Oracle Challenger Series Returns to Houston for Second Stop on the 2019-2020 Road to Indian Wells
Tournament to Also Feature Oracle Champions Cup, a Special One-Night Men’s Legends Event
HOUSTON – July 25, 2019 – The Oracle Challenger Series announced today that the second stop of the 2019-2020 Series will be in Houston at the George R. Brown Tennis Center at Rice University on November 10 – 17, 2019. The event will also feature the Oracle Champions Cup, a one-night men’s legends Invesco Series QQQ event.
Now in its third year, the Oracle Challenger Series helps up-and-coming American players secure both ranking points and prize money in the United States. The two American men and two American women who accumulate the most points over the course of the series receive wild cards into their respective singles main draws at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, CA. As part of the series’ mission to grow the sport and make professional tennis events more accessible, each tournament is free and open to the public.
This is the second consecutive year the Road to Indian Wells runs through Houston. The 2018 tournament saw Oracle Challenger Series mainstay Bradley Klahn and WTA Tour veteran Peng Shuai take home the singles titles. The All-American duos of Austin Krajicek and Nicholas Monroe and Jessica Pegula and Maegan Manasse claimed the men’s and women’s doubles trophies. Pegula also reached the semifinals in singles which helped catapult her to the top of the Road to Indian Wells leaderboard. She eventually earned enough points to claim one of the coveted wild card entries into the 2019 BNP Paribas Open, the largest combined ATP Tour and WTA event in the world.
The Houston tournament marks the halfway point of the 2019-2020 Series and is instrumental in determining which players make the most of the opportunity to receive wild cards into the BNP Paribas Open. The final two events on the 2019-2020 Road to Indian Wells will be announced in the coming months.
“We are so excited to bring the Oracle Challenger Series back to the wonderful city of Houston this November,” said Philippe Dore, Marketing Director, Oracle Challenger Series. “Last year’s event was an incredible success, and we’re looking forward to building upon that momentum to deliver an even better tournament when we return this fall.”
“We’re thrilled to once again welcome the Oracle Challenger Series to the George R. Brown Tennis Center in Houston,” said Efe Ustundag, Head Men’s Tennis Coach at Rice University. “Hosting a combined professional event at our venue is a tremendous way for us to continue to foster the growth of tennis in our city, and we look forward to providing all of the players and fans with an amazing experience,” added Elizabeth Schmidt, Head Women’s Tennis Coach at Rice University.
Additionally, the upcoming Houston tournament will feature the Oracle Champions Cup, an Invesco Series QQQ event, on Thursday, November 14. Former World No. 1 Andy Roddick; former World No. 1 and 2013 French Open Champion Juan Carlos Ferrero; former World No. 4 and 2003 U.S Open Champion James Blake; and two-time Davis Cup titlist and former World No. 8 Mark Philippoussis headline the one-night tournament featuring tennis champions over the age of 30. The event consists of two one-set semifinals, with the winners meeting in a one-set championship match.
Tickets to the Oracle Champions Cup will be available to a select audience beginning Monday, August 19 and will go on-sale to the general public on Wednesday, August 21. Special VIP packages, including play with the pros, special back-stage access and an exclusive player party, are also available.
For more information about the Oracle Challenger Series, visit oraclechallengerseries.com. If you are interested in a volunteer opportunity, including becoming a ball kid for the event, please email oraclechallengerseries@desertchampions.com. For more information about the Oracle Champions Cup, visit https://www.invescoseries.com.
