Bjorn Borg and Roger Federer will team up on the same side of the court for the first time as part of a special event on the BlackRock Tour of Champions in Macao, China, November 20, 2008.
The pair, who have both won five consecutive Wimbledon singles titles in their respective careers, will take on John McEnroe and either Rafael Nadal or James Blake in a doubles match at The Venetian® Macao Tennis Showdown 2008.
The result of the Davis Cup Semi-Final match between Spain and the United States in September will determine whether it is Nadal or Blake who plays in the event. Whomever loses in the Davis Cup will play in Macao.
The event at The Venetian® Macao-Resort-Hotel will start with a one-set showdown between Borg and McEnroe, followed by a best-of-three-set clash between Federer and Nadal/Blake. It will climax with Federer and Borg against McEnroe and Nadal/Blake in a ten-point doubles Tie-Break.
Katherine Cheung, Managing Director and Head of Regional Marketing for Asia, BlackRock said: “The BlackRock Tour of Champions gives tennis fans another opportunity to see some of the world’s greatest tennis legends in action. With tournaments taking place across so many countries in which BlackRock operates, we are delighted at the ongoing global expansion of the Tour of Champions and look forward to welcoming the players in Macao in November.”
BlackRock is the global title sponsor of the ATP Tour of Champions. The BlackRock Tour of Champions is a year long Tour that makes its way across Europe and the world and pits past tennis Champions against each other in order to earn ranking points. In order to play in a BlackRock Tour of Champions event, the player must no longer be active on the ATP Tour and have either been ranked number one in the world, a singles finalist in a Grand Slam Championship or a singles player on a winning Davis Cup team.
The BlackRock Tour of Champions Calendar 2008
Belfast, Northern Ireland – February 21-24 (Tennis Legends) – Champions: Anders Jarryd; Runner-up: Mikael Pernfors
Barcelona, Spain – April 24-27 (Champions Cup ’08) – Champion: Marcelo Rios; runner-up: Michael Stich
Rome, Italy – May 10-11 – Champion: Thomas Muster; runner-up: Goran Ivanisevic
Hamburg, Germany – May 14-17 (BlackRock Tennis Classic)
Champion: Michael Stich; Runner-up: Marc-Kevin Goellner
Sao Paulo, Brazil – June 19-22 (Nossa Caixa Grand Champions Brasil)
Champion: Pete Sampras; Runner-up: Marcelo Rios
Istanbul, Turkey – July 17-20
Champion: Goran Ivanisevic; Runner-up: Fernando Meligeni
Graz, Austria – July 29-August 2 (s Tennis Masters)
Algarve, Portugal – August 5-8 (Vale do Lobo Grand Champions CGD)
Paris, France – September 18-21 (5e Trophée Jean-Luc Lagardère)
Luxembourg, Luxembourg – September 25-28
Eindhoven, Netherlands – October 2-5 (AFAS Tennis Classics)
Budapest, Hungary – October 9-12
Frankfurt, Germany – November 13-16 (klarmobil.de Champions Trophy)
Macao, China – November 20 (The Venetian® Macao Tennis
Showdown 2008)
London, UK – December 2-7 (BlackRock Masters Tennis)
OTHER INFO
About BlackRock
BlackRock is one of the world’s largest publicly traded investment management firms. At June 30, 2008, BlackRock’s AUM was $1.428 trillion. The firm manages assets on behalf of institutions and individuals worldwide through a variety of equity, fixed income, cash management and alternative investment products. In addition, a growing number of institutional investors use BlackRock Solutions investment system, risk management and financial advisory services. Headquartered in New York City, as of June 30, 2008, the firm has approximately 5,700 employees in 19 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including the U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. For additional information, please visit the Company’s website at www.blackrock.com.
South Africa’s international flagship airline and the continent’s most awarded carrier, South African Airways is the official airline of the BlackRock Tour of Champions. Its modern fleet features a comfortable Economy Class cabin recently reconfigured for extra legroom and a Premium Business Class cabin featuring the airline’s award-winning, lie-flat seat. Complimentary South African wines, inspired cuisine and personal on-demand entertainment for all travellers make the trip to Africa fly by. Built on a venerable 72-year history of bringing the world to Africa and taking Africa to the world, the airline’s network is unsurpassed on the continent – connecting travellers to more than 20 destinations within South Africa and more than 20 cities across Africa. As a recent member to the worldwide Star Alliance, South African Airways is now able to offer its customers 852 destinations in 152 countries and more than 15,500 flights daily.
For the Latest News, Features and Updates from the BlackRock Tour of Champions: www.blackrocktourofchampions.com
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