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In a move expected to significantly increase opportunities for developing American tennis players, Oracle, the computer technology company, intends to create and fund a large circuit of lower-tier professional tournaments in the United States.
The circuit, which will be called the Oracle Pro Series and begin in full next year, will comprise approximately 25 new women’s tournaments and 25 new men’s tournaments.
Most will be staged as combined events, many of them on college campuses. Prize money is expected to range from $25,000 to $108,000 per tournament. All of the tournaments will provide ATP or WTA ranking points, which are critical to players attempting to make the leap to the main tours.