The United States Tennis Association Girls’ 16s and 18s National Championships are scheduled to be played Aug. 6-14 at the Barnes Tennis Center, located at 4490 W. Point Loma Blvd.
Nearly 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 U.S. Open (for the 18s champion) and a wild card into the U.S. Open Junior Championships (for the 16s champion). The 18s doubles champions will also receive a wild card into the U.S. Open women’s doubles main draw.
“Nearly every American on today’s women’s professional tennis tour has played in this tournament. It’s been amazing to watch past participants such as Madison Keys, Sloane Stephens, Shelby Rogers and Coco Vandeweghe advancing in their pro careers,” said co-tournament director Ellen Ehlers. “The Girls’ 16s and 18s Nationals gives fans a great opportunity to watch stars of the future.”
The Girls’ 16s event will begin on Saturday, Aug. 6 and conclude with the singles and doubles finals on Saturday Aug. 13. The Girls’ 18s tournament will get underway on Sunday, Aug. 7 and conclude with the 18s singles championship on Sunday, Aug. 14. Both divisions will feature 192-player singles draws and doubles draws with 96 teams. The starting time for each day will be announced in July.
The opening ceremony for the USTA National Girls’ 16s and 18s National Championships is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6 at the Barnes Tennis Center. The guest speaker will be former tennis professional Gigi Fernandez, who won 17 Grand Slam doubles titles and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2010.
Early-round matches will also be played at secondary sites at San Diego State University’s Aztec Tennis Center, 5375 Remington Road, from Saturday, Aug. 6 through Tuesday, Aug. 9 and University of San Diego’s Skip and Cindy Hogan Tennis Center, 5998 Alcala Park, from Sunday, Aug. 7 through Wednesday, Aug. 10.
Admission and on-site parking at the Barnes Tennis Center is free each day of the tournament. For fans watching matches at SDSU and USD, admission is free, but there is a nominal charge for on-campus parking. University parking regulations will be strictly enforced.
A complete player list will be available in early July. For more information, go to www.ustagirlsnationals.com.