CHARLOTTE, N.C. September 28 – Jim Courier defeated Todd Martin 6-2, 3-6, 10-5 (Champions Tie-Breaker) to win the singles title at the $150,000 Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades Sunday at the Tim Wilkison Signature Tennis and Sports Complex at The Palisades Country Club. Courier’s win earned him a first-prize paycheck of $54,000 for winning all three of his round-robin matches and the final against Martin. Courier also captured his fifth career title on the Outback Champions Series, the global tennis circuit for champion tennis players age 30 and over, as well as his second title in Charlotte to go with his victory in the inaugural event back in 2006.
“Todd is one of the best returners on the tour and today his returns were a little off so I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop on that,” said Courier of the final. “The (champions) tie breaker is about momentum for me and I had to keep that up. I played with some cushion in the tie-breaker and that put some pressure on Todd.”
Courier also earned 800 ranking points with the tournament victory to extend his No. 1 ranking in the Stanford Champions Rankings that determine the year-end champion on the Outback Champions Series and the winner of a $100,000 bonus courtesy of the Stanford Financial Group, the official rankings sponsor of the circuit. Through five of the eight events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series, Courier leads in the Stanford Champions Rankings with 3,000 points, followed by John McEnroe with 1,800 points, Wayne Ferreira with 1,450 points and Martin with 1,400 points.
Martin’s loss to Courier marked his third straight loss in the Charlotte final. In 2006 at the inaugural staging of the event, Martin also lost to Courier by a 5-7, 7-6 (6), 10-4 (Champions Tie-Breaker) margin, while in 2007, he was defeated by Pete Sampras 6-3, 6-4. For his running-up showing, Martin earned $28,000 and 500 ranking points. His loss to Courier was only his third to his former U.S. Davis Cup teammate in eight total meetings on the Outback Champions Series. During their ATP tour careers, Courier won six of seven meetings.
“The guy on the other side of the court today was better than me,” said Martin. “He only played one patch of bad tennis.”
In Sunday’s third-place match, Ferreira defeated Aaron Krickstein 6-4, 6-2.
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.
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 Sampras, 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
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
Scores from Sunday, September 28
Championship Match
Jim Courier, United States, def. Todd Martin, United States, 6-2, 3-6, 10-5 (Champions Tie-Breaker)
Third-Place Match
Wayne Ferreira, South Africa, def. Aaron Krickstein, United States, 6-4, 6-2
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
