ASHLAND — Two weeks after the U.S. Open, Tri-State area residents can watch world-class tennis in their own backyard.

The USTA Pro Circuit returns to the Ashland Tennis Center this week for the fifth annual Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital Tennis Classic.

Qualifying matches are scheduled for today and Monday to fill the final spots in the main draw. The $50,000-level tournament opens Tuesday and continues through Sunday.

Ashland 13-year-old Kennedy Womack hopes to be playing in similar tournaments in the future and is excited about having the event back in her hometown.

“It’s really exciting,’’ said Womack, who is ranked No. 1 in the Kentucky 14-under age group. “It’s nice to be able to watch these players and see what I should be working for. I think it motivates all of us juniors to work a little bit harder to get to that level.’’

Womack got a thrill Saturday. She met and spent time with U.S. pro player Alexandra Stevenson, a semifinalist in last year’s OLBH Tennis Classic.

“She hit a little bit with me and even allowed me to follow her through her workout routine at Russell High School’s track,’’ Womack said. “This is the sort of thing that makes our pro tournament so special.’’

Womack, an eighth-grader, said she was surprised and honored that a player of Stevenson’s caliber and experience would share time with her.

“Alexandra is awesome and really someone I can look up to,’’ Womack said. “She gave me lots of advice both on my game and future.’’

Womack, a fan of local product Julie Ditty, will again help out as a ball kid during the tournament.

Ditty is seeded No. 1 in singles and will enter with momentum after a big week in Albuquerque at the $75,000 ColemanVision Tennis Championships.

Ditty advanced to today's singles final with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Anna Tatishvili. Ditty played in the doubles title match later Saturday.

Most of the Albuquerque tournament field will be in Ashland.

Last year’s runner-up, Varvara Lepchenko, is another of several contenders for the championship.

The 22-year-old Lepchenko, currently ranked 157th, is an Uzbekistan native who has been living in the United States since 2001 after receiving political asylum.

Lepchenko advanced to the quarterfinals in Albuqerque before losing to top-seeded Rosana De Los Rios of Paraguay.

De Los Rios has the highest current ranking in the Ashland field at No. 95, followed by Mariana Duque-Marino of Colombia at 108 and Ditty (116).

Jacqueline Cako, a 17-year-old from Brier, Wash., won a local Wild Card Tournament last weekend to earn a spot in the main draw.

Additionally, the USTA awarded main draw wild cards to Mallory Cecil, Shenay Perry and Alison Riske.

Seven of the top 15 ranked U.S. players are entered this week, led by Ditty who was a doubles champion here in 2006 with partner Milagros Sequera.

Overall, the 2008 USTA Pro Circuit schedule includes more than 90 men’s and women’s tournaments ranging in prize money from $10,000 to $100,000.

The caliber of play at a $50,000 women’s challenger is close to that of the WTA Tour. Several of the top players in Ashland this week have experience in tour-level events.

ROCKY STANLEY can be reached at rstanley@dailyindependent.com or (606) 329-2671.