A familiar face in Southern California tennis circles has been named the new tournament director of the USTA Girls’ 16s & 18s National Championships.
The USTA has named San Diego resident Lornie Kuhle as the new tournament director. Kuhle hopes to raise the profile of an already prestigious event, just like he has the annual Adidas Easter Bowl, which takes place in April at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif.
The Girls’ Nationals event, which features the top junior players in the country, will be played August 5-13, 2017 at the Barnes Tennis Center.
Over 400 girls aged 16 and 18 and under will compete for the title of National Champion, as well as a wild card entry into the Women’s Singles main draw of the US Open (for the 18s Champion) and a wild card into the US Open Junior Championships (for the 16s Champion). The 18s Doubles Champions will also receive a wild card into the US Open Women’s Doubles main draw.
“We are working on making significant upgrades and improvements to this year’s event at the Barnes Tennis Center that will not only enhance the tournament experience for players, but for spectators as well,” said Kuhle. “We really want to make these USTA National Championships a fan-friendly event that San Diegans can attend and enjoy a unique tournament atmosphere.”
The Girls’ 16s event will begin on Saturday, Aug. 5 and conclude with the singles and doubles finals on Saturday Aug. 12. The Girls’ 18s tournament will get underway on Sunday, Aug. 6 and conclude with the 18s singles championship on Sunday, Aug. 5. Both divisions will feature 256-player singles draws with the top 32 players receiving a first-round bye. There will also be 128-team doubles draws with the top 16 teams getting first-round byes.
The starting time for each day of the tournament will be announced in July. The Opening Ceremony for the USTA National Girls’ 16s & 18s National Championships is scheduled for 5 p.m. (PDT) on Saturday, Aug. 5 at the Barnes Tennis Center.
A player entry list will be available in mid-July. To view the official tournament website, please go to: http://www.ustagirlsnationals.com/.