It’s time to make some racket.

The Little Rock Open officially returns to the Rebsamen Tennis Center next weekend, kicking off eight days of action-packed tennis that benefits the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Bone Marrow Transplant Program.

Held May 28 - June 4, the Little Rock Open brings up-and-coming professional players ranked globally from 100-300 to Little Rock, all competing for places in Grand Slam competitions. This year marks the first year for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to host the tournament, which had previously been hosted by Baptist Health, and admission to all matches for the week is free to the public.

One of the few professional sporting events in Arkansas, this tournament is part of the Association of Tennis Professionals Challenger Tour and is a United States Tennis Association Men’s Pro Circuit event.

“We are once again happy to welcome some of the best tennis players in the world to Little Rock,” said Chip Stearns, director of the UAMS Health Little Rock Open tournament and director of Rebsamen Tennis Center. “Central Arkansas has been phenomenally supportive of tennis through the years, so we feel the Little Rock Open is a time to celebrate our love for the sport. This year is also special as we welcome UAMS Health to the tennis community, and we are certainly thankful for their support.”

In addition to the tournament, the Rebsamen Tennis Center will host children from the Boys and Girls Club of Arkansas on May 31 for a tennis enrichment session where each child will learn techniques and rules and receive a free racket. There will also be an International Day of Families tennis clinic June 1 at 5 p.m. No registration is required and the clinic is free to everyone.

For more information, visit the Little Rock Open website and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.