Ben Press Legendary Tennis Coach To Be Honored At The San Diego ATP Tourney

SAN DIEGO OPEN ATP 250 TO HOST GREATER SAN DIEGO CITY
TENNIS COUNCIL NIGHT THIS EVENING AT BARNES TENNIS CENTER

San Diego Tennis Great and Coaching Legend Ben Press will be honored posthumously along with current board members of the Greater San Diego City Tennis Council this evening at the San Diego Open ATP 250 at Barnes Tennis Center.

The Greater San Diego City Tennis Council is a 501c3 non-profit organization co-founded by Press over 20 years ago with fellow San Diego Tennis Hall of Famer Col. Bill Stack.  The Tennis Council has renovated nearly 300 courts at 60 tennis facilities in San Diego County during its history, including the two clay tennis courts at the Barnes Tennis Center.

The ceremony will take place on Barnes Stadium Court following the first evening session match, which begins at 5:30 p.m. (PDT), and will include members of the Ben Press’ Family. 

Additionally, San Diego tennis coaching legend Wilbur Folsom who taught Press, Maureen Connolly and over a dozen other national tennis champions, will also be acknowledged for his role in putting San Diego on the world tennis map.

For ticket information for the San Diego Open evening session, click here.
For additional information on the Greater San Diego City Tennis Council click here.

About Barnes Tennis Center – The Center is owned and operated by Youth Tennis San Diego. It was built in 1995 and completed in 1997.  This 4.5 million dollar facility was made possible with generous public and private donations. The Center is named after our lead donor family – the “George E. Barnes Family Junior Tennis Center.” The Center is dedicated to the youth of San Diego. Children 18 and under have court priority over adults with advanced reservations! The capital campaign was spearheaded by Dr. Homer Peabody Jr. Youth Tennis San Diego gratefully acknowledges Dr. Peabody’s tremendous contribution to make our dream a reality.

Barnes Tennis Center serves as one of San Diego’s finest jewels, and is a model for several communities throughout the Nation. The Center is the home of Youth Tennis San Diego offices, all Youth Tennis San Diego junior tournaments, Barnes Center tennis programs, After School Tennis special events, adult programs, corporate programs, a library and educational programs.  Adults are welcome.  Players pay a small usage fee. For additional information, please visit www.barnestenniscenter.com.’

Ben Press — (2011 Photo) that’s Ben in the long black track pants. White shirt with blue stripe. We visited with Ben more than a few times. He loved tennis • it was part of him. I remember once him being asked or introduced as a former teaching pro. He got so mad and said I’m always a coach. I was always a coach. I’ll always be a coach. What a swell guy. Great to see him being honored.