NAPLES, Fla., March 16, 2008 – Todd Martin defeated John McEnroe 6-3, 6-1 Sunday to win the singles title at the $150,000 The Oliver Group Champions Cup – the opening event on the 2008 Outback Champions Series tennis circuit. Martin, who finished 2007 as the No. 1 ranked player on the Outback Champions Series, earned $50,000 for the victory and also gained 700 ranking points to make him the early leader in the 2008 Stanford Champions Rankings. McEnroe earned $32,000 and 600 ranking points with the runner-up showing.
The Naples title was Martin’s third Outback Champions Series tournament victory – all coming at the expense of McEnroe. Martin beat McEnroe in the final of the 2006 Champions Cup Boston as well as in the final of the 2007 International Tennis Hall of Fame Champions Cup in Newport, R.I.
“I felt I had an honorable first set and a half,” said McEnroe, 49, of the final. “I thought I was hitting the ball well but missed my chances. I also didn’t get a good handle on break points in the first set. When I miss a point that I feel I should get and don’t – that is frustrating. I had a few break points and missed them.”
McEnroe, playing in his final year of competitive tournament tennis, fell one match shy of his goal of winning his first Outback Champions Series event. Earlier this week, McEnroe said that 2008 would be his final year of competitive tournament tennis. “Definitely,” said McEnroe when asked if this was his final year. “I can’t keep on going just winning half of my matches.”
Said Martin of McEnroe and his contributions to tennis since he turned professional 30 years ago in 1978, “John has been very much the face of our sport. John is such an amazing talent. It is the difference between the type of talent of Michael Jordan had and Charles Barkley. Though Barkley was a great player, Jordan was so graceful and made everything happen. The way John played the game is so artistic and gifted. It is a joy to watch.”
Martin, 37, only advanced into the championship match by virtue of his straight-set win over Jim Courier on Saturday that enabled him to win a three-way tie breaker between himself, Courier and Aaron Krickstein – all three players finishing with 2-1 round robin records. Martin won the three-way tie-breaker by virtue of losing the least amount of sets between the three players in round-robin play. McEnroe finished round-robin play with a 3-0 record, beating Jimmy Arias, Mikael Pernfors and Magnus Larsson.
With his 700 ranking points earned during his week in Naples, Martin already has a leg up on defending his year-end No. 1 ranking that he earned last year on the Outback Champions Series. This year, however, the year-end No. 1 on the Stanford Champions Rankings will earn a $100,000 bonus. Martin said he liked the added element to the year-long competition.
“(The $100,000 bonus) is good incentive for the Outback Champions Series,” said Martin. “Last year I played five tournaments, which was more than I thought I was going to play, and this year I am planning on playing six tournaments.”
In Sunday’s third-place match, Courier defeated Pernfors 6-2, 6-2.
The Outback Champions Series is a collection of tennis events around the world featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. All Outback Champions Series events feature eight-man round-robin match formats with the winner of each four-player division meeting in the title match while second place finishers in each division meet in the third-place match. Each event features $150,000 in prize money with an undefeated winner taking home $54,000 as well as Stanford Champions ranking points that will determine the year-end champion and the winner of a $100,000 bonus. More information – including ticket information – is available by visiting www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com.
About The Outback Champions Series
Founded in 2005, the Outback Champions Series features eight events where champion tennis players continue to exercise their competitive instincts in tournament formats that feature prize money and Champions Series ranking points that determine a year-end No. 1 player on the Stanford Champions Rankings. To be eligible to compete on the Outback Champions Series, players must have either; reached a Grand Slam singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team. Each event also has the right to choose a “wild card” entrant.
About InsideOut Sports & Entertainment
InsideOut Sports & Entertainment is a New York City-based independent producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Outback Champions Series, a collection of tennis events featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including one-night “Legendary Night” exhibitions as well as corporate outings, charity events and tennis fantasy camps, including the annual Ultimate Fantasy Camp. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutSE.com or www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com.
About C & H Events
C & H Events, Inc. is a full-service event management and marketing company based in Boca Raton, Fla. Among the tennis events C & H Events manages in addition to The Oliver Group Champions Cup is Swingtime Benefiting the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation, Mardy’s Tennis and Jake’s Music Fest to benefit the Mardy Fish Foundation, the Bank of the West Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic and Couples Resorts Tennis Fantasy Camp. Please visit www.chevents.com for further details about C & H Events.
ROUND ROBIN GROUP A
John McEnroe 3-0
Mikael Pernfors 1-2
Magnus Larsson 1-2
Jimmy Arias 1-2
ROUND ROBIN GROUP B
Todd Martin 2-1
Jim Courier 2-1
Aaron Krickstein 2-1
Anders Jarryd 0-3
Wednesday Results
Todd Martin, United States, def. Anders Jarryd, Sweden, 7-6 (5), 6-3
Jim Courier, United States, def. Aaron Krickstein, United States, 6-1, 3-6, 10-6 (Champions Tie-Break)
Thursday Results
Mikael Pernfors, Sweden, def. Magnus Larsson, Sweden, 7-6 (8), 7-6 (5)
John McEnroe, United States, def. Jimmy Arias, United States, 7-6(4), 2-6, 10-6 (Champions Tie Break)
Friday Results
Magnus Larsson, Sweden, def. Jimmy Arias, United States, 6-4, 6-4
Aaron Krickstein, United States, def. Todd Martin, United States, 6-3, 6-7 (1), 10-3 (Champions Tie Break)
Jim Courier, United States, def. Anders Jarryd, Sweden, 6-2, 7-5
John McEnroe, United States, def. Mikael Pernfors, Sweden, 4-6, 6-3, 10-6 (Champions Tie Break)
Saturday Results
Aaron Krickstein, United States, def. Anders Jarryd, Sweden, 6-3, 6-4
Todd Martin, United States, def. Jim Courier, United States, 6-4, 6-4
Jimmy Arias, United States, def. Mikael Pernfors, Sweden, 2-6, 6-4, 13-11 (Champions Tie Break)
John McEnroe, United States, def. Magnus Larsson, Sweden, 6-3, 6-2
Sunday Results
Championship Match
Todd Martin, United States, def. John McEnroe, United States, 6-3, 6-1
Third Place Match
Jim Courier, United States, def. Mikael Pernfors, Sweden, 6-2, 6-2
