NEW YORK, September 23, 2008 – InsideOut Sports & Entertainment today announced that Sweden’s Thomas Enqvist and the Czech Republic’s Karel Novacek will be added to the field at the 2008 Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades, to be held September 24-28 at the Tim Wilkison Signature Tennis and Sports Complex at The Palisades Country Club in Charlotte, N.C. Enqvist and Novacek replace Mark Philippoussis and Mikael Pernfors, who are both unable to compete due to injuries. Philippoussis is still not recovered sufficiently enough from knee surgery earlier this year to compete while Pernfors injured his Achilles heel competing in Paris last week.
Enqvist, who was a finalist at the 1999 Australian Open, and Novacek, a semifinalist at the US Open in 1994, join the field of players that includes Jim Courier, Todd Martin, Goran Ivanisevic and Wayne Ferreira.
“I am very happy and exited to play in my first Outback Champions series event,” said Enqvist. “I have heard that Charlotte is one of the nicest cities on the tour and I’m really looking forward to competing against some of my great friends and rivals once again.” Said Novacek, “I am thrilled to come to Charlotte and am looking forward to once again playing on the Outback Champions Series against some of the all-time great players such as Jim Courier, Goran Ivanisevic, Todd Martin and Wayne Ferreira.”
The Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades is the fifth of eight events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series, the global tennis circuit for champion tennis players age 30 and over. Tickets for the event can be purchased by calling 877-332-TIXX (8499) or visiting www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com.
Enqvist, 34, achieved a career-high ranking of No. 4 in 1999, the same year he reached the final at the Australian Open, where he lost to Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia. Enqvist won 19 career ATP singles titles during his career and contributed to Sweden winning Davis Cup titles in 1997 and 1998.
Novacek, 43, achieved a career high ranking of No. 8 in the world and 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, he reached the doubles final in 1993, losing to Ken Flach and Robert Seguso. He won 13 career ATP singles titles.
Philippoussis, a former Wimbledon and U.S. Open finalist from Australia, was hoping to launch his comeback to professional tennis in Charlotte, but due to a delay in his recovery from knee surgery, he will not be able to compete. He will, however, play in next scheduled Outback Champions Series event, The Stanford Championships, to be held October 22-26 in Dallas.
“I am disappointed that I am not quite ready to compete in Charlotte,” said Philippoussis. “My doctor tells me I will be ready to go for the Stanford Championships in Dallas next month and I can’t wait to step on the court there.”
The revised schedule for The Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades is as follows;
SCHEDULE FOR 2008 THE CITADEL GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE PALISADES
Wednesday, September 24
Beginning at 6:30 pm
Todd Martin vs. Karel Novacek
Followed by
Goran Ivanisevic vs. Aaron Krickstein
Thursday, September 25
Beginning at 6:30 pm
Jim Courier vs. Jimmy Arias
Followed by
Thomas Enqvist vs. Wayne Ferreira
Friday, September 26
Beginning at 1:30 pm
Wayne Ferreira vs. Karel Novacek
Followed by
Goran Ivanisevic vs. Jimmy Arias
Beginning at 6:30 pm
Todd Martin vs. Thomas Enqvist
Followed by
Jim Courier vs. Aaron Krickstein
Saturday, September 27
Beginning at 1:30 pm
Thomas Enqvist vs. Karel Novacek
Followed by
Anna Kournikova and Tim Wilkison vs. Chanda Rubin and Jimmy Arias
Followed by
Todd Martin vs. Wayne Ferreira
Beginning at 6:30 pm
Jimmy Arias vs. Aaron Krickstein
Followed by
Anna Kournikova and Karel Novacek vs. Chanda Rubin and Tim Wilkison
Followed by
Jim Courier vs. Goran Ivanisevic
Sunday, September 28
Beginning at 2:30 pm
Third-Place Match
Followed by
Championship Match
Founded in 2005, the Outback Champions Series features some of the biggest names in tennis over the last 25 years, including Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Courier and others. To be eligible to compete on the Outback Champions Series, players must have reached at least a major singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team.
The Outback Champions Series features eight events on its 2008 schedule, with each event featuring an eight-man round-robin match format. The winner of each four-player division meets in the title match while second place finishers in each division play in the third-place match. Each event features $150,000 in prize money with an undefeated winner taking home $54,000 as well as Champions Series ranking 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 four events in 2008, Courier holds the No. 1 ranking with 2200 points. McEnroe holds the No. 2 ranking with 1800 points while Ferreira is in third position with 1050 points.
The 2008 Outback Champions Series kicked off March 12-16 in Naples, Fla., at The Oliver Group Champions Cup where 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 even in Boston April 30- May 4, defeating Krickstein in the final. Pat Cash won his first Outback Champions Series title in Newport, R.I., in August, defeating Courier in the final. The next four events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series calendar are stops in Charlotte, N.C., Dallas, Texas, Surprise, Ariz., and Dubai, U.A.E. More information can be obtained by visiting www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.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
