Nancy Ferguson's first full day in the United States was a memorable one.

The 17-year-old from Darwin, Australia, arrived at Harrisburg International Airport from Melbourne Wednesday night, rushed to Hempfield Sports Complex for a Thursday morning news conference where, she was asked, among other things, whether she had seen any Amish. ("Any what?" she responded.) After working out at the gym, she headed to the outlets to do what teenagers the world over love to do: Shop. All in a day's work for a rookie on the pro tennis circuit.

Ferguson is one of 64 women vying for eight spots in the main draw of the inaugural Koser Jewelers Pro Circuit $10,000 Challenge at Hempfield Sports Complex. The event, which begins Sunday, is one of 94 pro events operated by the U.S. Tennis Association throughout the year. The tournaments range from $10,000 to $100,000. Players earn points and prize money as they climb the ladder to compete in the grand slams and attempt to become fixtures on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.

Joining Ferguson at Thursday's news conference were Lancaster County native Lauren Zink, a two-time PIAA state champion from Lancaster Catholic and four-time All-American at William & Mary, and Ashlee Brown, another Aussie and member of the Arizona State tennis team. Brown is a longtime friend of Ferguson and is shepherding her through the first few Pro Circuit events this summer.

"It's her first trip to America," Brown, who made her Pro Circuit debut last year, said. "I'm here for her."

Brown, one of the stalwarts on an ASU team that reached the regional finals of the NCAA team competition, also will play in the tournament.

Zink, 31, is the matriarch of a tournament brimming with teenagers and twenty-somethings. She competed for several years on the USTA Pro Circuit, reaching a top 600 world ranking before marrying Bent Creek teaching pro and Franklin & Marshall College coach George Zink. The couple have three children, ages 3 to 7.

She received a wild card into the event. This will be her first pro event since earning a wild card into qualifying at the $25,000 Mecco Cup tournament in Allentown two years ago.

"I'm striking the ball pretty well," Zink said prior to a brief warm-up with Ferguson. "That comes back pretty quickly."

Her biggest concern is her fitness. To prepare for the possibility of playing five matches in as many days, plus doubles, she has been working with local fitness coach Russ MacDonald.

Among those admitted to the main draw are Great Britain's Anna Fitzpatrick, 19, No. 332 in the world; Philadelphia area native Alexandra Mueller, 20, ranked 26th in the U.S. and No. 347 in the world; and Shikha Uberoi, 25, No. 894, a native of India who grew up in Princeton and played Middle States junior tournaments. Uberoi reached No. 122 in the world in 2004, the same year she lost in the second round of the U.S. Open to Venus Williams. The youngest players in the field are 15-year-olds Nicole Gibbs of Los Angeles and Sloane Stephens of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Hempfield tennis director Wilson Pipkin, who is serving as tournament director, has been working for several years to bring a Pro Circuit event to Hempfield.

"We have 52 teams competing (in USTA leagues) at Hempfield," he said. "That shows the strength of interest in tennis here. The tournament shows another level of tennis not just to local players but to the community."

Qualifying matches begin at 9 a.m. Sunday and Monday with the main draw matches beginning Tuesday at the same time. Evening matches will be featured Wednesday through Friday starting at 5:30 p.m. Saturday's semifinals will be played in the recently refurbished stadium court beginning at 10 a.m. and Sunday's singles final begins at noon followed by the doubles final.

The tournament coincides with Hempfield's annual wheelchair tennis tournament, featuring some of the top wheelchair tennis players from the East. The wheelchair final will precede the women's singles final Sunday.

Following the women's singles and doubles Sunday, Hempfield will host a tennis block party where the public can win prizes and have their serves measured by radar gun.

The week-long tournament is free and open to the public.

E-mail: ecornelius@lnpnews.com