Men’s Night Doubles In Kailua

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In the summer of 1970, President Richard Nixon lowered the voting age to 18, United States troops were withdrawn from Cambodia and the Isle of Wight Music Festival drew 600,000 people to see the Doors, The Who, Jimi Hendrix and Richie Havens.

On the local front, the Kailua Racquet Club held its first Mens’ Night Doubles tournament.

Forty years later, the tour-ney - known now as the Blue Moon Men’s Night Doubles - remains in a class by itself. That’s certainly true when it comes to the interest level. A tournament-best crowd of better than 7,000 attended last year, and the club is preparing for as many this time around. As always, the price is also right: admission is free.

More than 50 teams will compete for $7,000 in prize money July 25-Aug. 7 at the club, located at 629 Oneawa St.

In recent years, it has showcased players with college ties to Hawaii and that figures to be the case again this summer. Former UH men’s player Dennis Lajola and Rainbow Warrior assistant coach Ikaika Jobe took the 2009 tourney with a riveting three-set win over Mikael Maatta and Jan Axel Tribler. Lajola, a two-time all-conference player at UH, and Jobe, a Punahou graduate and former Boise State standout, staved off their counterparts 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) to claim the 39th edition of the tournament.

The men’s doubles championships also are known for being “fan-friendly.” In addition to the idyllic setting, attention to detail has made the event akin to a professional event, with gift giveaways and music during intermissions, and shorter breaks. Spectators are right on top of the action or, as club general manager Bruce Nagel likes to say, “You sit closer to the action than the ball kids at Wimbledon.”

This year players will compete on the recently renovated center court, which has a playing surface similar to the DecoTurf (acrylic, rubber, silica on top of an asphalt or concrete base) courts used at both the U.S. and Australian Open tournaments. The surface was subsidized by the late Tom Bowman, a former club member.

In addition to primary sponsor Blue Moon Brewing Co., major sponsors are Hawaiian Airlines, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts and the United States Tennis Association (Hawaii Pacific Section).

Qualifying rounds run July 25-30 with two nightly matches, beginning at 6 and 7:15. From Aug. 1 to 7, the top eight qualifying teams then move on to meet the eight seeded teams in bracketed play. For more information, call 944-7608.