Andre Agassi

MGM Rewards Slam In Las Vegas Delivers Unforgettable Tennis Entertainment

March 3, 2025 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

The highly anticipated “The MGM Rewards Slam presented by Stella Artois” at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas delivered an unforgettable afternoon of tennis action. The event, which streamed exclusively on DAZN, featured tennis icon and Las Vegas resident Andre Agassi teaming with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and facing off against former rival Mardy Fish and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in a thrilling mixed doubles super-tiebreaker won by Agassi-Sabalenka. The doubles took place before a spirited and fun women’s match with Sabalenka beating Osaka in straight sets.

HIGHLIGHTS & RESULTS:

● Match 1: Agassi/Sabalenka def. Fish/Osaka, 10-8.

● Match 2: Sabalenka def. Osaka, 6-4, 6-4.

● The event drew an enthusiastic crowd and showcased top-tier talent in an electrifying atmosphere.

● Fans worldwide tuned in via DAZN’s free-to-air live broadcast, marking another milestone for DAZN’s expansion in the U.S. market.

Look Ahead To A New Look 2025 Laver Cup In San Francisco

September 23, 2024 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

The 2025 Laver Cup is set to return with a fresh twist, as two tennis icons, Andre Agassi and Yannick Noah, step into new roles as captains, reigniting one of the sport’s greatest team rivalries. Held in the vibrant city of San Francisco from September 19-21, the tournament will once again pit Team World against Team Europe, but this time with a different energy, leadership, and stakes.

Team World, now led by American legend Andre Agassi, is brimming with confidence after a historic win in 2023 under former captain John McEnroe. Agassi, a fierce competitor in his playing days, brings a different style of leadership—strategic and cerebral, with an emphasis on grit and resilience. His presence has invigorated a squad that includes the hard-hitting Félix Auger-Aliassime, the explosive Ben Shelton, and veteran mainstay Frances Tiafoe. For Agassi, this isn’t just about keeping the momentum going from Team World’s breakthrough; it’s about defining an era of dominance.

On the other side, Team Europe, with Yannick Noah as captain, is on a mission to once again claim the title they have had a stead hold on, including their victory in 2024 in Berlin. Known for his passion, charisma, and ability to inspire, Noah is expected to bring a more emotional and dynamic approach to Team Europe’s strategy. Leading the charge on court will be Carlos Alcaraz, Spain’s rising star who has become the face of a new generation. Alongside him, Danish prodigy Holger Rune and the experienced Stefanos Tsitsipas will form the backbone of a team eager to restore European supremacy.

The atmosphere in San Francisco will be electric. Fans at the Chase Center will witness a unique blend of tactical finesse and raw athleticism, as the Laver Cup’s fast-paced format of singles and doubles matches heightens the tension. Agassi and Noah, both known for their emotional intensity on court, will have to balance the technical demands of the game with keeping their players motivated and calm under pressure.

The city’s Bay Area backdrop, renowned for its cultural diversity and love of sports, is a fitting stage for this clash of continents. For Team World, this is home turf, and the crowd will be a crucial factor in their quest to make it back-to-back wins. But Team Europe will not be easily rattled. With a storied history of dominance and a roster packed with top-ranked players, they have both pride and skill to lean on.

In the end, the 2025 Laver Cup is shaping up to be more than just a battle between two teams. It’s a collision of legacies, styles, and ambitions, where Agassi and Noah’s legendary tennis minds will face off in a chess match of strategy, with the sport’s brightest talents ready to follow their lead.

Read more about the life and career of Rod Laver in his famous book that details his 1969 Grand Slam called “The Education of a Tennis Player” for sale and download here: https://a.co/d/cqLOX4h

Steffi Graf, Maria Sharapova To Join Andre Agassi, John McEnroe For Pickleball Slam 2

July 18, 2023 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

Tennis icons John McEnroe and Andre Agassi return for the Pickleball Slam, and will be joined by Stefanie Graf and Maria Sharapova, two of the greatest female tennis players of all time. The four legends will compete in SLAM 2 for a total prize purse of $1 million. Created and produced by Horizon Sports & Experiences (HS&E) and InsideOut Sports & Entertainment (ISE), SLAM 2 will be televised live in primetime, exclusively on ESPN on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024 at 8:30 p.m. (EST) from Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL.

Tickets for SLAM 2 go on sale today, July 18, at noon and start at $46. Tickets are available at myhrl.com and Ticketmaster. All seats are reserved. Doors open one hour before the event. Additional fees may apply.

SLAM 2 will be highlighted by an electrifying doubles match featuring the duo of McEnroe and Sharapova, who have a total of 12 Grand Slam singles titles between them, facing off against Agassi and Graf, who earned a combined 30 Grand Slam singles titles during their respective careers.

The inaugural Pickleball Slam showcased McEnroe, Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Michael Chang competing for a $1 million purse, the largest tournament purse in pickleball history. The event was broadcast live on Sunday, April 2, 2023 on ESPN before a record-breaking capacity crowd at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. A first-of-its-kind event, the afternoon telecast was the highest-rated competition in pickleball history.

“Following the success of the inaugural Pickleball Slam, we’re excited to once again partner with and return to the Hard Rock and present SLAM 2 in primetime on ESPN, an ideal timeslot coming out of the network’s coverage of the NFL Pro Bowl and a NBA regular season game,” said David Levy, Co-CEO of HS&E. “It’s great to have both John and Andre return for SLAM 2. In pairing them up with Stefanie and Maria, two of the greatest and most competitive players in the history of tennis, there’s sure to be no shortage of incredible action and entertaining moments on the court.”

“We are incredibly excited to partner with Horizon Sports & Entertainment and InsideOut Sports again for the return of the Pickleball Slam to Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.,” said Keith Sheldon, President of Entertainment for Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming. “The inaugural event last April was a resounding success, with Hard Rock’s desire to be entertainment first-movers paying massive dividends. This time around, we’ll build on our initial success with John McEnroe and Andre Agassi, by also adding Steffi Graf and Maria Sharapova to the lineup – arguably two of the best players of all time in racquet sports. To have all this in The Guitar Hotel live in primetime on ESPN; it’s going be a special evening of pickleball.”

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“After Andy and I took home the hardware at the first Pickleball Slam, I said I would be playing pickleball as long as I can walk – that’s how much I enjoy this game. Naturally, I am so excited to share this experience with one of the best tennis players, my wife,” said Agassi.

“When I watched the inaugural Pickleball Slam in April and stepped onto the court, I was hooked. Andre and I can’t wait to get back out on the court together to face off against Maria and John,” said Graf.

AMATEUR SLAM CHALLENGE RETURNS

The weekend will once again feature the Amateur Slam Challenge on Friday, Feb. 2 and Saturday, Feb 3, 2024. The amateur tournament will include doubles teams competing for a cash prize and the opportunity to play against the tennis legends.

For more information and to register for the Amateur Slam Challenge, visit www.thepickleballslam.com.

PLAYER INFORMATION

Andre Agassi is one of the most successful and recognized players in the history of tennis, capturing eight Grand Slam titles during his Hall of Fame career, including the career Grand Slam for winning each of the four major professional tennis tournaments – Wimbledon, the Australian Open, the French Open and the U.S. Open at least once. He also captured the gold medal at 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

In 1988, Stefanie Graf earned tennis immortality when she became the first player to win all four major singles titles and the gold medal during the Summer Olympics. Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, she won 22 major singles titles during her Hall of Fame career and was ranked the number one women’s singles player in the world for a record of 377 weeks.

Recognized as one of the greatest players in the history of professional tennis, John McEnroe won 17 Grand Slam titles, including four singles titles at the U.S. Open and three Wimbledon titles. He captured a remarkable 77 single titles, as well as 77 doubles titles, and is the only male player in tennis history to simultaneously hold the world number one ranking in both singles and doubles. During his illustrious Hall of Fame career, he also contributed to five Davis Cup titles for the U.S. and was a team captain.

Considered one of the best competitors of her generation, Maria Sharapova is one of only 10 women to achieve the career Grand Slam. During her stellar career, she also won a silver medal in women’s singles at the 2012 London Olympics.

ABOUT HORIZON SPORTS & EXPERIENCES (HS&E)

Horizon Sports & Experiences (HS&E) is an affiliate of Horizon Media, the largest U.S. media agency according to AdAge Data Center 2022, and provides a unique and complementary combination of sports, experiential marketing, and media capabilities. HS&E has a core focus on IP creation and monetization, strategic advisory and consulting, media rights, sponsorship, sales, and experiential, Metaverse, and Web3.0 strategy and activation. HS&E is led by co-CEOs David Levy and Chris Weil.

ABOUT INSIDEOUT SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT (ISE)

InsideOut Sports + Entertainment (ISE) is a Los Angeles based independent event producer 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. InsideOut owns and operates numerous proprietary events and promotions including Champions Series Tennis, the Legendary Night Series, The World Series of Beach Volleyball, Major League Pickleball and numerous customized private and public outings. To date, InsideOut has produced over 300 events in 44 states and 12 countries and is committed to a strong charity tie-in with every public event it owns or produces. Since inception, InsideOut events have contributed over $5 million to various charitable causes.

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About Hard Rock Live

Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is South Florida’s premier entertainment venue. An investment of more than $125 million, the 7,000-person capacity indoor venue features clamshell-style seating, offering guests an intimate experience. In 2023, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood won an Academy of Country Music Award in the Casino of the Year – Theater Category. Hard Rock Live also ranked No. 5 worldwide in 2022 gross revenue for both Pollstar Magazine and Billboard in its respective categories. Designed by Scéno Plus, the 225,000-square-foot facility is equipped with state-of-the-art, in-house sound and lighting, large HD viewing screens and mobile-stage technology. With its advanced capabilities, Hard Rock Live can support some of the entertainment industry’s biggest performers, as well as nationally and internationally televised awards shows, sporting events and more. A-list entertainers to perform at Hard Rock Live include The Rolling Stones, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Maroon 5, Billy Joel, and Dave Chappelle, among others.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is the flagship-integrated resort of Hard Rock International, owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The renowned entertainment, gaming and hospitality destination unveiled a $1.5 billion expansion in 2019, highlighting the debut of the world’s first and only Guitar Hotel. Between three hotel towers, the resort boasts 1,271 luxury guestrooms. Amenities include a 42,000 square-foot Rock Spa® & Salon; an 18-acre recreational water experience; private “Bora Bora” style cabanas; more than 20 food and beverage outlets; an expansive gaming floor with more than 2,700 slots, more than 200 table games and a 45-table poker room; 120,000 square feet of premier meeting and convention space; and a 26,000 square-foot retail promenade. Hard Rock Live, ranked No. 5 worldwide in 2022 gross revenue for both Pollstar Magazine and Billboard in its respective categories, highlights A-list entertainers and performers, sporting events and live broadcast productions in an intimate 7,000-person capacity setting. Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood is located on 87 acres of the Hollywood Seminole Reservation along State Road 7 (U.S. Highway 441). For more information, visit us online at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com call (800) 937-0010 or follow us: Facebook: SeminoleHardRockHollywood, Twitter: @HardRockHolly, Instagram: @HardRockHolly.

Legendary coach Nick Bollettieri passed away at 91

December 5, 2022 by tennisbloggers Leave a Comment

Legendary tennis coach Nick Bollettieri has passed away at the age of 91. Bollettieri worked with many tennis players, some of who would become Grand Slam champions. Names like Jim Courier and Maria Sharapova but most notably Andre Agassi.

Bollettieri was known for his almost Spartan way of training and coaching players in Bradenton, Florida, his tennis academy was founded in the late 1970s.

Nick Bollettieri was merciless

Born in New York and of Italian descendence, Bollettieri was merciless, feared no one, and was the sport’s best motivator. Players like Mary Pierce, Boris Becker, Marcelo Rios, and Anna Kournikova all asked for his help at some point in their careers.

The only thing that mattered was performance. His dedication was his power but sometimes he didn’t seem to understand that he was working with vulnerable people, said Richard Krajicek in November 2017 in an interview with a Dutch media outlet after the documentary “Love Means Zero” about his turbulent relationship with pupil Andre Agassi.

“I wanted to be a winner and work with winners”, said Bollettieri about himself in the documentary.

Bollettieri recruited children for his tennis academy in Floriday. He prepared them to be top tennis players one day. It was groundbreaking back in the day. “I broke the rules. I brought them to the academy, and I was the first to do so in the world”, said Bollettieri.

Said Richard Krajicek, winner of Wimbledon 1996: “Train as much as possible with as many kids as possible. That was his philosophy.”

Remarkably enough, Bollettieri didn’t know much about the technical part of the tennis sport but what he lacked in that regard, he made up with discipline and hard work.

Bollettieri as coach of Andre Agassi

Nick Bollettieri became a household name in the late 1980s by having his pupils Jim Courier and Andre Agassi to the world top of tennis. Especially with Agassi, The Vegas Kid, he enjoyed many successes.

Agassi was the more talented one of the two and Bollettieri went all in. He did more often. If you were not good enough you wouldn’t be coached by him anymore. He was tough like that.

Bollettieri named Agassi’s Wimbledon title in 1992 as the masterpiece of his career. The two of them split a year later after a dispute over money. Bollettieri regretted that, he said afterward.

Bollettieri was 91.

“The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” Makes For Great Holiday Gift

December 5, 2017 by tennisbloggers

Having trouble thinking of the proper holiday gift for the tennis player in your life? Consider the book “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” by 2017 International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee Steve Flink

“The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” features profiles and rankings of the greatest matches of all time dating from the1920s featuring Bill Tilden and Suzanne Lenglen up through the modern era of tennis featuring contemporary stars Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. Flink breaks down, analyzes and puts into historical context the sport’s most memorable matches, providing readers with a courtside seat at these most celebrated and significant duels. Flink also includes a fascinating “greatest strokes of all-time” section where he ranks and describes the players who best executed all the important shots in the game through the years. Other champions featured in the book include Don Budge, Maureen Connolly, Rod Laver, Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf among many others.

The book is published by New Chapter Press, the premier global publisher of tennis books.

The hard-cover book, that makes for a centerpiece of a coffee table or at your local tennis club, retails for $28.95, and can be purchased here on Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/dp/0942257936/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_Qj-rybVBRK7ZW or at www.NewChapterMedia.com and where ever books are sold.

Flink, one of the most respected writers and observers in the game, is currently a columnist for TennisChannel.com. A resident of Katonah, N.Y., he is the former editor of World Tennis magazine and a former senior columnist at Tennis Week.

The book has received high praise from some of the most respected names in the sport, including Chris Evert, a winner of 18 major singles titles in her career, who wrote the foreword to the book.

Said seven-time Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras, “Steve Flink was there reporting on almost every big match I played in my career. He has seen all of the great players for the last 45 years. I encourage you to read this book because Steve is one of the most insightful writers on the game that I have known and he really knows his tennis.”

Said former U.S. Davis Cup captain and player Patrick McEnroe, “As a writer and a fan, Steve Flink’s knowledge of tennis history and his love of the sport are second to none, which is why you should read his book.”

Said ESPN’s Cliff Drysdale, “To see tennis through the eyes of Steve Flink is to wander through a wonderland. These are not fantasies because Steve captures the essence of tennis matches in graphic detail. There is no one more passionate or caring about his subject. In this absorbing book, I can relive matches that I have called on television.”

Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press (www.NewChapterMedia.com) is also the publisher of “The Greatest Jewish Tennis Players of All Time” by Sandra Harwitt, “The Secrets of Spanish Tennis” by Chris Lewit, “Sport of a Lifetime” by Judy Aydelott, “Absolute Tennis: The Best and Next Way To Play The Game” by Marty Smith, “Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection” by Rene Stauffer, “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” by Bud Collins (a new third edition published in late 2016), “The Education of a Tennis Player” by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, “The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” by Sidney Wood, “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, “Your Playbook for Beating Depression” by Cliff Richey and Mary Garrison, “Titanic: The Tennis Story” by Lindsay Gibbs, “Jan Kodes: A Journey To Glory From Behind The Iron Curtain” by Jan Kodes with Peter Kolar, “Tennis Made Easy” by Kelly Gunterman, “On This Day In Tennis History” by Randy Walker, “A Player’s Guide To USTA League Tennis” by Tony Serksnis, “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com), “The Lennon Prophecy” by Joe Niezgoda (www.TheLennonProphecy.com), “Bone Appetit, Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Susan Anson, “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by Carl Sautter, “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According To Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin, “People’s Choice Guide Cancun” by Eric Rabinowitz, “Lessons from the Wild” by Shayamal Vallabhjee among others.

"The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time" book — “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” book

Andy Roddick Beats Andre Agassi To Win PowerShares Title In Charleston, S.C.

April 9, 2016 by tennisbloggers

Andy Roddick picked up in 2016 just where he left off in 2015 on the PowerShares Series, winning his debut event of the new season in Charleston, S.C. Saturday night, defeating Andre Agassi 6-1 in the one-set championship match.

Roddick’s win at Daniel Island, played in conjunction with the Volvo Car Open, is his 11th career title on the North American tennis circuit for champion tennis players over the age of 30. Roddick, 33, dominated the PowerShares Series in 2015, winning a single-season record eight titles. In his debut year on the Series in 2014, he won two of the three tournaments he played.

Roddick beat in his former Davis Cup teammate James Blake 6-3 earlier in the night to advance to the final, while Agassi beat Mardy Fish 6-2 in the other semifinal.

Roddick and Fish were returning to the site of their 2004 U.S. Davis Cup semifinal win against Belarus, where Roddick made tennis history by hitting a 155 mph serve, then the fastest recorded serve in history. Saturday night, 12 years removed from his record-breaking service performance, Roddick was still serving heat, his fastest serve being struck at 135 mph.

On Friday night, Blake won the opening event on the 2016 PowerShares Series in Chicago defeating John McEnroe 6-4 to win his fifth career PowerShares Series title. Through two events, Blake leads the PowerShares Series rankings with 500 points, followed by Roddick with 400 points and Agassi with 300 points and McEnroe and Fish with 200 points each.

Saturday’s event marked the first time a Champions Series event was played on clay since 2010 when Stefan Edberg defeated Marat Safin in the finals in the Cayman Islands.

Each PowerShares Series event features two one-set semifinal matches and a one-set championship match and, for the second straight year, players make their own line calls with assistance of electronic line-calling.

The remaining 2016 PowerShares Series schedule with player fields are listed below and ticket, schedule and player information can be found at www.PowerSharesSeries.com;

April 14 St. Louis (Chaifetz Arena) – John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Jim Courier, James Blake

April 22 Memphis (Landers Center) – John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Jim Courier, Mark Philippoussis

April 23 Tulsa (BOK Center) – John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Jim Courier, Mark Philippoussis

July 17 Newport, R.I. (International Tennis Hall of Fame) – Andy Roddick, James Blake + 2 Players TBA

August 21 Winston-Salem, N.C. (Wake Forest University) – Andy Roddick, Jim Courier, James Blake, Mardy Fish

August 25, 26 New Haven (Yale University) – Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, James Blake, Mardy Fish

November 4 Portland, Oregon (Moda Center) – Andy Roddick, Jim Courier, Mardy Fish and TBA

November 5 Denver (1stBank Center) – Andy Roddick, Jim Courier, James Blake and TBA

December 1 Orlando (Amway Arena) – Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Jim Courier, James Blake

December 3 New York (Barclays Center) – Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Jim Courier, James Blake

In 2015, Andy Roddick won the PowerShares Series points title in his second year of competing on the series with 1,600 points. Roddick won a record eight events Los Angeles, Lincoln, Chicago, Austin, Little Rock, Dallas, Richmond and Minneapolis. Blake finished second in the points rankings with 1,200 points, winning events in Boston and Cincinnati. Mark Philippoussis finished in third with 1,100 points, winning titles in Salt Lake City and Vancouver. The year before in 2014, McEnroe won the points title for the first time in the nine-year history of Champions Series tennis by winning events in Kansas City, Indianapolis, Nashville and Charlotte.

ABOUT INSIDEOUT SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT

InsideOut Sports + Entertainment is a Los Angeles based 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 Champions Series, a collection of tournaments featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including “Legendary Night” exhibitions, The World Series of Beach Volleyball and numerous corporate outings. Since inception, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment has raised over $4 million for charity. In 2014, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment merged with Horizon Media, the largest privately held media services agency in the world. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutSE.com or www.powersharesseries.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

ABOUT HORIZON MEDIA

Horizon Media, Inc. is the largest and fastest growing privately held media services agency in the world. The company was founded in 1989, is headquartered in New York and has offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Chicago. Horizon Media was chosen as 2011 Independent Media Agency of the Year by Mediapost, 2010 U.S. Media Agency of the Year by Adweek, Brandweek, and Mediaweek as well as by Ad Age and as one of the world’s ten most innovative marketing and advertising companies by Fast Company in 2011. In 2012, Bill Koenigsberg, President, CEO and Founder, was honored by Advertising Age as Industry Executive of the Year. Most recently, in 2014, Bill Koenigsberg was named 4As Chair of the Board and is the first person from a media agency to hold this prestigious position in the 100 year history of the 4As, the marketing industry’s leading trade association. The company’s mission is “To create the most meaningful brand connections within the lives of people everywhere.” By delivering on this mission through a holistic approach to brand marketing, Horizon Media has become one of the largest and fastest-growing media agencies in the industry, with estimated billings of over $5.3 billion and over 1,200 employees. The company is also a founding member of Columbus Media International, a multi-national partnership of independent media agencies. For more information, please visit horizonmedia.com.

ABOUT INVESCO POWERSHARES

Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC is leading the Intelligent ETF Revolution® through its lineup of more than 140 domestic and international exchange-traded funds, which seek to outperform traditional benchmark indexes while providing advisors and investors access to an innovative array of focused investment opportunities. With franchise assets of nearly $100 billion as of October 2, 2015, PowerShares ETFs trade on both US stock exchanges. For more information, please visit us at invescopowershares.com or follow us on Twitter @PowerShares.

ABOUT POWERSHARES QQQ

PowerShares QQQ™, an exchange-traded fund (ETF) based on the NASDAQ-100 Index®, is one of the largest and most traded ETFs in the world. Under most circumstances, QQQ will consist of all of the stocks in the index which includes 100 of the largest domestic and international nonfinancial companies listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market based on market capitalization.

James Blake Wins PowerShares Series Opener In Chicago Beating John McEnroe In Final

April 9, 2016 by tennisbloggers

James Blake won the opening event on the 2016 PowerShares Series tennis circuit Friday defeating John McEnroe 6-4 in the one-set championship match at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

The tournament win was the fifth career title for Blake on the North American tennis circuit for champion tennis players over the age of 30. All four previous titles for Blake also came beating McEnroe in the final in Salt Lake City in 2014 (7-6), Sacramento in 2014 (6-3), Boston in 2015 (7-5) and Cincinnati in 2015 (6-2).

Blake, 36, broke McEnroe in his first service game of the match and never looked back in the final, serving at a high percentage on the slick indoor court.

McEnroe, who turned 57 on February 16, returned to the UIC Pavilion 25 years after he won his 77^th and final ATP singles titles of his career, where he won a memorable final against younger brother Patrick McEnroe in 1991. He opened the 10^th anniversary season of the PowerShares Series by beating Mardy Fish 7-6 (3) in the opening semifinal match, saving a match point serving at 4-5. Fish, 34, was playing in his debut PowerShares Series event and as a replacement for an injured Jim Courier. Blake advanced into the final with a 6-3 win over Andre Agassi.

Each PowerShares Series event features two one-set semifinal matches and a one-set championship match and, for the second straight year, players make their own line calls, with assistance of electronic line-calling.

The remaining 2016 PowerShares Series schedule with player fields are listed below and ticket, schedule and player information can be found at www.PowerSharesSeries.com;

April 9 Charleston (Family Circle Tennis Center) – Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, James Blake, Mardy Fish