NATCHEZ — Tennis players of all ability levels will flock to Natchez from all over the Southeast June 1 to serve and volley for a good cause.

The 33rd annual Natchez Community Cancer Tennis Tournament will be June 1-3. Duncan Park, Beau Pré and Trinity Episcopal will host the matches for the event that benefits the Natchez tennis community and the children at Pleasant Acre Day School.

“(The tournament) is a benefit the Cancer Society in Natchez does to donate for Camp Sunshine for kids to go camp, and the other part is used for our tennis facility and programs,” Co-Chairman of the tournament Noreen Pyron said.

Pyron said the tournament is always a big event each summer.

“It’s real important,” she said. “We get players from Louisiana, Alabama, Atlanta, Nashville and all over. Everybody loves to come to Natchez, and it’s good competition and also a fun weekend.”

Pyron said many people skip the tennis and come for the social gatherings each night after play is completed.

Wednesday is the final day for entry into the tournament, and matches begin in the afternoon on June 1.

Women’s doubles will begin at 3 p.m., men’s doubles will begin at 4:30 p.m. and mixed doubles will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Registration is $30 per person per event and an extra $10 for a guest. For those that wish to just enjoy the party, tickets are $25 per couple.

Pyron said she is hoping the weather is more forgiving this year than it was for last year’s event.

“Last year the whole weekend was 100 degrees, and we had a bad hail storm Friday night,” she said. “We were all stuck out there. We can get through and take the heat, if we don’t have the rain.”

Pyron said the loyalty of their sponsors makes it possible for the group to put the tournament on every year for the past three decades.

For more information on the tournament, call 601-446-6677 or 601-446-1340.