Challenger of Dallas is Rapidly Approaching

The 11th Annual USTA Pro Circuit Challenger of Dallas promises to be the best yet!  Association of Tennis Professionals players ranked among the top 100 in the world from more than 25 countries are registering and sponsors are returning for the 11th annual tournament, scheduled for February 2-February 7 at T Bar M Racquet Club.
      
The event, rated one of the top circuit stops by the United States Tennis Association, is the largest annual pro tennis event in North Texas. It's the only professional tennis event in North America that week and one of the few all year - at any level - that includes live webcasting.

The event has attracted such international tennis champions as the Bryan brothers, James Blake, David Nalbandian, Nikolay Davydenko and Dmitry Tursunov, who have gone on to build outstanding professional careers. Many of the world's most outstanding pro tennis players, including some who are the very best in their homeland, will be competing.

All of the tournament's proceeds will be donated to local charities, including the Dallas Tennis Association's "Invest in a Child," Ronald McDonald House, the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, The Dallas County Affiliate of Susan G. Komen For the Cure® and Special Care & Career Services.

Front Row Tennis to Broadcast Challenger of Dallas
All Center Court matches and highlights of the Stadium Court matches during the 2009 Challenger of Dallas will be broadcast live on the Internet by Front Row Tennis. It's one of the few professional tournaments in the world that provides live streaming video.  The Internet web casts can be viewed at FrontRowTennis.com. T Bar M Racquet Club member Marc Lemke provides a wealth of expertise and equipment to enhance Front Row Tennis' Challenger of Dallas broadcasts. The broadcasts will feature live scoring, match analysis, tennis tips and player, coach and sponsor interviews.   T Bar M Pro Shop Manager Craig Karseno will anchor the Challenger of Dallas web casts. He will be joined in the booth by the voice of Radio Tennis, Ken Thomas, Radio Wimbledon commentator Warren Jacques and a host of other knowledgeable tennis, fitness and wellness experts.
 
Don't Miss Challenger of Dallas Qualifying
Missing next weekend's Challenger of Dallas Qualifying Tournament at T Bar M Racquet Club could be a big mistake. Not only is it the best tennis you'll ever see for free, you could miss the opportunity to witness a young, up-and-coming touring pro start his race to stardom.
Last year, Kei Nishikori lost a qualifying match that kept him from competing in the Challenger of Dallas, but became one of the biggest success stories of the season. A week after the Challenger ended, he pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year, outlasting top-seeded James Blake 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to win Delray Beach International Tennis Championships. Nishikori, 19, entered the tournament as a qualifier ranked 244. He qualified for the main draw by defeating former Challenger of Dallas competitors Nicolas Todero and Alex Bogomolov, Jr. In the first round, he beat Florian Mayer due to a retirement in the second set. In the second round, Nishikori defeated 2008 Challenger of Dallas singles champion Amer Delic. He defeated 2006 Challenger of Dallas doubles champion Bobby Reynolds in the quarters and Sam Querrey, who played the Challenger of Dallas that same year, in the semifinals. Nishikori's historic victory over Blake made him the first Japanese player in almost 16 years to win an ATP event. In all, Nishikori improved more than 200 ranking spots to finish as the youngest player in ATP history to finish in the top 10 - after losing in the Challenger of Dallas Qualifying Tournament.  

In 1999, current top-ranked touring pros Nikolay Davydenko, James Blake and David Nalbandian got their careers off and running by playing the Challenger of Dallas Qualifying Tournament. The year before, Bob and Mike Bryan, Taylor Dent, MaliVai Washington and David Wheaton battled in the qualifying rounds. The Bryan brothers have won a career Grand Slam and have been ranked among the world's top doubles teams the last six years. Dent, a fan favorite, has won three ATP tournaments. Washington reached the Wimbledon Finals in 1996. Wheaton, who won three singles titles in his career, reached a career-high ranking of #12 in the world. Alfredo Moreno, who pulled out a 7-6 (8), 5-7, 6-3 victory over T Bar M junior Dane Webb to win the Oracle Wild Card Singles Tournament last Sunday, will be among the stars competing for spots in the main draw of the Challenger of Dallas.  The Challenger of Dallas Qualifying Tournament starts at 10 a.m. Saturday and continues until 6:30 p.m. Sunday's matches are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and will be followed by T Bar M Racquet Club's annual Super Bowl Party. The event will conclude with Monday's matches scheduled for 10 a.m. through 2:30 p.m.


Be Sure to Register for Challenger 'Pink Day'
      The Challenger of Dallas will "go pink" to benefit the Dallas County Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® during the Thursday, February 5th, day session.
      Advance tickets include admission to the day session, a great box lunch donated by The Festive Kitchen and a goody bag. The ticket price is $25, and the Challenger will donate at least $15 of each ticket to Komen Dallas.
      The day session will begin at 11:30, with matches running all afternoon until approximately 5 pm. Indoor and outdoor morning clinics with the pros lasting 1 1/2 hours prior to the matches at 9 a.m. and 10:30 am are also available for an additional charge.
      Vendors selling their '09 Spring Lines:
•    Adidas
•    K-Swiss/Volkl/Becker Tennis
•    Tail
•    Wimbledon
•    Sergio Tacchini
•    LBH
•    Boast
      Any orders placed with these vendors at the event will get 30% off.
      This will be a really fun day and a great opportunity to watch some super tennis while supporting the fight against breast cancer.
      Please purchase your tickets by February 1st. For more information, please contact Mary Evelyn Raedisch at 214-914-7667.
Thanks to Our Generous Sponsors
      The Challenger of Dallas would like to thank its sponsors for their generous contributions!
 
PRESENTING SPONSOR: Bernon Family Foundation
SCOREBOARD: Brinkmann
JUNIOR CLINICS: Stainback Organization
OFFICIAL HOTEL: Hilton Dallas/Park Cities
OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNERS: People Newspapers, News Talk 660 KSKY Radio, Addison Corridor magazine
NET SIGNAGE: Konnect
COURT-SIDE BENCHES: Jones, Allen & Fuquay LLP
WEBCASTING: Front Row Tennis
OFFICIAL RENTAL CAR: Enterprise Rent-A-Car
HEARING-IMPAIRED CLINIC: Shannon & Scott Line
VALET PARKING: Medical City
WILD CARD SPONSOR: Oracle

OFFICIAL CHARITIES
Maureen Connolly Brinker Foundation
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Habitat for Humanity
Dallas Tennis Association's "Invest in a Child"
Dallas County Affiliate of Susan G. Komen (R)
Special Care & Career Services

SPONSORS
A Fiore Catering
A1 Engraving
Adidas
Alamo Computer Consulting
AlphaGraphics
Babolat
Becker Tennis
Boast Tennis Wear
LaNell and John Booth
Howard E. Butt III
"Super Handyman" Al Carrell
Creative Ventures
RM Crowe
Dallas Neurosurgical & Spine Associates
Dr. Stephen Chu/Advanced Orthodontics & Imaging Center
Eazor Family
Gwen & Leldon Echols
Entertainmart
The Festive Kitchen
Dr. Greg Greenberg, DDS
Jan & Henry Gruver
Molly and Lee Hamilton
Head/Penn
Henderson Edwards Wilson L.L.P.
Golddigger/Shelley Finkelstein
Ebby Halliday Realtors
J & H Trucking Service Inc.
Jamba Juice
Jersey Mike's
John Hancock, Mahoney Group/Sam Lee
Jones, Allen, Fuquay LLP
K-Swiss/Volkl/Becker Tennis
Wendy Krispin Caterer
Lily's of Beverly Hills (LBH)
Lebowitz Family
Line, Scott & Shannon
Littlefield Ranch Premium Texas Steaks
LRS Real Estate Services/Bob Peinado
Mattito's Tex Mex Cocina
Mental Management Systems
Mercy Wine Bar
Merrill Lynch/Keith Wallace
Michelob Ultra/Ben E. Keith
Network Insurance Planning Corporation
Ooh Ahh! Designs
Jeffry Parkhurst
Prince Sports
Program Management Corporate Facility Planning
Promotional Distributions
Dr. Peter Rappa, MD PA/Integra Hospital of Plano
The Reynolds Company
Robert's Landscape Inc.
Ruggeri's
Sambuca
Sebastian's Closet
Sharp Foundation
The Spa at Willow Bend
Starbucks
Sterling Bank
Susquehana Builders
Sergio Tacchini
Total Resources
UBS Financial Services/Mark Hagan
U.S. Foodservice
Willoughby Ranch
Wilson Sporting Goods
Wimbledon

Please contact Angela Allin at aalin@tbarmtennis.com or 972-385-3604 to sign up for Children's Clinics. The cost is $10 per child.
The Adult Clinics are $30 for club members and $35 for non-members. Sign up with Ryan Haley at 972-385-3644. A 24-hour cancellation notice is required to avoid being charged.
The Pro-Am is $250. Please contact Royce Deppe at 972-385-3617 for more details.