Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
One of the most exciting annual sporting events in Pacific Palisades returns when the best college players in the country meet at Riviera for the ITA Women’s All-American Tennis Championships. Pre-qualifying begins Saturday at Pepperdine University, with Riviera Tennis Club hosting singles and doubles qualifying Monday and Tuesday and main draw matches next Thursday-Sunday.
In addition to vying for the All-American title, players will compete to secure a berth into the 2018 Oracle ITA National Fall Championships, which takes place November 7-11, in Surprise, Arizona. Singles quarterfinalists, consolation singles finalists, doubles semifinalists and consolation doubles finalists advance to the national championships.
Fernanda Contreras of Vanderbilt won the singles title and Duke’s Ellyse Hamlin and Kaitlyn McCarthy won the doubles crown last year. Former singles champions include Danielle Collins (2015, Virginia); Jamie Loeb (2013, North Carolina); Irina Falconi (2009, Georgia Tech); Raquel Kops-Jones (2003, California) and Jill Craybas (1995, Florida).
Riviera hosted the event for the first time in 1985 when Tami Whitlinger beat Stanford teammate Sarah Birch in the singles final. Admission is free and one of the unique traditions of the tournament is that local residents and Riviera members house many of the players during their stay in Southern California.
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