Hawaiian Open Bringing WTA Tennis to the Islands

The Hawaii Open, a Women's Tennis Association (WTA) tennis tournament presented by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, will be presented Thanksgiving weekend. Tickets are already on sale.

Reserved individual session box seat tickets at the at Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park tennis courts will include a chair with a backrest. Prices begin at $20. New to 2017, additional prime box seating will be added on the west side of center court. Unreserved general admission bleacher seating will go on sale in November.

American CiCi Bellis, who won the inaugural Hawaii Open last year, and 2016 runner-up Shuai Zhang have both committed to returning to Hawaii. At 18, Bellis is the youngest top-50 player in the WTA.

Wild cards have been given to two of the biggest names in women's tennis, both looking for a comeback.

Vera Zvonareva, formerly ranked No. 2 in the world and a finalist at the U.S. Open and Wimbledon in 2010, has accepted a Hawaii Open wild card. Zvonareva is making her return to tennis after a 2013 shoulder injury and becoming a mother. "I'm excited about being back on the court and competing again after being sidelined with injuries and also becoming a mom last year," Zvonareva says. "The Hawaii Open is a relatively new destination on the WTA Tour map and I'm very happy to take part in the event alongside other great players."

Italian player Sara Errani, who was ranked No. 1 in the world in doubles and as high as No. 5 in singles, also accepted a wild card.

Rounding out other early player commitments are American Christina McHale and Japanese players Misaki Doi and Risa Ozaki.

Due to fan support at last year's tournament, the Hawaii Open is doubling its doubles draw. This year's tournament will include a 32-player singles main draw, an 8-player qualifying draw and a 16-team doubles draw.

Organizers are excited to bring the tournament back. "With the addition of the west side bleachers, terrific player turnout, and the support of our presenting sponsor the Hawaii Tourism Authority, we expect this year to grow substantially," said Ben Goldsmith, Tournament Director of the Hawaii Open. "Players want to come to Hawaii and experience the Four Seasons Resort Oahu. We are proud to host the players at such a gracious tournament hotel along with our beautiful venue at CORP."

The Hawaii Open is calling for volunteers, ball persons, and interns. For more information, please visit https://hawaiitennisopen.com/volunteer/.

For more information about the 2017 Hawaii Open and to purchase tickets, visit www.hawaiitennisopen.com. Follow the Hawaii Open on Facebook ( Hawaii Open )

About the WTA: The WTA is the global leader in women's professional sport, with more than 2,500 players representing nearly 100 nations and competing for a record $139 million in prize money. The 2017 WTA competitive season includes 55 events and four Grand Slams in 31 countries. In 2016, the WTA was watched by 408 million fans on television and digital channels around the world. The 2017 WTA competitive season concludes with the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore, presented by SC Global Oct. 22-29, and the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai, China, Oct. 31-Nov. 5.