MARC STAMP, STAR Writer

A total of $260,000 in prize money is at stake for this year's staging of the Hi-Pro All-Jamaica Senior Tennis Championships start next Monday at the refurbished Eric Bell Centre, Piccadilly Road.

The championships will run from August 17-22. Top prize for the men's champion is $100,000. The runner-up is guaranteed $50,000.

The ladies' category winner will receive $40,000. Second place will walk away with $20,000.

Categories will include men's singles, women's singles, class two men's singles, men's singles 45-year-old and over, men's doubles, and class two men's doubles.

"The tournament is particularly special for us this year because it will be the first senior tournament to be played on our recently refurbished courts. The venue has a rich history with some of the island's more memorable Davis Cup battles having been played there, as well as the early display of the talents of many outstanding players," Aswad Morgan, first vice-president, Tennis Jamaica, said at the launch and official re-opening of the centre.

He said the Hi-Pro All Jamaica Tennis Championships serves as a critical component in the long-term vision of Tennis Jamaica.

Challenges

David Sanguinetti, Tennis Jamaica tournament director, said he is expecting an exciting and challenging championships.

"We are expecting an exciting championships with competition from some of Jamaica's top players," Sanguinetti said.

Hi-Pro Business Development Manager Dayne Patterson said his company is pleased to partner with Tennis Jamaica to stage the 2015 tournament. Hi-Pro, a division of the Jamaica Broilers Group, is the title sponsor for the second year running.

"We look forward to another exciting year of great plays and spectator interactions, as we partner to grow the tournament exponentially each staging," Patterson pointed.