News

Carlsbad, Calif. — The 2011 Mercury Insurance Open Presented by Tri-City Medical Center, July 30 to Aug. 7 at the La Costa Resort and Spa, is looking for volunteers.

The women’s professional tennis tournament returned to Carlsbad in 2010 after a two-year hiatus and volunteers played a vital role before and during the event. Once again this year, volunteers are needed to fill a variety of positions during the tournament, including: Guest Services; Tickets and Gates; Ushers and Media Center. Local residents familiar with North County San Diego are also needed to serve as Tournament Transportation drivers. Training for each position will be provided.

“We are looking for energetic volunteers to help make this a successful event at the La Costa Resort and Spa this summer,” said Raquel Giscafre, Mercury Insurance Open tournament director. “Being a volunteer is a great way to become part of our team and to get involved in this fantastic community event.”

According to Giscafre, one of the common factors for successful professional tennis tournaments around the world is having a strong core of dedicated volunteers.

“Enthusiastic, committed volunteers are crucial to the success of an event like the Mercury Insurance Open,” Giscafre said. “We have been fortunate to have a great group of volunteers in the past and we hope to continue the tradition this year.”

Tournament volunteers should be at least 18 years of age and able to work a minimum of four shifts during the event. A shift is approximately five hours. Volunteers will receive a uniform consisting of a tournament shirt and sweatshirt. They will also receive one meal per shift.

“The volunteers who contribute their time and dedication to the tournament are invaluable,” said Gail De Weese, a Carlsbad resident who serves as the Mercury Insurance Open Director of Volunteers. “They are our lifeline.

“There are many benefits to being a volunteer at this event. You get to meet new people, spend the week at the beautiful La Costa Resort and Spa and you’ll get to see the world’s best tennis players battle for the Mercury Insurance Open title. “

Tennis experience or knowledge of tennis is not required to be a volunteer, only a desire to help fans, players and officials have a more enjoyable tournament experience.

Anyone interested in being a volunteer at the 2011 Mercury Insurance Open should fill out a volunteer application form, which is available under the “Get Involved” tab, Volunteer Information at mercuryinsuranceopen.com. For more information, call (760) 930-7031.

The Mercury Insurance Open, a Premier 700 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) event offering $721,000 in prize money, will feature a 56-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw in 2011. The women’s professional tennis event returned to the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad in 2010 after a two-year hiatus. Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova won the singles title last summer when she defeated Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the final. The tournament will be televised on the Tennis Channel and ESPN 2.

The Mercury Insurance Open is a participating tournament in the Olympus US Open Series. The US Open Series, now in its eighth year, is a six-week summer tennis season that links 10 ATP World Tour and WTA tournaments together. The series leads into the US Open. The Mercury Insurance Open is the second women’s event within the series. For additional information about the Mercury Insurance Open, log onto mercuryinsuranceopen.com/, join us on Facebook (facebook.com/SDTennis) or follow frequent updates on Twitter (twitter.com/MercuryInsOpen).

About Mercury Insurance

Mercury Insurance (MCY) is a multiple-line insurance organization predominantly offering personal automobile and homeowners insurance through a network of independent agents and brokers in California, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, Arizona, New York, Georgia, Oklahoma, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Founded in 1962, Mercury specializes in providing quality insurance at affordable prices – core values that distinguish Mercury in the marketplace. For more information about Mercury Insurance, visit mercuryinsurance.com.

About Tri-City Medical Center

Founded in 1957 to serve the healthcare needs of coastal North San Diego County, Tri-City Medical Center is a full-service, acute care hospital with (500) physicians practicing in 60 specialties. The Medical Center is administered by the Tri-City Healthcare District, which includes most of Carlsbad, Oceanside and Vista. For more information about Tri-City Medical Center, please visit tricitymed.org.

About Octagon Tennis

Octagon’s history and tradition in tennis dates back nearly 40 years. Octagon has played an important role in the globalization of professional tennis. Our long-standing reputation for integrity is the foundation of our leadership position in the industry. Our mission is to serve as the pre-eminent management and marketing agency worldwide for the representation of tennis players. For more information, visit octagontennis.com.