Surprise lands international women's tennis tourney

Surprise will play host this winter to an international tennis tournament that promises to showcase some of the world's best women players.

The U.S. Tennis Association announced today it has chosen the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex to feature the first-round Fed Cup match between the U.S. and Argentina on Feb. 7-8.

This is a first for the West Valley city. Surprise was selected ahead of two other finalists: Providence, R.I., and Beaumont, Texas. Other locations for first-round matches this year include Moscow and Brno, Czech Republic.

The 2009 U.S. team will not be named until 10 days prior to the tournament. Past U.S. competitors have included fan favorites Serena and Venus Williams. The U.S. has won the competition 17 times, but hasn't claimed a title since 2003.Tickets for the tournament will be available in mid-December.

The Valley has not seen a pro tennis event like this in the past several years. The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess once regularly hosted women and men's pro events, but tournament organizers have since changed venues.

Peoria resident Renee Kirschner said she has been waiting for a women's match-up like this since the Fairmont lost its tournaments.

"Anything that brings the women back is definitely a plus for the Valley, and a plus for all of us tennis fanatics," Kirschner said.

Surprise's announcement comes on the heels of the city's first-ever Cancer Treatment Centers of America Championships, held Nov. 5-9. That tournament, paid for by the city, brought in retired all-stars including Jim Courier and John McEnroe in a round-robin challenge. More than 10,000 tickets were sold for the event.

The city's $7.1 million tennis center, which opened in summer 2007, was built to draw tournaments such as these. City Council members envisioned the facility as an economic driver and a way to bring professional tennis to the Valley.

"When you're talking about international tennis, this gives us exposure to the world," Surprise City Councilman Joe Johnson said.

Councilman Richard Alton added that the tourneys strengthen Surprise's credibility in the Valley.

"Surprise has been a kind of sleepy town for awhile, but we are a major player now within the Valley, and right now other municipalities are taking notice," he said.