DALLAS, October 22 – Aaron Krickstein and Jim Courier both registered opening night round-robin wins Wednesday at the 2008 Stanford Championships in Dallas at the Turpin Tennis Center on the campus of Southern Methodist University. Krickstein kicked off play with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 win over Todd Martin, while Courier defeated Karel Novacek of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-1. The Stanford Championships are the sixth of eight events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series, the global tennis circuit for champion tennis players age 30 and over.
Krickstein’s win marked his second straight win over Martin in Outback Champions Series play, having beaten the 1994 Australian Open and 1999 US Open finalist earlier in the year in Naples, Fla. The two have played five times in all on the Outback Champions Series, Martin winning the first three meetings in 2006 and 2007 to lead the series 3-2. The two played three times during their ATP careers, Martin winning two of the three matches.
“I was taking what the match was giving,” said Krickstein of his win Wednesday. “Todd hits a bigger ball. I play a little steadier than Todd. He’s going to hit more winners. He’s gonna make more errors. That’s the way we’ve both always played. I felt like I had to serve well tonight to at least hold my serve and hang in there with his serve. I thought I did that.”
Martin struggled with his consistency during the match and said the cold and blustery conditions affected him more than usual after being low on match practice after suffering from a nagging back injury for most of the year.
“Aaron is really smart,” said Martin. “He’s a tighter player in the first place. He does a real good job of playing within himself — maybe too much at times, playing within himself. I can only last so long to play a well-constructed point. I got worse. I felt all right at the beginning – first time on hard court in a few weeks. It felt like 50 degrees, windy. I haven’t been on the court a whole lot lately because of my health. I just didn’t feel great. I made a concerted effort to play a couple of longer points, to see if I can’t get him to give me something. But he’s a stingy guy. He just doesn’t give many free points away.”
Krickstein, the former U.S. Davis Cup standout best known as the youngest man to win an ATP singles title at age 16 in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1983, continued his steady results of late on the Outback Champions Series. He reached his first Outback Champion Series final in Naples, Fla., in 2007, losing to Wayne Ferreira, while he reached his second career final earlier this year in Boston, losing to John McEnroe. He also finished in fourth place last month in Charlotte. His results so far this year as earned him a No. 5 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 Stanford Financial. Courier leads the rankings after five events with 3000 points, followed by John McEnroe with 1800 points, Wayne Ferreira with 1450 points, Martin with 1400 points and Krickstein with 1250 points.
Courier, a two-time French and Australian Open champion, had little difficulty with Novacek Wednesday, dictating play for most of the evening. Courier was the runner-up in Dallas last year, losing to Ferreira in the 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 many 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.
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.
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, while Courier won his second event of the season in September in Charlotte, defeating Martin in the final. The next three events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series calendar are Dallas, 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
The remaining schedule for The Stanford Championships is as follows;
Thursday, October 23
6:30pm
Thomas Enqvist vs. Jimmy Arias
Wayne Ferreira vs. Justin Gimelstob
Friday, October 24
1:30pm
Wayne Ferreira vs. Karel Novacek
Todd Martin vs. Jimmy Arias
6:30pm
Thomas Enqvist vs. Aaron Krickstein
Jim Courier vs. Justin Gimelstob
Saturday, October 25
1:30pm
Aaron Krickstein vs. Jimmy Arias
Mixed doubles featuring Anna Kournikova
Jim Courier vs. Wayne Ferreira
6:30pm
Thomas Enqvist vs. Todd Martin
Mixed doubles featuring Anna Kournikova
Justin Gimelstob vs. Karel Novacek
Sunday, October 26
1:30 pm
3rd place match
Championship match
Round-Robin Results from Wednesday, October 22
Aaron Krickstein, United States, def. Todd Martin, United States, 7-6 (4), 6-4
Jim Courier, United States, def. Karel Novacek, Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-1
Round-Robin Group Standings
Group A
Jim Courier 1-0
Wayne Ferreira 0-0
Justin Gimelstob 0-0
Karel Novacek 0-1
Group B
Aaron Krickstein 1-0
Thomas Enqvist 0-0
Jimmy Arias 0-0
Todd Martin 0-1
