Courier Wastes No Time In Beating Arias In Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. September 25 – Jim Courier wasted no time in winning his opening round-robin match at the $150,000 Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades Thursday night, needing less than an hour – after a 30-minute rain delay – in defeating fellow American Jimmy Arias 6-2, 6-1. In Thursday’s other match, Wayne Ferreira of South Africa defeated Thomas Enqvist of Sweden 6-4, 6-3. 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.
Courier, the 2006 champion in Charlotte, used his famed inside-out forehand to dictate play against Arias in the heavy, sometimes misty, conditions on the hard court at the Tim Wilkison Signature Tennis and Sports Complex.
“It became tricky once the mist started,” said Courier. “It was ok for me because I have more power behind me. The number one rule is safety and luckily neither of us got hurt on the wet court.”
Said Arias, “This was a bad combo of wind and rain. It made it very difficult for me to hit aggressively but for some reason Jim didn’t seem bothered by it at all. If anything, it may have even helped him. I didn’t have my speed or my footing and he had so much power. I just couldn’t run and he was controlling the point the whole time.”
In the second match of the evening, Ferreira spoiled the Outback Champions Series debut of Enqvist, the 1999 Australian Open finalist and a late replacement for the injured Mark Philippoussis in the Charlotte field. Enqvist opened the match by breaking Ferreira’s serve, but the South African pieced together back-to-back breaks in the eighth and 10th games to win the opening set.  Both players exchanged crushing ground strokes in the windy, heavy conditions in the second set before Ferreira registered the only service break of the set in the eighth game before serving out the match.
“For me, playing against Wayne, I needed to not make a lot of unforced errors,” said Enqvist. “He was just too good for me tonight and he moved really well.”
Said Ferreira, “I feel really good and I’m playing really, really good tennis. I’ve been practicing hard because I haven’t played well in the last few tournaments so I’m pleased with how I played.”
Ferreira, who won 15 ATP singles titles during his career, has enjoyed considerable success on the Outback Champions Series in the last three years, reaching five career finals and winning titles in Houston in 2006 and in Naples, Fla., and Dallas in 2007. However, it hasn’t been all work and no play for Ferreira as the 1992 Olympic silver medalist has found time to enjoy some off-court activities while in Charlotte..
“It’s nice being back in Charlotte,” he said. “I enjoy it here. We have a nice hotel and nice tennis facility and both are sort of isolated which I enjoy. We got to play some golf today and I liked that (since) I played well. We also went out to Lowe’s Motor Speedway and ride in a helicopter and it was really fun. I got to meet Jimmie Johnson, Landon Cassill and Jeff Gordon which was very cool.”
Friday’s schedule of play is highlighted by Courier taking on Aaron Krickstein, a surprise winner Thursday over Goran Ivanisevic, in Friday night’s second scheduled match. Ferreira opens the day session at 1:30 pm, playing Karel Novacek of the Czech Republic. Tickets for the event can be purchased by calling 877-332-TIXX (8499) or visiting www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com.
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. John 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. After Charlotte, the next three events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series calendar are stops in Dallas, Texas, Surprise, Ariz., and Dubai, U.A.E. More information can be obtained by visiting www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com.
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. . Each event also has the right to choose a “wild card” entrant.
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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
The remaining schedule for The Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades is as follows;
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
Round-Robin Results from Wednesday, September 24
Todd Martin, United States, def. Karel Novacek, Czech Republic, 6-4, 6-2
Aaron Krickstein, United States, def. Goran Ivanisevic, Croatia, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 10-7 (Champions Tie-Break)
Round-Robin Results from Thursday, September 25
Jim Courier, United States, def. Jimmy Arias, United States, 6-2, 6-1
Wayne Ferreira, South Africa, def. Thomas Enqvist, Sweden, 6-4, 6-3
Round-Robin Group Standings
Group A
Todd Martin 1-0
Wayne Ferreira 1-0
Karel Novacek 0-1
Thomas Enqvist 0-1
Group B
Jim Courier 1-0
Aaron Krickstein 1-0
Goran Ivanisevic 0-1
Jimmy Arias 0-1