Couples Swept Away tennis tournament attracts global talents
A whopping $1-million prize money has attracted an array of top players to the island for the 29th staging of the Levy Cheeks Couples Swept Away Open tennis championship set to run from October 14 -16.
The event, which will be played at Couples Swept Away in Negril, will have players from Jamaica, the rest of the Caribbean, North America and Europe.
However, at the press launch on Wednesday, Llockett McGregor, tournament director, was unable to divulge the names of the overseas entrants.
“We have some players that have entered from overseas but they entered through the hotel. We are compiling the names to make the draw on Thursday and we will be able to announce the players and their nationalities,” he explained.
Top Jamaican men’s players, including three-time winner Randy Phillips (2015, 2018, 2019); defending champion Macoy Malcolm; Dwayne Pagon; and Jermey Miller are just some of the names mentioned.
Randolph Cheeks, of title sponsor Levy Cheeks attorney-at-law, was pleased to be sponsoring the event once again.
“Let me start by thanking you all for continuing to support, what in our estimation is, the most exciting tennis fixtures in Jamaica for the year,” said Randolph Cheeks.
He continued: “I would like to thank Llockett McGregor and his team for the hard work in putting this tournament on and allowing us to continue to support his efforts and to be a part of this prestigious event.”
The open clay court tennis event, which began in 1991, has developed the reputation over the years as Jamaica’s premier tennis championship as well as the longest continuous tournament in Jamaica.
The men’s open winner will walk away with $250,000 with the runners-up collecting $125,000. A trip to the semi-finals will earn those people $62,500 each, while the quarter-finalists will get $31,250. Round of 16 competitors will earn $15,625.
The women’s champion will pocket $100,000 with second place getting $50,000. Each semi-finalist will collect $25,000 each, and it’s $12,500 each for the quarter-finalists. The men’s Pro 35 winner will collect $100,000.
Shaneka Knight is the women’s defending champion.
