KAILUA-KONA — A new kind of “champions” tour is coming to the Big Island.
The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel will host Hawaii’s first ever PowerShares Series tennis tournament May 6, according to a release sent out Wednesday.
Similar to the Mitsubishi Electric Championship — the opening event of the PGA Tour Champions that tees off from Hualalai Golf Course — the PowerShares Series is a competitive tennis circuit featuring legendary tennis icons and world-renowned champions.
Each tournament features four players paired off in one set semifinals and culminates with the winners meeting in a one-set championship match.
John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Mardy Fish and Tommy Haas will be the four competing players on the Big Island. They will play two one-set semifinal matches and a championship match between the winners.
“It’s great that the PowerShares Series has made its way to Hawaii, which will undoubtedly be a very enjoyable event,” said McEnroe. “I have some good memories of playing at Mauna Lani Bay in Hawaii from our first round Davis Cup match against Argentina in 1992, when we went on to win the title. It’s going to be great to come back, play some great tennis and enjoy a bit of Hawaiian paradise.”
The tournament will be one of ten events in 2018 on the PowerShares Series, the North American tennis circuit for champion tennis players over the age of 30. Mauna Lani Bay was also the host venue for the 1992 Davis Cup first round tie between the United States and Argentina, featuring McEnroe.
The Champions Cup will be part of a weekend of events that kicks off May 5 with kids clinics and VIP hit-with-the-pros sessions and a VIP party. USTA members are invited to purchase tickets early via a special presale starting at 10 a.m. on Feb. 16 through 11:59 pm on Feb. 19. Tickets for the general public are on sale starting on Feb. 20 at 10 a.m.
For more information, go to www.PowerSharesSeries.com