 in the world, Elena Ruse (ROU) - #24 in the world, and Marie Bouzkova (CZE) - #28 in the world. 32 out of the 64 in girl’s draw are international players. Additional sponsors of the “Wayne K. Curry Prince George’s County International Tennis Championships” include the United States Tennis Association (USTA), USTA Mid-Atlantic, International Tennis Federation (ITF), Laurel Springs School and Holiday Inn of College Park. For more information on the “Wayne K. Curry Prince George’s County International Tennis Championships,” please visit JTCC.org
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 21:49:21 +0000
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