The Arizona Tennis Classic is returning to the Valley in March.

The tournament is entering its fourth year and second as a premium ATP Challenger 175, the highest tier of tournament on the ATP Challenger Tour. The elite category boasts only a handful of events worldwide, and the Arizona Tennis Classic is the only one in North America. It will feature a Challenger Tour record $225,000 in total prize money.

The event takes place March 11-17 at the historic Phoenix Country Club, 2901 N. 7th St., and will showcase players ranked in the world’s top 50 along with young talent.

The inaugural champion, and 2021 Wimbledon finalist, Matteo Berrettini of Italy, as well as the 2022 French Open and U.S. Open finalist, Casper Ruud, from Norway, competed in the 2019 event. Last year’s tournament brought together a field that included Berrettini and former top 10 players David Goffin of Belgium, Gael Monfils from France, and Diego Schwartzman of Argentina.

“Proceeds from the event will benefit Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Serve the Future, which assists youth from underserved local communities through the sport of tennis, making this not only a fantastic event, but also an opportunity to make a positive impact on our community,” Jonathan Levine, Arizona Tennis Classic founder, shared in a press release.

Established in 1978, the ATP Challenger Tour has become a significant part of the tennis landscape with tournaments held worldwide each year. The Tour has helped launch the careers of the tennis’ most accomplished stars including Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray.

The Arizona Tennis Classic is presented by Arizona Tennis Charities. Each year more than 300 volunteers help make this annual tournament a success and generate much needed support for local charities. Visit arizonatennisclassic.com/volunteer.html to become a volunteer or part of the ball crew.

Visit arizonatennisclassic.com for more info about the Classic.

The Arizona Tennis Classic takes place March 11-17 in Phoenix.

(Photo provided by Arizona Tennis Classic)