For Tennis Parents by a Tennis Parent

Since I am on the road this week with little time to write, I wanted to make sure to share the information below with all of you. It is directly from a press release sent to me by UTR. Registration closes August 25, 2019.

TOP AMERICAN PROS MEET IN BAY AREA TO COMPETE IN KUNAL PATEL SAN FRANCISCO CHAMPIONSHIPS PRESENTED BY UTR POWERED BY ORACLE  

Level-Based Play-In Tournament Gives Players of All Ages and Tennis Ability an Opportunity to Compete for $120,000; American Pros Sam Querrey, Steve Johnson & Bradley Klahn to Participate

Universal Tennis (www.myutr.com) and the Kunal Patel SF organization are pleased to announce the 2019 Kunal Patel San Francisco Championships presented by UTR Powered by Oracle, a level-based community play-in tournament in memory of Kunal Patel. The multi-week Bay Area men’s event will feature American professionals Sam Querrey, Steve Johnson and Bradley Klahn. The Championships will offer players of all ages and abilities the chance to compete for $120,000 in total prize money.

The Kunal Patel San Francisco Championships honors Kunal Patel, a San Francisco tennis player whose life was cut short in 2014 at the young age of 27. Since 2017, the Patel family has organized an annual tennis tournament drawing top tennis professionals to the Bay Area to celebrate Kunal’s life and love of the game.

The tournament will utilize the Universal Tennis platform, leveraging the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) Powered by Oracle to create a staggered entry format and set draws. Matches will be organized purely based on player skill level and provide greater opportunity for community participation. The qualifying round (August 31-September 2) will be held at the Fremont Tennis Center, with the top two finishers moving on to take on the pros (September 12-15) at the Berkeley Tennis Club.

“I’m really excited to be playing in the Kunal Patel San Francisco Championships and can’t wait to take on the top players in the Bay Area,” said Sam Querrey, 2019 Wimbledon quarter-finalist and 2018 California Championships winner. “This innovative, open format is such a great way for both professionals and community players to play side-by-side in the same event, while celebrating Kunal’s life and passion for the sport. I’m looking forward to following up my victory in last year’s UTR California Championships with a strong run at this event.”

Prize money will be awarded for the highest-finishing players in multiple categories:

• Kunal Patel San Francisco Championships Title: $50,000 to winner, $20,000 to finalist
• Top Collegiate: $3,000 to expenses for winner, $1,000 to expenses for finalist
• Top 18 & Under: $3,000 to winner, $1,000 to finalist
• Top 40 & over: $2,000 to winner, $1,000 to finalist
• Top 14 & Under: $500 to winner, $250 to finalist

“We started the Kunal Patel SF Open in 2016 to honor the memory of my son, Kunal Patel, an avid tennis player and sports fan whose enthusiasm and zest for life was tragically cut short,” said Mukesh Patel, Founder of the Kunal Patel SF organization. “This year’s Kunal Patel San Francisco Championships is a wonderful way to bring greater tennis community together to celebrate Kunal’s life and love of the game.”

“We are thrilled to partner with the Kunal Patel SF organization to bring the Kunal Patel San Francisco Championships to life in an exciting and inclusive format,” said Mark Leschly, Universal Tennis Chairman & CEO. “Universal Tennis is on a mission to make it easier than ever before for people of all ages and abilities to find fun and competitive matches, while running a first-class event.”

Players can find more information and register for the event at MyUTR.com/kpsf. Registration ends on August 25, 2019.