NEWPORT, RI – The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and InsideOut Sports & Entertainment today announced that 1996 Wimbledon finalist Mal Washington, Swedish Davis Cup star Magnus Larsson and 1994 US Open semifinalist Karel Novacek will complete the eight-player field at the Hall of Fame Champions Cup to be played August 13-17 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.
The Hall of Fame Champions Cup is the fourth of eight events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series circuit, the global tennis circuit for champion tennis players age 30 and over. Also in the field are three-time Wimbledon champion and Hall of Famer John McEnroe, two-time French and Australian Open champion and Hall of Famer Jim Courier, 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, 1996 French Open finalist Mikael Pernfors and 1992 Olympic silver medalist Wayne Ferreira. Former world No. 1 Mats Wilander withdrew from the event due to personal reasons.
Tickets for the event can be purchased by calling 866-914-FAME or at www.tennisfame.com. The tournament pairings and schedule of play was also announced with play beginning at noon on all five days of the tournament. The full schedule is as follows;
SCHEDULE FOR THE HALL OF FAME CHAMPIONS CUP
Wednesday, August 13
Beginning at Noon
Wayne Ferreira vs. Magnus Larsson
Followed by
Mikael Pernfors vs. Jim Courier
Followed by
Pat Cash vs. Karel Novacek
Thursday, August 14
Beginning at Noon
Wayne Ferreira vs. Mikael Pernfors
Followed by
Mal Washington vs. John McEnroe
Followed by
Jim Courier vs. Magnus Larsson
Friday, August 15
Beginning at Noon
Magnus Larsson vs. Mikael Pernfors
Followed by
Karel Novacek vs. John McEnroe
Followed by
Pat Cash vs. Mal Washington
Saturday, August 16
Beginning at Noon
Karel Novacek vs. Mal Washington
Followed by
Pat Cash vs. John McEnroe
Followed by
Jim Courier vs. Wayne Ferreira
Sunday, August 17
Beginning at Noon
Third Place Match
Followed by
Championship Match
Washington, 39, was a singles finalist at Wimbledon in 1996, where he lost to Richard Krajicek after coming back from 1-5 deficit in the fifth set against Todd Martin in the semifinals. In 1993, Washington became the second African-American man after Arthur Ashe to play for the U.S. Davis Cup team and in 1996, he was the first African-American man to play on the U.S. Olympic Team. Washington won four singles titles in his ATP career, including the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships in Charlotte in 1992.
Larsson, 38, has reached two singles finals on the Outback Champions Series, winning in Memphis in 2006 and reaching the final of Houston in 2006, losing to Ferreira in the final. Ranked a career-high of No. 10 in the world in 1995, Larsson led Sweden to Davis Cup titles in 1994 and 1997, guiding his country past the United States in the 1994 semifinals and the 1997 final. Larsson was also a semifinalist at the French Open in 1993 and was a doubles finalist at Roland Garros in 1995.
Novacek, 43, posted the most significant results of his career at the US Open, where he reached the singles semifinals in 1994, losing to Michael Stich, and in doubles with Martin Damm, reached the doubles final in 1993, losing to Ken Flach and Robert Seguso. A winner of 13 career ATP singles titles and a stalwart on the Czech Davis Cup team, Novacek also reached the quarterfinals of the French Open in 1987 and 1994. Ranked as high as No. 8 in the world, Novacek will be making his Outback Champions Series debut in Newport.
Founded in 2005, the Outback Champions Series features some of the biggest names in tennis over the last 25 years, including Pete Sampras, McEnroe, Courier and others. The Outback Championship Series features eight events on its 2008 schedule, with its next event being the Hall of Fame Champions Cup in Newport, R.I., August 13-17. Each event features an eight-man round-robin match format 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 Outback Champions Series points that will determine the year-end Stanford Champions Rankings No. 1. Beginning in 2008, the year-end champion will receive a $100,000 bonus courtesy of Stanford Financial Group, the official rankings sponsor of the Outback Champions Series. Through the first three events in 2008, McEnroe and Courier are tied for the No. 1 position with 1600 points each. Wayne Ferreira is in third position with 950 points, followed by Aaron Krickstein and Todd Martin in fourth place with 900 points each.
The 2008 Outback Champions Series kicked off March 12-16 in Naples, Fla.., at The Oliver Group Champions Cup where Todd Martin defeated McEnroe in the final. Courier won the second event of the season at The Residences at The Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman Legends Championships April 16-20, defeating Ferreira in the final, while McEnroe won his first career Outback Champions Series event in Boston April 30- May 4, defeating Aaron Krickstein in the final. The next five events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series calendar are stops in Newport, R.I., Charlotte, N.C., Dallas, Texas, Surprise, Arizona and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. More information can be obtained by visiting www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, established in 1954, is a non-profit institution dedicated to preserving the history of tennis, inspiring and encouraging junior tennis development, enshrining tennis heroes and heroines, and providing a landmark for tennis enthusiasts worldwide. It was recognized as the sport’s official Hall of Fame in 1986 by the International Tennis Federation, the governing body of tennis. The International Tennis Hall of Fame’s legendary grass courts remain the only competition grass courts available for professional events and exhibitions, while also available for public play. For more information about the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, events and programs, please call 401-849-3990 or log on to www.tennisfame.com.
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 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
