Inaugural ‘Tennis Ball and ATP Pro-Am’ Fundraiser at 2019 Delray Beach Open

First Serve, a non-profit organization serving children in the Palm Beaches area of Florida, will host the inaugural Tennis Ball and ATP Pro Am on Feb. 16-17, 2019, during the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com.

Established in 1993 to enhance the lives of local children, First Serve works with students to teach self-awareness, mindfulness, compassion and sportsmanship through peer mentoring, sports, and education. First Serve pays, equips and trains high school seniors to mentor kids from their own communities, thus further strengthening the communities in which they work and helping both mentors and mentees develop into the best versions of themselves.

The Tennis Ball and ATP Pro-Am will include dinner and an open bar with live entertainment, followed by box seats at the Team World vs. Team Americas ATP Champions Tour matches on the evening of Saturday, Feb. 16. The First Serve ATP Pro Am tournament will start on Sunday, Feb. 17., when 12 teams comprised of an amateur and an ATP professional player will compete. The top four finishing amateurs will play against each other in the Pro Am championship match on Stadium Court between the day’s two scheduled ATP matches. The match will include a chair umpire, ball kids, Hawkeye Live electronic line-calling and all match amenities afforded ATP pros, including a raucous crowd.

“We are thrilled about this powerful partnership with the Delray Beach Open and the opportunity for tennis enthusiasts to participate in the ATP Pro Am and to enjoy world-class tennis while supporting our important mission,” said Paul Van Der Grift, president of First Serve’s Board of Directors. “We partner with the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office to support local children through our innovative mentoring programs.”

The Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com, the only tournament in the world featuring an ATP Champions Tour event and an ATP World Tour event in the same week at the same venue, is held in Delray Beach, Fla., on Feb. 15-24 at the Delray Beach Stadium & Tennis Center. First Serve and the Delray Beach Open have entered into a three-year partnership for this annual event.

“We are so proud to partner with First Serve and to help further its mission to mentor kids in the community,” said Mark Baron, founder of the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com. “By bringing First Serve to the Delray Beach Open, we hope to generate additional support and awareness for the organization in South Palm Beach County. We look forward to working with First Serve in the years to come.”

To purchase tickets or for more info go to www.firstserveusa.org.