Adoption Guild ups the ante

One of the oldest and largest charity doubles tennis tournaments in

the country has just raised the bar another notch with prize money.

The venerable Roy Emerson Adoption Guild Tennis Tournament, long

the pride of Newport Beach tennis, announced recently that it has

increased the purse for this year’s 42nd annual event, which is

played throughout clubs in the area. Newport Beach Tennis Club is the

tournament headquarters.

This year’s prize money of $27,000 is more than double of last

year’s takings.

“We asked the [tournament] board and they responded with a

commitment to increase the prize money,” Adoption Guild President

Susan Beall said. “The increase in prize money is an investment in

the future. We believe that with a larger stake, we will add to our

existing pool of top-quality players.”

The Adoption Guild will be played May 24-26, May 31 and June 1,

with the semifinals and finals slated for the Newport Beach Tennis

Club during the second weekend of the tournament.

“This year is the 42nd year of our tournament and our board felt

it was important to raise the stakes,” said Christine Shively, who is

responsible for sponsor donations.

The Adoption Guild will play host to approximately 500 doubles

team [1,000 players] in all divisions for men and women, from novice

to open. Participants come from all over the Southland.

The divisions are men’s, women’s and mixed 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0,

5.5, 6.0 and open, along with a men’s 35-and-over division and men’s

and women’s open singles. All open divisions, as well as the men’s

35s, are sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association.

Last year’s event, which drew over 700 players, including several

pros, provided Holy Family Services with checks totaling $104,000.

Those funds were used to help families adopt both newborns and older

children in Orange County, provide counseling for unwed pregnant

teens, and offer temporary foster care for the newborns, many of whom

are the “neediest of the needy” with special physical and/or mental

impairments. Each child’s story serves as a unique example of the

vital role the charity plays in saving lives and giving an unwanted

baby a loving home.

“With a larger pool of top-quality players, we hope to increase

fan interest and attendance. The net result will be more revenues,

which will ultimately help us achieve our ultimate goal, which is a

larger donation for our charity, Holy Family Services,” Shively said.

For tournament information, call (949) 673-2378 or visit the Web

site at www.adoptionguild.com.

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The Palisades Tennis Club recently hosted a Calcutta tournament

with the facility decorated with confetti, streamers and balloons and

280 players competing. “The matches started at 8 a.m. on Saturday

[March 29] and didn’t end until late Sunday,” said Palisades Club

owner Ken Stuart, whose club is gearing up for hosting the Newport

Beach Breakers in July on the World Team Tennis circuit.