San Diego District Tennis Association to Host 17th Annual Tennis Fest

The San Diego District Tennis Association will host its 17th Annual Tennis Fest on Sunday, May 7, 2017 from noon to 4 p.m. at the historic Balboa Tennis Club, 2221 Morley Field Drive, San Diego, CA 92104. Admission and on-site parking is free.
    
The family-oriented tennis event, which is open to every one of all ages and abilities, will feature a fun-filled afternoon of on-court tennis games, drills and instruction, prizes, and the opportunity to demo tennis racquets. More than 50 of San Diego’s top tennis professionals will provide on-court instruction.
    
Attendees may pre-register for Tennis Fest at www.sandiegotennis.com .  Pre-registration is not required to attend the event. However, the first 800 participants who pre-register will receive a Tennis Fest T-shirt and a gift bag when they check-in at the reception desk.
    
“We invite the San Diego community to come out and enjoy a fantastic afternoon of tennis fun,” said Geoff Griffin, tennis director of the Balboa Tennis Club. “This is the perfect event for families who want to come out to the tennis courts and have a great time.”
    
During the festivities at Tennis Fest, broadcasting legend Dick Enberg will be presented with the prestigious Ben Press Award.  The award, which was established in 2004 and recognizes those who have made contributions to San Diego tennis, was named after the late Ben Press, a former tennis professional at the Hotel Del Coronado who was perhaps the greatest ambassador to San Diego tennis.
    
“Mr. Enberg is one of the most admired, respected and loved sports commentators in the country.  Padre Baseball and world class tennis have made him very popular in San Diego,” Griffin said. “He has been such a great supporter for the sport of tennis at every level. We are very happy to have the opportunity to honor him this year at Tennis Fest.”
    
Former touring professional Pam Shriver, a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, will present Enberg with the award during a special on-court presentation, which will take place at approximately 12:15 p.m. on Stadium Court.

About the San Diego District Tennis Association: The San Diego District Tennis Association was established in 1973 to serve the tennis community by providing activities, programs, sanctioned tournaments and leagues in San Diego County. The SDDTA is the local affiliate of the Southern California Tennis Association (SCTA) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA).

About The Balboa Tennis Club: In addition to Tennis Fest, the Balboa Tennis Club is the site for many prestigious tournaments throughout the year, such as the Maureen Connolly Balboa Open, the San Diego District Championships, the San Diego Metropolitan Tournament and the USTA National Open Hard Court Championships. The club, which is also the home of the San Diego Tennis Hall of Fame, boasts over 1,400 members, and is visited by approximately 6,000 day pass visitors each year. As a nonprofit organization, Balboa Tennis Club is dedicated to offering the finest facilities at an affordable price to help foster and develop the great game of tennis in San Diego.

The history of the Balboa Tennis Club dates back to 1922 when a small group of tennis enthusiasts raised $5,000 among themselves, and with the cooperation from the City Recreation Department, constructed six tennis courts adjacent to the present War Memorial Building.
 
On April 24, 1924, the San Diego Tennis Association received a lease to operate the courts for the public. The following year, a small clubhouse with locker rooms was built, but it was not until June 1939 that Articles of Incorporation were drawn up, and the Balboa Tennis Club actually was formed as a public, nonprofit corporation to foster and develop the game of tennis in San Diego....and to encourage competitive play with other clubs of this and other communities.

The club flourished many years at its original location and aided many young players in developing their games. In June 1966, the club moved to its present location and in July, 1983, assumed all the operational responsibilities of the Morley Field Tennis Complex. In 1989 Balboa Tennis Club was rated as America's Best Public Tennis Facility by the USTA. In 2000, the San Diego District Tennis Association named BTC as Club of the Year. In 2003, it received the Outstanding Tennis Facility award from the USTA for large facilities in the United States.