The inaugural event of the Oracle Challenger Series, to be held January 20-28, 2018, at the Newport Beach Tennis Club, has released its entry lists, which are highlighted by the entry of 22 American players (11 men and 11 women).

Nineteen-year-old Frances Tiafoe of Orlando, Fla., and Taylor Fritz of Palos Verdes, Calif., will headline the men’s field along with Japan’s Kei Nishikori, who has accepted a wild card to play in the $150,000 ATP Challenger. Tiafoe is currently ranked No. 79 in the world, while the 20-year-old Fritz is ranked at No. 104.

Mackenzie McDonald of Los Angeles, a former NCAA singles and doubles champion at UCLA, and Ernesto Escobedo of West Covina, Calif., who has been ranked as high as No. 67 in the world, are also entered in the men’s field.

Other players on the men’s entry list include Victor Estrella Burgos of Dominican Republic, Cameron Norrie of Great Britain, Canadian Peter Polansky and Darian King of Barbados.

Americans Varvara Lepchenko, Christina McHale, Jennifer Brady, Alison Riske, Madison Brengle and Taylor Townsend, who are all ranked in the Top 100, are entered in the WTA 125K Series event, which offers $150,000 in prize money as well.

The women’s field also includes former two-time NCAA singles champion Nicole Gibbs of Los Angeles and former USTA Girls’ 18s singles champions Sachia Vickery and Sofia Kenin. Former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy and Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium, a former US Open semifinalist, are also on the women’s entry list.

The remaining spots in the draws will be filled by winners of the Qualifying tournament (January 20-21) and Wildcards, which will be announced in the coming weeks. To view the complete men’s and women’s entry lists, go to: oraclechallengerseries.com.

The second event of the Oracle Challenger Series will take place February 24-March 4, 2018 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif.  The top two male and female Americans with the highest accumulated points in the Oracle Challenger Series will be awarded wild cards in their respective singles main draws at the 2018 BNP Paribas Open, held March 5-18 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Admission for spectators is free for each day of the Newport Beach and Indian Wells events. For additional tournament information, go to: oraclechallengerseries.com.