Non-Stop Action at the Family Circle Cup!

The world’s top tennis stars are on Daniel Island this week for the Family Circle Cup, and the action is getting more intense by the day. Warm temperatures and an all-star lineup have helped draw record crowds for the 40th anniversary of this WTA Premier event.

Among the players who have moved on to the second round of the tournament are Nadia Petrova and Venus Williams, who returned to the WTA just a few weeks ago at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami after an injury last fall. The second round began Tuesday, with No.2 seed Sam Stosur, No.4 seed Vera Zvonareva and No. 5 seed Serena Williams among the winners. Stosur was the 2010 Family Circle Cup champion, and Zvonareva is a two-time runner-up here: She lost to Serena Williams in 2008 and to Stosur in 2010.

On Thursday, the folks from ESPN2 will begin their coverage of the tournament, which continues through Sunday, April 8.

But the tournament goes well beyond serving up great tennis. All week long, the Grand Lawn has been the central gathering spot, with an open bar and live music – a great place to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Family Circle Cup. And on Saturday, a very special event will commemorate the tournament’s 40th anniversary. “40 Love: A Night of Empowerment Celebrating 40 Years of the Family Circle Cup” will feature appearances by Billie Jean King and many other former Family Circle Cup Champions.

The Family Circle Cup is a great time to be out and about on Daniel Island. There are still tickets available – visit familycirclecup.com for details. And if you can’t make it, be sure to tune into ESPN2 this weekend to check out the action.

Daniel Island Gets Ready for the Family Circle Cup

The tents are up, the courts and grounds at the Family Circle Tennis Center are in prime condition and some of the world’s top tennis stars are making their way to Charleston’s island town for a week of competition. The Family Circle Cup, a WTA Premier Event, takes place March 31 – April 8 right here on Daniel Island. ESPN2 will broadcast coverage of the tournament starting on Thursday, April 5.

Among those scheduled to compete this year are Samantha Stosur, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Marion Bartoli, Sabine Lisicki and Jelena Jankovic. They’ll be competing for a $749,160 purse during the week-long event.

But the tournament goes well beyond serving up great tennis. All week long, the Grand Lawn is the place to be, with an open bar and live music – a great place to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Family Circle Cup. And this year, a very special event is planned to commemorate the tournament’s 40th anniversary. “40 Love: A Night of Empowerment Celebrating 40 Years of the Family Circle Cup” takes place Saturday, April 7 and will feature appearances by Billie Jean King and many other former Family Circle Cup Champions.

The Family Circle Cup is a great time to be out and about on Daniel Island – come check out the action! Visit familycirclecup.com for ticket information.

Family Circle Tennis Center Hosts 6th Annual Tennis Block Party on Daniel Island

Come out and give your forehand a try this Saturday at the 6th Annual Tennis Block Party at the Family Circle Tennis Center.  Island residents and friends are invited to partake in this free, family event that will be held from 9:00 am until noon on Saturday, August 6. The staff at the Tennis Center’s Instinctive Tennis Academy (I.T.A.) will be demonstrating the newest techniques in tennis instruction, all designed to introduce tennis in a fun and easy manner where everyone can participate.

Children and adults will enjoy a wide range of tennis activities for beginner to advanced players, along with music, games, contests, a fast serve challenge, food, refreshments and much more.

As part of this day of family fun, complimentary drawings will be held throughout the morning for prizes worth more than $2,500, including two 2012 Family Circle Cup Intro Ticket Packages, a Family Circle Tennis Center membership, and an assortment of non-tennis items, including tickets for the upcoming Hootie & The Blowfish concert and Charleston RiverDogs games. The event will conclude with a complimentary cookout lunch at noon.

For more information about the 6th Annual Tennis Block Party, visit familycirclecup.com or call (843) 849-5300.

“Backhands & Birdies” at the Daniel Island Club

Whether you enjoy playing a round of golf or serving a few balls on the courts, you are invited to join Junior Achievement as non-profit organization hosts a unique fundraising event that will feature the best of both sports. The inaugural “Birdies and Backhands Classic” will take place at the Daniel Island Club on Friday, April 1st.  Junior Achievement’s annual golf tournament has been a success for more than 15 years, but this year it has expanded to include a round-robin doubles tennis tournament.

Sponsorship packages are still available and include gifts, lunch and tickets to the awards reception at the Park Club following play. Foursomes start at $1,600 and the tennis tournament is $80 per doubles team. Visit www.JACoastalSC.org for more information.

About Junior Achievement
Junior Achievement of Coastal South Carolina is a 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to inspiring and educating students on how to succeed in a global economy. With the Junior Achievement program curriculum, volunteers empower students with the knowledge they need to be productive workers, good citizens and informed consumers. Junior Achievement programs inspire students to be self-advocates willing to take a leadership role in their future economic success.

Resident Volunteers Help Make Family Circle Cup an Outstanding Success

Pulling off a WTA tournament each year that brings the top names in women’s tennis to Daniel Island – along with thousands of fans from around the world – is no small feat. But after ten years on Daniel Island, the folks at the Family Circle Cup seem to have the process down to a science. Beginning in early March, things start shifting into high gear as all the pieces of this world-class, nationally-televised event start falling into place.

“We absolutely could not do it without the hard work and dedication of our volunteers, many of whom are Daniel Island residents,” says Eleanor Adams, Tournament Manager for the Family Circle Cup. The tournament recruits more than 500 volunteers each year.

As we approach this year’s event, which takes place April 2-10, we thought we’d introduce you to some of the island residents who help make the tournament such an outstanding success each year. And who better to start with than the Family Circle Cup’s Volunteer of the Year, Nancy Heinz?

A long-time resident of Daniel Island’s Codner’s Ferry Park neighborhood, Nancy and her family moved to the island from Springfield, Virginia in 2000. While her husband (a USTA league player) and 15-year old son (a junior player who competes in USTA sanctioned tournaments at the Southern and National level) are active players, Nancy works behind the scenes, coordinating tennis events for the Daniel Island Club, where she’s been on staff for four and a half years. She is Co-Chair of the Media Center at the Family Circle Cup.

“Nancy has been an invaluable asset to the Cup’s Media Center for the past 11 years,” says Mike Saia, Communications Manager at the Family Circle Cup. “She was named Volunteer of the Year for a list of reasons far too long to mention, but primarily because of her leadership skills, dedication and unwavering attention to detail, all of which her volunteer position demands.”

Mike caught up with Nancy to find out why she dedicates her time to the tournament each year:

MS: Why do you feel it’s important for you, as an island resident, to volunteer your time to this event?

NH: When the decision was made for the Cup to relocate from Hilton Head to Daniel Island in 2001, the call for volunteers was great. I was already a Daniel Island resident at the time, and I immediately knew that I wanted to be part of the FCC volunteer team and contribute in some way towards making the tournament an overwhelming success its first year on the island.

MS: What kind of an impact do you think the Cup has on island life, and why?

NH: What an awesome way to introduce people of all ages in the community to professional tennis! Additionally, with so many residents volunteering, a wonderful tradition of giving back to the community has been established and has had a tremendous impact. Beyond the tournament, the Family Circle Tennis Center is a beautiful facility that residents enjoy year round, both for tennis and other events held at the venue.

MS: What are your favorite non-tennis reasons to volunteer at the Cup?

NH: It’s a pleasure to work alongside the dedicated staff at Family Circle Tennis Center and a great opportunity to serve others.

MS: Of the following, which is the best part of the Cup, and why: People-watching, world-class tennis, catching up with friends, helping others?

NH: Hands down, helping others. I enjoy helping to ensure that the media has a welcoming “home away from home” to write their stories and preview their photos each day, and that the players have an inviting place to speak with the media, especially after a tough match or loss.

Congratulations Nancy, and a big thank you for all you do to help make the Family Circle Cup a successful island event!

Daniel Island’s Two Tennis Clubs Battle it Out in a Friendly Tennis Town Challenge

Daniel Island is fortunate to have two outstanding tennis facilities: The 18-court Family Circle Tennis Center, and the Daniel Island Club, which offers members an active tennis program on its 11 courts. This weekend, members from both will compete in the annual Daniel Island Tennis Challenge, an island tradition that continues to grow in popularity.

This four-day event will feature ladies’ and men’s doubles competitions taking place at both world-class facilities. As the home of the Family Circle Cup, the Family Circle Tennis Center is an award-winning operation that hosts outstanding events throughout the year. And the Daniel Island Club includes top flight instruction, social programming and Charleston’s first grass courts among its Tennis Pavilion offerings for members.

It’s all in good fun, so of course there are also an array of social events planned for participants and their families throughout the weekend. From dinner, live music and dancing at the Daniel Island Club on Friday night, to breakfast, lunch and a Saturday night family party and pasta dinner – plus lots of great gifts and prizes – everyone who participates is sure to have a blast.

“The Daniel Island Tennis Challenge has been a great partnership between the Family Circle Tennis Center and the Daniel Island Club, and this highly social event has really created a lot of tennis camaraderie on the island,” said Rob Eppelsheimer, Family Circle Tennis Center Director of Facilities and Tennis Development.  “In its third year, this tournament continues to expand its offerings to players, and it’s really become one of highlights on our membership’s calendar.”

Best of luck to everyone!

Charleston is “America’s Best Tennis Town”!

It’s official! Charleston added yet another accolade to its list last weekend when it was announced at the U.S. Open that our city has been voted “America’s Best Tennis Town.” Tennis is a great sport that can be enjoyed year-round throughout Charleston, but this acknowledgment has special meaning for Daniel Island. Home of the Family Circle Cup tournament and a spectacular 18-court tennis center – plus the private tennis offerings at the Daniel Island Club – it’s safe to say that Daniel Island is the hub of tennis activity within Charleston.

The announcement was made by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) at Arthur Ashe Stadium in White Plains, New York on Memorial Day. The city will receive $100,000 from the USTA for facilities improvements and city-wide tennis programming. Atlanta, Georgia and Richmond, Virginia were the second and third place finishers.

Charleston has over 13,000 players, and more than 7,500 of them play in USTA league events. The city has more than 580 courts and hosts the Family Circle Cup women’s professional event on Daniel Island each year.

Tennis anyone??

Daniel Island Teen to Take On the U.S. Open

It was just this past April that we heard the name Shelby Rogers for the first time. The 17-year old Daniel Island teen had just won a “wild card” entry into the 2010 Family Circle Cup (see our first article about Shelby HERE).

Fast forward five months and Shelby has not only gone Pro, but she’s also landed herself a spot as a qualifier for the main draw in the U.S. Open (August 30 – September 12) after winning the USTA’s Girls National Tennis Championship in San Diego on August 15. Shelby will be the youngest competitor in this year’s U.S. Open.

Shelby isn’t the only reason for Daniel Island and Charleston residents to tune into this year’s U.S. Open. Charleston is in the running to be named “America’s Best Tennis Town,” which will be announced on Labor Day during the television coverage of the tournament on CBS, ESPN2 or the Tennis Channel.

Make sure the volume is up as you cheer on Daniel Island’s Shelby Rogers take the court AND watch to see if Charleston is, in fact, “America’s Top Tennis Town!”

Charleston Named One of Three Finalists Vying for ‘Top Tennis Town’!

UPDATE: Charleston, SC has been chosen as one of the Top 3 Finalists for the Top Tennis Town! The Grand Prize winner will be named the “2010 Best Tennis Town” and will receive $100,000 to be used for tennis programming and facility enhancements. The announcement will be made at this year’s US Open (August 30 – September 12).

There’s never been any doubt that Charleston is an active, sports-loving city. Residents have easy access to golfing, water sports, professional sports teams and more. And now Charleston is being recognized as one of the top tennis destinations in the country!

The USTA has selected Charleston as a finalist in the “2010 Best Tennis Town” competition, and now it’s up to residents, visitors and friends of the ‘Holy City’ to help win the title!

The winner will be determined by a nationwide online vote at www.besttennistown.com that will be active until July 26th at 11:59 a.m. The Grand Prize, 2nd and 3rd place winners will be announced at this year’s US Open. The winning city will be awarded $100,000 to be used for tennis programming or facility enhancements community wide.

Daniel Island’s own Family Circle Tennis Center has played a large role in creating Charleston’s strong tennis reputation. Ten years ago, the Family Circle Cup made the move from Hilton Head Island to Daniel Island, bringing with it a staff of professional instructors, a new top-notch tennis facility and an annual professional women’s tournament that has brought the world’s top players and tennis fanatics to Charleston each spring.

Beautiful Weather & Great Tennis at the Family Circle Cup!

The weather in Charleston could not be more perfect for the Family Circle Cup! With temperatures on Daniel Island in the mid-70s, light breezes and everything in bloom, it’s an ideal setting for enjoying some fantastic competitive tennis.

After an exciting weekend of qualifying matches, the first round of the Family Circle Cup kicked off on Monday to record-breaking attendance for the first day of the tournament!

Two of the tournament’s seeded and most closely watched players had successful first days. Alona Bondarenko (UKR) and Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) both moved through to the second round of the Premier-level tournament in straight sets.

As of Tuesday afternoon, fan-favorite Patty Schnyder (SUI) had defeated Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. Schnyder, the only player to have played in all ten Family Circle Cup tournaments held on Daniel Island, has hinted that this could be one of her last appearances at the Family Circle Cup. Make sure to cheer for her this week as she continues her pursuit of the title! Former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic and Melanie Oudin will begin their quest for the Family Circle title late Tuesday afternoon.

If the forecasts are correct, it looks like the weather is going to stay springlike and comfortable for the remainder of the tournament, so get outside, cheer on the players and take advantage of all of the fun happening at the Family Circle Tennis Center this week and weekend!

In other exciting tournament-related news, the folks at the Family Circle Cup announced today that Monica Seles will be participating in the star-studded Game.Set.Rock! Tennis Amplified event this Saturday night. The former World No. 1, nine-time Grand Slam champion (and Family Circle Cup finalist in 1997) will join John McEnroe, Jim Courier and Anna Kournikova for an evening of tennis and musical entertainment provided by local favorites, the Blue Dogs. This special event celebrates the tournament’s ten-year anniversary in Charleston. For more information on Game.Set.Rock!, click HERE.

Next Page »