The Adult Men’s 5.0 tennis team from Mercer Island Country Club on Mercer Island, Wash., will be competing in the amateur 2009 USTA League Pacific Northwest Section Championships held August 7-9 in Portland. Competition will be held at various sites in the Portland-area including Mountain Park Racquet Club, West Hills Racquet & Fitness Club, Tualatin Hills Tennis Center and Sunset Park.

The Mercer Island Country Club team, captained by Vivek Varma, will join over 65 teams and more than 700 players to compete in the Section Championships. The teams, which represent various tennis clubs and facilities, have won their local league title and will compete for a chance to represent the United States Tennis Association Pacific Northwest (USTA/PNW) at the USTA League National Championships.

The 2009 USTA League Pacific Northwest Adult Section Championships feature men’s and women’s teams of adult players, age 19 and older, who are grouped into six different ability levels. The 5.0 skill level is the state’s highest organized competition in amateur play. The competition consists of singles and doubles matches with the outcome decided by team scoring.

“The teams that will be competing in this year’s section championships represent the very best in their respective divisions. We are looking forward to exciting matches and spirited competition,” said Sheila Banks, USTA/PNW Adult/Senior Recreational Programs Director. “The section will be proud to send any of these teams to the national championships.”

Established in 1980, USTA League has grown from 13,000 participants in its first year to over 325,000 players across the nation today, making it the world’s largest recreational tennis league with a national championship.

For more information about MICC tennis, contact head tennis pro Kelly Evernden at (206) 232-5600, ext. 13 or by e-mail at kellye@mercerislandcc.com.