CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Alexis Gordon has announced her return to the competitive arena with authority. The former USTA New England junior star, who went on to play at the University of Florida, ripped the draw at last week’s Boyd Tinsley USTA Women’s Pro Circuit Event and collected $50,000 in prize money.

Bates College in Lewiston, Maine has been selected as the host site for the 2008 NCAA Men's Division 3 Championships. Bates has hosted four NCAA Championships in the past, most recently the 2004 NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championship.

The 2008 Public Parks Tennis State Championship season is about to begin and players are encouraged to participate and vie for the right to advance to the Public Parks National Tournament in New Orleans in July.

DORCHESTER, Mass. – After a successful debut last summer, the USTA Pro Circuit will return to the Sportsmen’s Tennis Club in Dorchester with a $50,000 women’s challenger. Play opens on Monday, June 30 and continues through Sunday, July 6. Last year, top seed Varvara Lepchenko of Uzbekistan captured the championship with a win over Kelly Liggan of Ireland.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Rising American ATP professional Donald Young, the youngest player ranked in the top 80, has committed to Pilot Pen Tennis presented by Schick, an Olympus US Open Series event on the ATP and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour to be held August 15-23, 2008 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, it was announced by Anne Worcester, tournament director.

How easy is it to set up and play Quickstart Tennis, the new format from the USTA for the under 8- and 10-year-old crowd? Check out the action, with USTA Community Tennis Chief Executive Kurt Kamperman explaining the innovative format to Ann Curry, on the plaza outside the NBC Today Show Studio in Rockefeller Center Thursday.

By Nate Buell: For the past 33 years the best tennis players in the world have come together at The Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, Calif. in early March. Past champions include Boris Becker, Michael Chang, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, and most recently, Rafael Nadal. The courts at Indian Wells have seen great matches played between Hall of Fame tennis players for the past three decades, and this fall, 10 men from New England will get the chance to play for a national championship on the very same surface that so many legends have been a part of.

NEW HAVEN, Conn.– Ticket packages are now on sale for Pilot Pen Tennis presented by Schick, an Olympus US Open Series event on the ATP and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour set for August 15-23, 2008, at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, it was announced by tournament director Anne Worcester. Ticket packages range from Weeklong Box Seats (the best seats in the house for all 15 sessions starting at $400/seat), to the all new Weekender Flex (choose to attend three of the four semi-final and/or final sessions for $185), to the Family Four Pack (four middle tier tickets for the session of your choice, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas and two tournament posters starting at $64). Daily tickets will be on sale starting in June.

WHITE PLAINS, NY - The USTA announced this week that two New England communities would receive grants to further develop tennis programs aimed at helping youngsters to learn some of life’s most important lessons through the game of tennis. The Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County (Vt.) received a $10,000 grant, and the Community Development Recreation of Fall River (Mass.) was awarded a grant in the amount of $22,000.