With a past champions list that reads like a page out of the Davis and Federation Cups, the ninth annual USTA Waikoloa Challenger starts serving it up tomorrow at the Kohala Tennis Garden on the Big Island. Finals of the $50,000 women's and men's events will be Jan. 27.

Andy Roddick and James Blake won here in 2001 and 2002, and Roddick still trains at Waikoloa in the winter. Michael Russell, who lost to Blake yesterday at the Australian Open, will defend his men's title this year. Russell is ranked 82nd in the world. Canadian Frank Dancevic, the 2006 champion, is also back and ranked 72nd.

American Vince Spadea (No. 77) and German Benjamin Becker (84), who beat Andre Agassi at the 2006 U.S. Open, are on the men's entry list, but Spadea's presence is in doubt because of success Down Under. He was down two sets and 1-4 to 30th-ranked Radek Stepanek in the first round before rallying for the upset and his 300th career victory. Spadea went the distance again in the second round, winning 9-7 in the fifth over Denis Gremelmayr, who will play here.

American Ashley Harkleroad is the top-ranked player in the women's draw at No. 67. Two-time Waikoloa champion Melinda Czink, from Hungary, is back along with former champions Maria-Eve Pelletier and Lilia Osterloh. American Julie Ditty, ranked 101st in the world, will be playing for her 31st USTA Pro Circuit title, after setting the circuit record with her 30th in October.

'Aiea's Dennis Lajola received a wild card into the main draw, along with Robby Ginepri — who has been ranked as high as 15th — Scoville Jenkins and Rajeev Ram.

The 30 members of the Hilton Grand Vacations Club Kohala Youth Tennis Academy will face the pros in a round-robin exhibition tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. The kids will then work as ball girls and boys. The Academy started in September, offering a free series of eight two-hour lessons to 12 kids chosen based on an essay illustrating their desire to participate. They were outfitted and learned basic skills. New kids have been added since.

The $15,000 Waikoloa and Honolulu Futures tournaments are on the USTA schedule for a November return.

LAM IN DOUBLES FINAL

Hawai'i's Chris Lam and partner Chris Wettengel reached the doubles final of the $10,000 Extreme Tennis Academy Futures yesterday in North Miami Beach, Fla., defeating Devin Britton and Gastao Elias, 6-4, 7-6 (5).

Lam and Wettengel will play Israel's Amit Inbar and India's Rupesh Roy today for the championship. Inbar and Roy upset the third-seeded team of Andrey Kumantsov and Daniel Yoo.

Lam is seeking the second title of his pro career.