CHARLOTTE, N.C. September 27 – Todd Martin advanced to the final of the $150,000 Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades after defeating Wayne Ferreira, 7-5, 7-6 (2) Saturday at the Tim Wilkison Signature Tennis and Sports Complex at The Palisades Country Club. Martin will face Jim Courier, who closed out a perfect 3-0 round-robin record by defeating Goran Ivanisevic, 6-4, 6-1 on Saturday. The final will be re-match of the 2006 final in Charlotte – won by Courier – and will mark Martin’s third straight appearance in the event’s final. 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.
“I think Todd and I will have a good match. Todd plays well and manages his game well so I have to do my best to fight him,” said Courier. “Hard court surface will be pretty neutral for us. I haven’t lost a set yet so I’m playing really well I think.”
During their days on the ATP Tour, Courier dominated Martin as he won six of their seven career head-to-head-meetings. Martin, who opened the 2008 Outback Champion Series in March by winning the title in Naples, Fla., needed to win his match against Ferreira in straight sets to advance to the final.
“Wayne and I always play pretty close matches, even when one of us is having an off day we still are pretty even,” said Martin, who lost the 2007 Charlotte final to Pete Sampras. “I served more consistently today and I only had a couple games where I was in trouble but I made some adjustments based on how he was playing and did well. As the set goes along the tension builds. The fans feel it because the tennis gets better. I get a little nervous and start to think ahead about the big picture instead of each point.”
Ferreira, who won titles in Dallas and Naples, Fla., last year, fell short of advancing to Sunday’s final. “He served well and every time I got up in a game he’d serve an ace,” said Ferreira. “I maybe could have made him play more points, worked the ball a little more.” Despite the loss, Ferreira advances to Sunday’s third-place match to face Aaron Krickstein, a 6-2, 7-5 win over fellow American Jimmy Arias.
“I’m pleased to be going in the third-place match,” said Ferreira. “I’ve enjoyed being here again and I’ve played well.”
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.
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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.
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;
Sunday, September 28
Beginning at 2:30 pm
Wayne Ferreira vs. Aaron Krickstein (Third-Place Match)
Followed by
Todd Martin vs. Jim Courier (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 Results from Friday, September 26
Jim Courier, United States , def. Aaron Krickstein, United States , 6-2, 6-3
Thomas Enqvist, Sweden , def. Todd Martin, United States , 6-4, 5-7, 10-8 (Champions Tie-Breaker)
Goran Ivanisevic, Croatia , def. Jimmy Arias, United States , 3-6, 6-3, 10-7 (Champions Tie-Breaker)
Wayne Ferreira, South Africa , def. Karel Novacek , Czech Republic , 6-2, 6-1
Round-Robin Results from Saturday, September 27
Thomas Enqvist, Sweden, def. Karel Novacek , Czech Republic , 6-2, 6-2
Todd Martin, United States, def. Wayne Ferreira, South Africa, 7-5, 7-6 (2)
Aaron Krickstein, United States, def. Jimmy Arias, United States, 6-2, 7-5
Jim Courier, United States, def. Goran Ivanisevic, Croatia, 6-4, 6-1
Round-Robin Group Standings
Group A
Todd Martin 2-1
Wayne Ferreira 2-1
Thomas Enqvist 2-1
Karel Novacek 0-3
Group B
Jim Courier 3-0
Aaron Krickstein 2-1
Goran Ivanisevic 1-2
Jimmy Arias 0-3
