TEMPLETON, September 25, 2026 (by Steve Pratt)

Youth beat experience at the recent US Open as two Southern Californians battled it out on the world’s grandest tennis stage. Carlsbad’s Julieta Pareja, just 17, beat defending Central Coast Tennis Classic singles champion Kayla Day from Santa Barbara in the first round of qualifying in New York City, 6-3, 6-1.

It was a matchup against two former world No.1 junior players and CCTC alums. Both Pareja and Day will be returning to action next week in the eighth annual ITF World Tennis Tour event taking place at the Templeton Tennis Ranch, with an increased prize money of $100,000 and 100 valuable WTA ranking points at stake for the winner.

There are only two other players younger than Pareja ranked as high in the world as Pareja currently sits at No. 261 in the world. In June, 2024, Pareja, just 15, won her first ITF World Tennis Tour pro title at the W15 SoCal Pro Series event in Rancho Santa Fe. In 2025, she advanced to the semifinals in her pro debut at the WTA 250 Colombia event, becoming the youngest WTA Tour semifinalist since Coco Gauff in 2019. Later that year, Pareja reached the finals of both the girls’ junior singles and doubles at Wimbledon.

Once again, the exciting tennis action will also be contested under the lights with a featured match each evening starting Tuesday at 6 p.m. The rest of the schedule includes:

High School Tennis Day – Wednesday, Sept. 30, 4 pm, Local high school players will have a chance to drill and hit with the pros.
Member Day – Thursday, Oct. 1, 8:30 am, Cardio Tennis/Cardio Triples with the pros. Free/members, $20/non-members.
Coaches Day – Friday, Oct. 2, 4 pm USTA Coaches Clinic.
Semifinals – Saturday, Oct. 3, 9 am Kids Play Day with pros; 11 am Opening Ceremonies, followed by Doubles Championship and singles semifinals.
Finals – Sunday, Oct. 4, 11 am, singles final.

“We are so proud to once again bring amazing world-class international women’s tennis action to the Central Coast,” said Ralph Goehring, Templeton Tennis Ranch Owner. “The Central Coast Tennis Classic helps to inspire our young juniors and connects the next generation of players with the highest levels of the sport. We also get a chance to showcase all that our area in Templeton, Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo County offers to visiting players, coaches and fans.”

The ITF World Tennis Tour and USTA Pro Circuit Central Coast Tennis Classic is brought to you once again by Central Coast Home Health. The event has increased the prize money to $100,000 and boasts a strong entry list of WTA women’s players ranked from No. 85 to around No. 275 in the world. Central Coast Home Health and Hospice returns as a major sponsor. Serving San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, Central Coast Home Health and Hospice provides physician-directed nursing, rehabilitation, and hospice, delivering skilled home care in the comfort of your own home.

German Tatjana Maria is expected to be the top-seeded player. Day is next on the entry list at No. 118 in the world. Last year, Day won her seventh career ITF singles title, beating Canada’s Kayla Cross in the Central Coast Tennis Classic final. Cross is also back this year and expected to be among the eight seeded players. Right behind Day on the entry list is American Mary Stoiana, also among the world’s top 125 women’s players.

The singles winner in Templeton in 2022, 36-year-old Madison Brengle from Dover, Del., returns. Brengle has won two singles titles and one doubles title on the WTA Tour, and 19 singles and seven doubles titles on the ITF World Tennis Tour.

The event is open to the public; tickets start at $15 and are available at: www.centralcoasttennisclassic.com, where you can also find news and updates on the tournament.