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Edberg hits back to seize maiden BlackRock title

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Stefan Edberg completed a miraculous comeback against Sergi Bruguera on Sunday to claim his first BlackRock Tour of Champions title at the Jean-Luc Lagardere Trophy in Paris. Edberg, was in trouble while down by a set and 4-2 , but he turned the match around in impressive fashion to triumph 3-6, 7-5, 10-5 (Champions Tie Break) in an hour and 20 minutes.

In tennis things can change pretty quickly, said Edberg. You just have to believe that you can do it one way or another. You need one or two points to get you going and make you feel like youre in with a chance and thats what he gave me, a few free points.
I thought I played very well today, he added. I found it a little bit difficult in the beginning because Sergi was playing well and with a lot of spin so I was having trouble getting the timing.  But I managed to get back in the match and I actually played very well in the end, which was necessary because Sergi is such a great clay court player.

The match was a tale of two halves. In the early stages Edberg looked overwhelmed by the vicious topspin of the Spaniard, making uncharacteristic errors and hitting few winners. Bruguera succeeded where previous opponents failed,  sending one passing shot after another past the bewildered Swede. But, after losing the first set and going a break down in the second to trail 2-4, Edberg suddenly began to turn the tide. After recuperating the break of serve to level the set at 4-4, and with the full weight of the crowds vocal support behind him, Edberg started to find his range. He went on to clinch the second set with a winning backhand volley and forced the decider that such a high quality match deserved. Edberg carried his momentum into the Champions Tie Break and at 9-5 down and facing 4 match points a dejected Bruguera dumped his second serve into the net to hand the match and the title to his opponent.

After such a successful run in Paris, Edberg said he would like to play more events on the BlackRock Tour of Champions in the coming year.
If I can make some kind of arrangement with my family so that we can travel a bit together then theres a good chance Ill be back in Paris next year as the defending champion, he said.
For now, Edberg, will now turn his attention to the BlackRock Masters Tennis  at the Royal Albert Hall in London, where he is due to play alongside fellow Wimbledon Champions Pete Sampras, John McEnroe and Goran Ivanisevic.
Im really looking forward to playing in the BlackRock Masters Tennis in London, said Edberg. London is my second home because I lived there for a long time. Its a great event at the Albert Hall and theres usually lots of good matches there so that should be a really good week.
In third/fourth place play-off, Cedric Pioline defeated fellow Frenchman and Tournament Director of the Jean-Luc Lagardere Trophy, Guy Forget 7-5, 4-6, 10-5.
The Tour will now move on to Luxembourg for the first Vivium Victory Challenge (September 25-28), and then the AFAS Tennis Classics in Eindhoven (October 2-5). Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe will renew their rivalry in Luxembourg (for a taster, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUa2ltLC0hw).  In Eindhoven, former World No.1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov, 1989 French Open champion Michael Chang, and the 1996 Wimbledon finalist Malivai Washington will make the BlackRock Tour of Champions debuts.

RESULTS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2008
Cedric Pioline d. Guy Forget 7-5, 4-6, 10-5 (Champions Tie Break)
Stefan Edberg d. Sergi Bruguera 3-6, 7-5, 10-5 (Champions Tie Break)
FINAL GROUP STANDINGS
GROUP A
Matches won/lost (sets)
Stefan Edberg             3-0 (6-0)
Guy Forget        2-1 (4-2)
Henri Leconte              1-2 (2-4)
Thomas Muster            0-3 (0-6)
GROUP B
Matches won/lost (sets)
Sergi Bruguera 3-0 (6-0)
Cedric Pioline 2-1 (4-3)
Mats Wilander           1-2 (2-4)
Guillaume Raoux       0-2 (1-6)
BLACKROCK TOUR OF CHAMPIONS POINTS ALLOCATION
Winner   400 points
Finalist   250 points
3rd place   200 points
4th place   125 points
5/6th place   80 points
7/8th place   60 points
SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS 2008 TOUR OF CHAMPIONS RANKINGS (after nine events)
POS. PLAYER PTS
1 Marcelo Rios 1130
2 Goran Ivanisevic          970
3 Michael Stich 900
4      Cedric Pioline          660
5 Thomas Muster         655
6 Sergi Bruguera         610
7 Henri Leconte          580
8 Anders Jarryd         525
9= Marc-Kevin Goellner (WC) 455
9= Fernando Meligeni (WC) 455
11 Pat Cash         420
12= Patrick Rafter         400
12= Pete Sampras         400
12=   Stefan Edberg                   400
15 Mikael Pernfors         330
16 Chris Wilkinson (WC) 325
17 Jaime Oncins (WC) 200
18=   Guy Forget                        125
18= Jeremy Bates (WC) 125
18= Albert Costa 125
21=  Mats Wilander                    80
21=    Joao Cunha e Silva (WC) 80
21= Magnus Larsson 80
21= John McEnroe         80
21= Andrei Cherkasov 80
26= Bjorn Borg 60
26= Carl Uwe Steeb         60
26= Jaime Yzaga 60
26= Alladin Karagoz (WC) 60
26= Andrei Chesnokov 60
26= Guillermo Vilas 60
WC denotes Wild Card.



The BlackRock Tour of Champions Calendar 2008
Belfast, Northern Ireland – February 21-24 (Tennis Legends)
Champion: Anders Jarryd; Runner-up: Mikael Pernfors
Barcelona, Spain – April 24-27 (Champions Cup ’08)
Champion: Marcelo Rios; Runner-up: Michael Stich
Rome, Italy – May 10-11
Champion: Thomas Muster; Runner-up: Goran Ivanisevic
Hamburg, Germany – May 14-17 (BlackRock Tennis Classic)
Champion: Michael Stich; Runner-up: Marc-Kevin Goellner
Sao Paulo, Brazil – June 19-22 (Nossa Caixa Grand Champions Brasil)
Champion: Pete Sampras; Runner-up: Marcelo Rios
Istanbul, Turkey – July 17-20
Champion: Goran Ivanisevic; Runner-up: Fernando Meligeni
Graz, Austria – July 29-August 2 (s Tennis Masters)
Champion: Patrick Rafter; Runner-up: Michael Stich
Algarve, Portugal – August 5-8 (Vale do Lobo Grand Champions CGD)
Champion: Marcelo Rios ; Runner-up : Goran Ivanisevic
Paris, France – September 18-21 (5e Trophe Jean-Luc Lagardre)
Champion: Marcelo Rios ; Runner-up : Goran Ivanisevic
Luxembourg, Luxembourg – September 25-28
Eindhoven, Netherlands – October 2-5 (AFAS Tennis Classics)
Budapest, Hungary – October 9-12
Frankfurt, Germany – November 13-16 (klarmobil.de Champions Trophy)
Macao, China – November 20 (Special Event)
London, UK – December 2-7 (BlackRock Masters Tennis)
OTHER INFO
About BlackRock
BlackRock is one of the world’s largest publicly traded investment management firms. At June 30, 2008, BlackRock’s AUM was $1.428 trillion. The firm manages assets on behalf of institutions and individuals worldwide through a variety of equity, fixed income, cash management and alternative investment products. In addition, a growing number of institutional investors use BlackRock Solutions investment system, risk management and financial advisory services. Headquartered in New York City, as of June 30, 2008, the firm has approximately 5,700 employees in 19 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including the U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. For additional information, please visit the Company’s website at www.blackrock.com.
South Africa’s international flagship airline and the continent’s most awarded carrier, South African Airways is the official airline of the BlackRock Tour of Champions. Its modern fleet features a comfortable Economy Class cabin recently reconfigured for extra legroom and a Premium Business Class cabin featuring the airline’s award-winning, lie-flat seat. Complimentary South African wines, inspired cuisine and personal on-demand entertainment for all travellers make the trip to Africa fly by. Built on a venerable 72-year history of bringing the world to Africa and taking Africa to the world, the airline’s network is unsurpassed on the continent – connecting travellers to more than 20 destinations within South Africa and more than 20 cities across Africa. As a recent member to the worldwide Star Alliance, South African Airways is now able to offer its customers 852 destinations in 152 countries and more than 15,500 flights daily.
For the Latest News, Features and Updates from the BlackRock Tour of Champions: www.blackrocktourofchampions.com
and for further information:

Edberg rolls on in Paris

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Stefan Edbergs impressive return to professional tennis continued today as he notched up another straight sets win, this time 6-4, 7-6 against Tournament Director Guy Forget at the Trophee Jean-Luc Lagardere in Paris.
Despite the scoreline, Edberg was made to work hard for victory in only his second BlackRock Tour of Champions match. A stroke of luck for the Swede separated the two men in the first set, with Edberg clinching the decisive break of serve courtesy of a net cord. The second set was closer still with both players delighting the crowd with deft volleys and scintillating passing shots. Edberg deserved the victory though, fittingly clinching the match in the tie-break with a drop volley.
After the match, Edberg admitted that he had been pushed all the way by Forget.

I had to work really hard today he said. It was just a few points that made the difference. I thought Guy played really well and I had to hit a lot of good shots to be able to win.
I got a little bit tight out there, I have to admit that. Although I feel that my fitness it good, I havent played a lot of matches so its just getting used to that. Well see tomorrow how fit I really am, but for the moment I feel good.
On Saturday, Edberg will take on Henri Leconte who earlier put in an impressive performance to beat an out-of-sorts Thomas Muster 6-3, 6-4. The winner of that match is likely to progress to Sundays final.
Im really looking forward to that match, said Edberg. Henri is a great player and a great showman on the court so for me its always a pleasure to play him. He does so much for tennis and the spectators really love to watch him play so its just nice to be on the same court as him again. There is only one Henri Leconte!
In Group B, Sergi Bruguera continued his seven-match unbeaten run in Paris, proving he is still the man to beat on clay. The Spaniard raced past Mats Wilander in just under an hour for the loss of just 6 games and will now meet Guillaume Raoux on Saturday in the final round of matches in Group B.
In the last match of the day, Raoux, a replacement for the injured Mikael Pernfors, put in a valiant effort against Cedric Pioline before eventually losing 6-7, 6-4, 10-8 (Champions Tie Break) in a match which lasted over 2 hours and finished in the last moments of daylight.  Pernfors watched the days play on crutches after injuring his achilles tendon against Mats Wilander yesterday. Two years ago, Pernfors ruptured his achilles tendon, but doctors are hopeful that the injury is less serious this time.
Matches are played over the best of three sets, with a Champions Tie-break (first to 10 points with a clear advantage of two) to decide the winner.
All the players in each group will play each other over the first three days, and the players finishing top of each group will meet each other in the final. Those finishing second in each group will contest the 3rd/4th place play-off.
Last month in the Algarve (Portugal) Marcelo Rios won the Vale do Lobo Grand Champions CGD to overtake Michael Stich as No.1 player in the South African Airways Champions Tour Rankings.
After Paris, the Tour will move on to Luxembourg for the first Vivium Victory Challenge (September 25-28), and then the AFAS Tennis Classics in Eindhoven (October 2-5). Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe will renew their rivalry in Luxembourg (for a taster, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUa2ltLC0hw). In Eindhoven, former World No.1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov, 1989 French Open champion Michael Chang, and the 1996 Wimbledon finalist Malivai Washington will make the BlackRock Tour of Champions debuts.

tel: +44 7509023344
RESULTS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2008
GROUP A
Henri Leconte d. Thomas Muster 6-3, 6-4
Stefan Edberg d. Guy Forget 6-4, 7-6(3)
GROUP B
Sergi Bruguera d. Mats Wilander 6-4, 6-2
Cedric Pioline d. Guillaume Raoux 6-7(6), 6-4, 10-8 (Champions Tie-Break)
LATEST GROUP STANDINGS
GROUP A
Matches won/lost (sets)
Stefan Edberg             2-0 (4-0)
Guy Forget        1-1 (2-2)
Henri Leconte              1-1 (2-2)
Thomas Muster            0-2 (0-4)
GROUP B
Matches won/lost (sets)
Sergi Bruguera 2-0 (4-0)
Mats Wilander           1-1 (2-2)
Cedric Pioline 1-1 (2-3)
Guillaume Raoux       0-2 (0-4)
SCHEDULE SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER
13:00                                                   Sergi Bruguera/Guillaume Raoux
Not before 2:30pm                              Stefan Edberg / Henri Leconte
Followed by                                         Cedric Pioline/ Mats Wilander
Followed by                                         Guy Forget/Thomas Muster
BLACKROCK TOUR OF CHAMPIONS POINTS ALLOCATION
Winner   400 points
Finalist   250 points
3rd place   200 points
4th place   125 points
5/6th place   80 points
7/8th place   60 points
SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS 2008 TOUR OF CHAMPIONS RANKINGS (after seven events)
POS. PLAYER PTS
1 Marcelo Rios 1130
2 Goran Ivanisevic          970
3 Michael Stich 900
4 Thomas Muster         595
5 Anders Jarryd         525
6 Henri Leconte          500
7 Cedric Pioline          460
8= Marc-Kevin Goellner (WC) 455
8= Fernando Meligeni (WC) 455
10 Pat Cash         420
11= Patrick Rafter         400
11= Pete Sampras         400
13 Sergi Bruguera         360
14 Mikael Pernfors         330
15= Chris Wilkinson (WC) 325
16= Jaime Oncins (WC) 200
17= Jeremy Bates (WC) 125
17= Albert Costa 125
19    Joao Cunha e Silva (WC) 80
20= Magnus Larsson 80
20= John McEnroe         80
20= Andrei Cherkasov 80
23= Bjorn Borg 60
23= Carl Uwe Steeb         60
23= Jaime Yzaga 60
23= Alladin Karagoz (WC) 60
23= Andrei Chesnokov 60
23= Guillermo Vilas 60
WC denotes Wild Card.
The BlackRock Tour of Champions Calendar 2008
Belfast, Northern Ireland – February 21-24 (Tennis Legends)
Champion: Anders Jarryd; Runner-up: Mikael Pernfors
Barcelona, Spain – April 24-27 (Champions Cup ’08)
Champion: Marcelo Rios; Runner-up: Michael Stich
Rome, Italy – May 10-11
Champion: Thomas Muster; Runner-up: Goran Ivanisevic
Hamburg, Germany – May 14-17 (BlackRock Tennis Classic)
Champion: Michael Stich; Runner-up: Marc-Kevin Goellner
Sao Paulo, Brazil – June 19-22 (Nossa Caixa Grand Champions Brasil)
Champion: Pete Sampras; Runner-up: Marcelo Rios
Istanbul, Turkey – July 17-20
Champion: Goran Ivanisevic; Runner-up: Fernando Meligeni
Graz, Austria – July 29-August 2 (s Tennis Masters)
Champion: Patrick Rafter; Runner-up: Michael Stich
Algarve, Portugal – August 5-8 (Vale do Lobo Grand Champions CGD)
Champion: Marcelo Rios ; Runner-up : Goran Ivanisevic
Paris, France – September 18-21 (5e Trophe Jean-Luc Lagardre)
Luxembourg, Luxembourg – September 25-28
Eindhoven, Netherlands – October 2-5 (AFAS Tennis Classics)
Budapest, Hungary – October 9-12
Frankfurt, Germany – November 13-16 (klarmobil.de Champions Trophy)
Macao, China – November 20 (Special Event)
London, UK – December 2-7 (BlackRock Masters Tennis)
OTHER INFO
About BlackRock
BlackRock is one of the world’s largest publicly traded investment management firms. At June 30, 2008, BlackRock’s AUM was $1.428 trillion. The firm manages assets on behalf of institutions and individuals worldwide through a variety of equity, fixed income, cash management and alternative investment products. In addition, a growing number of institutional investors use BlackRock Solutions investment system, risk management and financial advisory services. Headquartered in New York City, as of June 30, 2008, the firm has approximately 5,700 employees in 19 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including the U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. For additional information, please visit the Company’s website at www.blackrock.com.
South Africa’s international flagship airline and the continent’s most awarded carrier, South African Airways is the official airline of the BlackRock Tour of Champions. Its modern fleet features a comfortable Economy Class cabin recently reconfigured for extra legroom and a Premium Business Class cabin featuring the airline’s award-winning, lie-flat seat. Complimentary South African wines, inspired cuisine and personal on-demand entertainment for all travellers make the trip to Africa fly by. Built on a venerable 72-year history of bringing the world to Africa and taking Africa to the world, the airline’s network is unsurpassed on the continent – connecting travellers to more than 20 destinations within South Africa and more than 20 cities across Africa. As a recent member to the worldwide Star Alliance, South African Airways is now able to offer its customers 852 destinations in 152 countries and more than 15,500 flights daily.
For the Latest News, Features and Updates from the BlackRock Tour of Champions: www.blackrocktourofchampions.com
and for further information:

Edberg continues Muster dominance on BlackRock debut in Paris

by

BlackRock Tour of Champions debutant Stefan Edberg made an impressive start to his champions tennis career today as he swept past Thomas Muster 6-2, 6-1 in just 59 minutes.
Edberg, who held a 10-0 record against Muster during their ATP careers, continued where he left off against the Austrian 12 years ago. From the outset, Edberg appeared to be in control of the match, breaking early to secure a 3-1 lead in the first set. The second set was an equally comfortable affair as Muster dumped a forehand in the net to lose his serve and go 3-0 down. From then on the result never looked in doubt as the Swede overwhelmed his opponent with winners on both wings from every corner of the court.
After the match, Edberg was pleased with his performance.
“I actually felt really good on the court today,” he said. “I’ve prepared quite a bit over the last 3 or 4 months because I wanted to enjoy my tennis here in Paris. It’s one of the best feelings to have when you strike the ball well and today I did that.”
The 42-year-old Edberg seemed to abandon the classic serve and volley style which won him two Wimbledon titles and looked at home battling from the baseline against former French Open Champion Muster.
“I felt really comfortable on the clay out there today,” said Edberg. “It’s a lot easier on your body and it gives you a little bit of extra time on the ball and to prepare yourself for the shot.”
“Paris is a great city and the atmosphere here is really good. Playing against these guys and seeing all the old faces is a bit like turning the clock back. It really is nice to be back.”
Elsewhere, Mikael Pernfors was forced to retire against Mats Wilander after rupturing his achilles tendon at 1-1 in the second set.
The Swede had looked to be turning the match around after dropping the first set to his compatriot, Wilander, who accompanied his injured opponent to hospital after the match. Pernfors, who had stepped in at short notice to replace the injured Bjorn Borg in the Paris draw, will now be replaced in Group B by 38-year-old Frenchman Guillaume Raoux.
Earlier in the day, two-time defending Champion Sergi Bruguera edged past a below par Cedric Pioline, 7-6, 6-2 and Guy Forget, who doubles up as the tournament director in Paris, beat countryman Henri Leconte  7-5, 7-5.
Matches are played over the best of three sets, with a Champions’ Tie-break (first to 10 points with a clear advantage of two) to decide the winner.
All the players in each group will play each other over the first three days, and the players finishing top of each group will meet each other in the final. Those finishing second in each group will contest the 3rd/4th place play-off.
Last month in the Algarve (Portugal) Marcelo Rios won the Vale do Lobo Grand Champions CGD to overtake Michael Stich as No.1 player in the South African Airways Champions Tour Rankings.
After Paris, the Tour will move on to Luxembourg for the first Vivium Victory Challenge (September 25-28), and then the AFAS Tennis Classics in Eindhoven (October 2-5). Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe will renew their rivalry in Luxembourg (for a taster, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUa2ltLC0hw). In Eindhoven, former World No.1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov, 1989 French Open champion Michael Chang, and the 1996 Wimbledon finalist Malivai Washington will make the BlackRock Tour of Champions debuts.
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RESULTS – THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2008
GROUP A
Stefan Edberg d. Thomas Muster 6-2, 6-1
Guy Forget d. Henri Leconte 7-5, 7-5
GROUP B
Sergi Bruguera d. Cedric Pioline 7-6(4), 6-2
Mats Wilander d. Mikael Pernfors 6-4, 1-1 ret.
LATEST GROUP STANDINGS
GROUP A
Matches won/lost (sets)
Stefan Edberg                       1-0 (2-0)
Guy Forget                             1-0 (2-0)
Henri Leconte                       0-1 (0-2)
Thomas Muster                    0-1 (0-2)
GROUP B
Matches won/lost (sets)
Sergi Bruguera                    1-0 (2-0)
Mats Wilander                      1-0 (2-0)
Mikael Pernfors                   0-1 (0-2)
Cedric Pioline                      0-1 (0-2)
SCHEDULE – FRIDAY 19 SEPTEMBER
13:00                                                   Henri Leconte/Thomas Muster
Not before 14:30                              Stefan Edberg / Guy Forget
Followed by                                         Sergi Bruguera/ Mats Wilander
Followed by                                         Guillaume Raoux/ Cedric Pioline
BLACKROCK TOUR OF CHAMPIONS POINTS ALLOCATION
Winner –                400 points
Finalist –                250 points
3rd place –            200 points
4th place –            125 points
5/6th place –  80 points
7/8th place –         60 points
SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS 2008 TOUR OF CHAMPIONS RANKINGS (after seven events)
POS.       PLAYER                                                PTS

1              Marcelo Rios                                        1130
2              Goran Ivanisevic          970
3              Michael Stich                                        900
4              Thomas Muster                           595
5              Anders Jarryd                              525
6              Henri Leconte                              500
7              Cedric Pioline                              460
8=           Marc-Kevin Goellner (WC)                455
8=           Fernando Meligeni (WC)   455
10           Pat Cash                                                      420
11=         Patrick Rafter                               400
11=         Pete Sampras                             400
13           Sergi Bruguera                           360
14           Mikael Pernfors                          330
15=         Chris Wilkinson (WC)         325
16=         Jaime Oncins (WC)                             200
17=         Jeremy Bates (WC)                             125
17=         Albert Costa                                          125
19    Joao Cunha e Silva (WC)         80
20=         Magnus Larsson                  80
20=         John McEnroe                             80
20=         Andrei Cherkasov                               80
23=         Bjorn Borg                                             60
23=         Carl Uwe Steeb                          60
23=         Jaime Yzaga                                        60
23=         Alladin Karagoz (WC)         60
23=         Andrei Chesnokov                              60
23= Guillermo Vilas                                            60
WC denotes Wild Card.
The BlackRock Tour of Champions Calendar 2008
Belfast, Northern Ireland    – February 21-24 (Tennis Legends)
Champion: Anders Jarryd; Runner-up: Mikael Pernfors
Barcelona, Spain                                 – April 24-27 (Champions Cup ’08)
Champion: Marcelo Rios; Runner-up: Michael Stich
Rome, Italy                                            – May 10-11
Champion: Thomas Muster; Runner-up: Goran Ivanisevic
Hamburg, Germany            – May 14-17 (BlackRock Tennis Classic)
Champion: Michael Stich; Runner-up: Marc-Kevin Goellner
Sao Paulo, Brazil                                 – June 19-22 (Nossa Caixa Grand Champions Brasil)
Champion: Pete Sampras; Runner-up: Marcelo Rios
Istanbul, Turkey                   – July 17-20
Champion: Goran Ivanisevic; Runner-up: Fernando Meligeni
Graz, Austria                         – July 29-August 2 (s Tennis Masters)
Champion: Patrick Rafter; Runner-up: Michael Stich
Algarve, Portugal                                 – August 5-8 (Vale do Lobo Grand Champions CGD)
Champion: Marcelo Rios ; Runner-up : Goran Ivanisevic
Paris, France                        – September 18-21 (5e Trophée Jean-Luc Lagardère)
Luxembourg, Luxembourg – September 25-28
Eindhoven, Netherlands    – October 2-5 (AFAS Tennis Classics)
Budapest, Hungary                             – October 9-12
Frankfurt, Germany             – November 13-16 (klarmobil.de Champions Trophy)
Macao, China                       – November 20 (Special Event)
London, UK                          – December 2-7 (BlackRock Masters Tennis)
OTHER INFO
About BlackRock
BlackRock is one of the world’s largest publicly traded investment management firms. At June 30, 2008, BlackRock’s AUM was $1.428 trillion. The firm manages assets on behalf of institutions and individuals worldwide through a variety of equity, fixed income, cash management and alternative investment products. In addition, a growing number of institutional investors use BlackRock Solutions investment system, risk management and financial advisory services. Headquartered in New York City, as of June 30, 2008, the firm has approximately 5,700 employees in 19 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including the U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. For additional information, please visit the Company’s website at www.blackrock.com.
South Africa’s international flagship airline and the continent’s most awarded carrier, South African Airways is the official airline of the BlackRock Tour of Champions. Its modern fleet features a comfortable Economy Class cabin recently reconfigured for extra legroom and a Premium Business Class cabin featuring the airline’s award-winning, lie-flat seat. Complimentary South African wines, inspired cuisine and personal on-demand entertainment for all travellers make the trip to Africa fly by. Built on a venerable 72-year history of bringing the world to Africa and taking Africa to the world, the airline’s network is unsurpassed on the continent – connecting travellers to more than 20 destinations within South Africa and more than 20 cities across Africa. As a recent member to the worldwide Star Alliance, South African Airways is now able to offer its customers 852 destinations in 152 countries and more than 15,500 flights daily.
For the Latest News, Features and Updates from the BlackRock Tour of Champions: www.blackrocktourofchampions.com
and for further information:
www.blackrockinternational.com/tourofchampions

McEnroe Defaulted in Opening Match at Hall of Fame Champions Cup

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NEWPORT, R.I., August 14 – John McEnroe was defaulted in his opening round-robin match at the $150,000 Hall of Fame Champions Cup Thursday at the International Tennis Hall of Fame due to audible, unsportsmanlike conduct and abuse of official code violations in his match with fellow American MaliVai Washington. The default marked the first time McEnroe was defaulted from a match on the Outback Champions Series, the international tennis circuit for champion tennis players over the age of 30.
The series of events that lead to McEnroe’s dismissal came after McEnroe won the first set 6-3 and with Washington serving at 4-2, ad-in, in the second set in the opening round-robin match for both players. Arguing a line-call, McEnroe was issued a code violation warning for an audible obscenity by chair umpire Ray Brodeur. McEnroe continued his tirade against Brodeur and was issued consecutive abuse of official code violations. According to the Outback Champions Series Code of Conduct, match defaults are a four-step process, with the first violation resulting in a warning. The second violation results in a point penalty, a third violation – a game penalty and a fourth violation – a match default. McEnroe’s three violations gave Washington the second set 6-2 (the point penalty giving Washington the game for a 5-2 lead and the game penalty giving him the set by a 6-2 margin.) As McEnroe continued his tirade, fans at the Newport Casino became vocal and restless and began to yell at McEnroe to continue playing. McEnroe responded to the fans with a visible obscene gesture which resulted in a fourth code violation from Brodeur and McEnroe’s immediate default from the match.
Jon Venison, the Outback Champions Series co-founder and supervisor, was summoned to the court and confirmed the code violations and the default.
McEnroe did not meet with press following the incidents but will continue to compete in the eight-player round-robin format event.  He is next scheduled to play Karel Novacek on Friday.
“All players must abide by the same rules,” said Venison. “Umpires tend to be intimated by John which generally means they are more lenient with him. He crossed the line today. We are dealing with a group of extremely competitive guys, and John is one of them. He agreed to the first three code violations, but disagreed with the fourth (for an obscene gesture). John said that he did not do it, and the umpire said he 100 percent categorically saw it. We have to go with the umpire’s ruling.”
Said Washington following the match, “I guess 1992 in New Haven was the last time I played John. Has anything changed? I guess he has one of those explosive personalities, you could say. There are a lot of things I can deal with, disputed line calls, stoppage in play. I have an issue when my opponent starts berating people, fans, and umpires. I said something to the official. As players, we are in control of the match. Officials are in charge of the integrity of the game.”
McEnroe’s other high-profile default from a match came at the 1990 Australian Open when he was tossed out of a round-of-16 match with Sweden’s Mikael Pernfors due to audible obscenities. Said McEnroe following his default loss to Pernfors in 1990, “I don’t really have anyone to blame but myself. This is like a long story that culminates in me getting defaulted in a big tournament. I mean, I guess it was bound to happen. It’s too bad. I don’t feel good about it, but I can’t say that I’m totally surprised.”
Said Venison, “For the vast majority of players this is a non-issue. Historically there have been more issues with John’s matches than the other guys but this was over the top. We tell them (the umpires) to set guidelines early in the match so that the players know their boundaries. If you don’t, things can get ugly quickly.”
In other matches on Thursday, Jim Courier defeated Magnus Larsson 6-7 (2), 6-2, 10-6 and Mikael Pernfors defeated Wayne Ferreira 6-3, 6-3.
The Hall of Fame Champions Cup features an eight-man round-robin match format with the winner of each four-player division meeting in the title match while second place finishers in each division meet in the third-place match. The event features $150,000 in prize money with an undefeated winner taking home $54,000 as well as Stanford Champions ranking points that will determine the year-end champion and the winner of a $100,000 bonus. Play continues at the International Tennis Hall of Fame Friday with the continuation of round-robin play. Tickets for the event can be purchased by calling 866-914-FAME or at www.tennisfame.com. Play begins at noon on all days of the tournament.
The 2008 Outback Champions Series kicked off March 12-16 in Naples, Fla., at The Oliver Group Champions Cup where Todd 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 event in Boston April 30- May 4, defeating Aaron Krickstein in the final. The next five events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series calendar are stops in Newport, R.I., Charlotte, N.C., Dallas, Texas, Surprise, Arizona and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. More information can be obtained by visiting www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, established in 1954, is a non-profit institution dedicated to preserving the history of tennis, inspiring and encouraging junior tennis development, enshrining tennis heroes and heroines, and providing a landmark for tennis enthusiasts worldwide. It was recognized as the sport’s official Hall of Fame in 1986 by the International Tennis Federation, the governing body of tennis. The International Tennis Hall of Fame’s legendary grass courts remain the only competition grass courts available for professional events and exhibitions, while also available for public play. For more information about the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, events and programs, please call 401-849-3990 or log on to www.tennisfame.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
Thursday’s Results – August 14
Mikael Pernfors, Sweden, def. Wayne Ferreira, South Africa, 6-3, 6-3
MaliVai Washington, United States, def. John McEnroe, United States, 3-6, 6-2, default
Jim Courier, United States, def. Magnus Larsson, Sweden, 6-7 (2), 6-2, 10-6 (Champions Tie-Break)
Wednesday’s Results – August 13
Magnus Larsson, Sweden, def. Wayne Ferreira, South Africa, 6-2, 6-2
Jim Courier, United States, def. Mikael Pernfors Sweden, 7-6 (1), 6-4
Pat Cash, Australia, def. Karel Novacek, Czech Republic, 6-4, 6-1
STANDINGS
ROUND ROBIN GROUP A
Jim Courier 2-0
Magnus Larsson 1-1
Mikael Pernfors 1-1
Wayne Ferreira 0-2
ROUND ROBIN GROUP B
Pat Cash 1-0
Mal Washington 1-0
Karel Novacek 0-1
John McEnroe 0-1
REMAINING SCHEDULE
Friday, August 15
Beginning at Noon
Magnus Larsson vs.  Mikael Pernfors
Followed by
Karel Novacek vs. John McEnroe
Followed by
Pat Cash vs. Mal Washington
Saturday, August 16
Beginning at Noon
Karel Novacek vs. Mal Washington
Followed by
Pat Cash vs. John McEnroe
Followed by
Jim Courier vs. Wayne Ferreira
Sunday, August 17
Beginning at Noon
Third Place Match
Followed by
Championship Match

Istanbul Title Catapults Ivanisevic To No.1

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Goran Ivanisevic won the inaugural Turkcell Legends Cup in Istanbul, Turkey to take his first BlackRock Tour of Champions title of 2008 and jump to No.1 in the South African Airways Champions Tour Rankings.
A capacity crowd generated an electric atmosphere for the final, which Ivanisevic won 6-4, 6-4 against Fernando Meligeni of Brazil.
The match was closer than the scoreline suggested, but the Ivanisevic serve was the deciding factor.  In the first set, the two players exchanged breaks of serve before Ivanisevic took the decisive advantage at 4-4. Meligeni kept fighting in  the second set and made the match competitive, but again Ivanisevic broke the Meligeni serve and from then on the outcome was never in doubt.
“I played really good today and I really had a great time,” said Ivanisevic.
“It’s been such a well-organised tournament and everybody has been so welcoming and kind. I’m really grateful to play here and I hope the tournament exists next year and I hope to be here. I’m happy to be number one (in the rankings), that’s really nice. But there’s still a lot of tournaments and a lot of competition between now and then but if I play like this then it’s definitely possible (that I could finish the year No.1).”
Meligeni was disappointed to lose, but not surprised, having lost all of his three meetings with Ivanisevic on the ATP circuit.
“Always when I play Goran it’s very tough and he served unbelievably and put me under a lot of pressure,” said Meligeni.
“I think it was a good match and it was fun but I was under pressure all the time and he was definitely the deserving winner today, he played better. It’s an honour for me to be playing here and competing with these guys on the circuit.  This week has been unbelievable with great hospitality and a great welcome here in Istanbul. I would love to have the chance to come back.”
In the 3rd/4th place play-off, Cedric Pioline defeated Thomas Muster 4-6, 7-5, 11-9 (Champions’ Tie Break).
Next, the BlackRock Tour of Champions moves on to two of the most popular and long-standing tour-dates –  Graz, Austria for the s Tennis Masters (July 29 – August 2) and then Algarve, Portugal for the Vale do Lobo Grand Champions CGD (August 5-8).
These are exciting times for the Tour, with former World No.1’s Pete Sampras Sao Paulo, London),  Stefan Edberg (Paris, London) and Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Eindhoven) all joining the circuit for World No.1’s, Grand Slam finalists and Davis Cup winners in 2008.
The 1989 French Open champion Michael Chang  and 1996 Wimbledon finalist Malivai Washington also announced that they will join Kafelnikov at the AFAS Tennis Classics in Eindhoven, October 2-5.
Ivanisevic, Muster, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Pat Cash, Marcelo Rios and Michael Stich will also be back in action as the year progresses.
To go inside the Borg/McEnroe rivalry and watch an exclusive video, click here: http://www.blackrocktourofchampions.com
RESULTS – SUNDAY, 20 JULY, 2008
Cedric Pioline d. Thomas Muster 4-6, 7-5, 11-9 (Champions’ Tie Break)
Goran Ivanisevic d. Fernando Meligeni 6-4, 6-4
FINAL GROUP STANDINGS
GROUP A
Matches won/lost (sets)
Fernando Meligeni                              3-0 (6-0)
Cedric Pioline                     2-1 (5-3)
Sergi Bruguera                    1-2 (3-4)
Alladin Karagoz                   0-3 (0-6)
Matches won/lost (sets)
GROUP B
Goran Ivanisevic                  3-0 (6-1)
Thomas Muster                    2-1 (5-3)
Pat Cash                                               1-2 (2-5)
Andrei Chesnokov                              0-3 (2-6)
BLACKROCK TOUR OF CHAMPIONS POINTS ALLOCATION
Winner –                400 points
Finalist –                250 points
3rd place –            200 points
4th place –            125 points
5/6th place –         80 points
7/8th place –         60 points
SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS 2008 TOUR OF CHAMPIONS RANKINGS (after six events)
POS.       PLAYER                                                PTS
1              Goran Ivanisevic                  660
2              Michael Stich                        650
2=           Marcelo Rios                        650
4              Anders Jarryd                       525
5              Thomas Muster                    515
6              Pat Cash                                               420
7=           Pete Sampras                      400
7=           Cedric Pioline                 400
9              Fernando Meligeni                              375
10=         Mikael Pernfors                   330
10=         Marc-Kevin Goellner (WC)                330
12           Henri Leconte                      240
13=         Chris Wilkinson (WC)         200
13=         Jaime Oncins                       200
15           Sergi Bruguera               160
16=         Jeremy Bates (WC)             125
16=         Albert Costa                          125
18=         Magnus Larsson                  80
18=         John McEnroe                      80
18=         Andrei Cherkasov                               80
21=         Bjorn Borg                                             60
21=         Carl Uwe Steeb                   60
21=         Jaime Yzaga                                        60
21=         Alladin Karagoz (WC)        60
21=         Andrei Chesnokov                              60

WC denotes Wild Card.
The BlackRock Tour of Champions Calendar 2008
Belfast, Northern Ireland – February 21-24   (Tennis Legends) – Champions: Anders Jarryd; Runner-up: Mikael Pernfors
Barcelona, Spain – April 24-27 (Champions Cup ’08) – Champion: Marcelo Rios; runner-up: Michael Stich
Rome, Italy – May 10-11 – Champion: Thomas Muster; runner-up: Goran Ivanisevic
Hamburg, Germany – May 14-17 (BlackRock Tennis Classic)
Champion: Michael Stich; Runner-up: Marc-Kevin Goellner
Sao Paulo, Brazil – June 19-22 (Nossa Caixa Grand Champions Brasil)
Champion: Pete Sampras; Runner-up: Marcelo Rios
Istanbul, Turkey – July 17-20
Champion: Goran Ivanisevic; Runner-up: Fernando Meligeni
Graz, Austria – July 29-August 2 (s Tennis Masters)
Algarve, Portugal – August 5-8 (Vale do Lobo Grand Champions CGD)
Paris, France – September 18-21 (5e Trophée Jean-Luc Lagardère)
Luxembourg, Luxembourg – September 25-28
Eindhoven, Netherlands – October 2-5 (AFAS Tennis Classics)
Budapest, Hungary – October 9-12
Frankfurt, Germany – November 13-16 (klarmobil.de Champions Trophy)
Brussels, Belgium – November 20-23
London, UK – December 2-7 (BlackRock Masters Tennis)
OTHER INFO
BlackRock is a premier provider of global investment management, riskmanagement and advisory services to clients around the world. The rebrand from the Merrill Lynch Tour of Champions to the new BlackRock Tour of Champions,
stemmed from the merger between BlackRock and Merrill Lynch Investment Managers on the 29th September 2006. This merger united the predominantly US fixed income institutional heritage of BlackRock with that of Merrill Lynch
Investment Managers’ award-winning global retail equity franchise.
BlackRock is one of the world’s largest publicly traded investment management firms. At December 31, 2007, BlackRock’s assets under management (AUM) was US$1.357 trillion. The firm manages assets on behalf of institutions and individuals worldwide through a variety of equity, fixed income, cash management and alternative investment products. In addition, a growing number of institutional investors use BlackRock Solutions(r) investment system, risk management and financial advisory services. Headquartered in New York City, as of December 31, 2007, the firm has approximately 5,500 employees in 19 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including the U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. For additional information, please visit the Company’s website at www.blackrock.com.
South Africa’s international flagship airline and the continent’s most awarded carrier, South African Airways is the official airline of the BlackRock Tour of Champions. Its modern fleet features a comfortable Economy Class cabin recently reconfigured for extra legroom and a Premium Business Class cabin featuring the airline’s award-winning, lie-flat seat. Complimentary South African wines, inspired cuisine and personal on-demand entertainment for all travellers make the trip to Africa fly by. Built on a venerable 72-year history of bringing the world to Africa and taking Africa to the world, the airline’s network is unsurpassed on the continent – connecting travellers to more than 20 destinations within South Africa and more than 20 cities across Africa. As a recent member to the worldwide Star Alliance, South African Airways is now able to offer its customers 852 destinations in 152 countries and more than 15,500 flights daily.
For the Latest News, Features and Updates from the BlackRock Tour of Champions: www.blackrocktourofchampions.com
and for further information:
www.blackrockinternational.com/tourofchampions

Federer vs. Ancic..A Look Back At Fed's Last Wimby Loss

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Roger Federer will face Croatia’s Mario Ancic in Wednesday’s quarterfinals at Wimbledon. It has been well-documented that in the first round of Wimbledon in 2002 that Ancic, an 18-year-old qualifier, defeated the much-hyped Federer, one year removed from his titanic fourth-round upset of Pete Sampras. The loss marked the last time Federer lost on grass and at Wimbledon as the Swiss maestro has ripped off five Wimbledon titles including a record 63 straight wins on grass and 38 straight at the All England Club. Rene Stauffer in his book The Roger Federer Story, Quest for Perfection ($24.95, New Chapter Press, www.rogerfedererbook.com) details this famous match between Federer and Ancic, excerpted below. (To order this book at a special 34 percent off discount, click here.)
Federer was considered the hottest player on the ATP Tour on the eve of both the French Open and Wimbledon. He arrived in Paris with hero-like status and viewed himself as a dangerous dark horse threat to win both titles. Prior to his first-round match with Morocco’s Hicham Arazi in Paris, Federer said he was hoping not to expend too much energy. He fulfilled this goal, but not exactly in the way he planned. On a cool, drizzly Tuesday on tiny Court No. 2, Federer faced Arazi who, after a miserable clay court season, was only ranked No. 45 in the world. But Federer committed 58 unforced errors in 95 minutes of play and decisively lost 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. It was a debacle. He com­plained about the slipperiness of the court, the rainy, dreary weather, about being fatigued after Hamburg, and praised Arazi. In short-he was confused.
He now had plenty of time to prepare for the grass courts at Wimbledon, where he defeated Pete Sampras the year before. British bookies ranked Federer behind Hewitt, Safin, Agassi and Henman as the fifth most likely player to win the Wimbledon title. To John McEnroe, Federer was the favorite and boldly predicted he would win the tournament. Former Wimbledon finalist Malivai Washington said to ESPN that “it is only a matter of time until Federer wins his first Grand Slam tournament. The real question is how many Grand Slam tournaments will he win?”
Prior to the start of The Championships, the ATP organized a telephone press conference with Federer for the international press. “I feel that my chances of winning the tournament are good,” he explained on the call, while he attempted to refute the theory that he could not come to terms with being the favorite. “I feel better when I’m the favorite and I know that I can win the tournament. It helps me not to be the outsider. That’s why I’m playing better this year than in previous years.”

But Federer was also aware of the fact that he still didn’t have a Grand Slam title, and that many were expecting him to win one-and soon. Federer, himself, felt burdened by the expectations, but more from the expectations that he placed upon himself to break through and win a Grand Slam tourna­ment title. His impatience grew with each missed opportunity. He placed an enormous amount of pressure to break through and win either Wimbledon or the US Open in 2002.
In the first round at Wimbledon, Federer drew Croatian teenager Mario Ancic. Federer had no idea who he was and didn’t find out much about him before their match. Prior to the 2002 Wimbledon Championships, the 18-year-old Ancic primarily played junior events and only advanced into the Wimbledon main draw through the qualifying tournament. He was ranked No. 154 in the world and stood at nearly six feet, six inches tall. The 2001 Wimbledon Champion Goran Ivanisevic, who like Ancic hailed from the Croatian coastal city of Split, even gave his young countryman tips on how to play Federer. Wimbledon was Ancic’s Grand Slam tournament debut and his first match was played on Centre Court of all places, against Federer, the man who one year earlier defeated one of Wimbledon’s greatest champions on the very same court.
Roger’s father Robert, who seldom watched his son play live, traveled to Wimbledon to watch his son. Sitting in the bleachers at Centre Court, he an­ticipated peacefully watching a routine first-round victory for his son on this pleasant, warm and dry afternoon. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Like in Paris, Roger unceremoniously lost in the tournament’s opening round without win­ning a set. He was unrecognizable compared to the previous year’s heroics and only scored one ace against the young Ancic in the 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-3 loss.
Federer was shocked. As in Paris, he couldn’t understand why he played so poorly. “I normally like to compliment young players,” he said, “but the way I performed today, I can’t really judge Ancic.” Federer was forced to witness the top-ranked Hewitt, who was not considered to be a grass court specialist, go on to beat David Nalbandian in the final to become the first Australian Wimbledon champion since Pat Cash in 1987.
By contrast, Federer dropped out of the top 10 by virtue of his Wimbledon performance. Two weeks later at the Swiss Open in Gstaad, Federer expe­rienced another unexpected defeat at the hands of Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic in the second round. His crisis was incomprehensible. “He’s not himself on the court anymore,” said Lundgren. “Technically, there’s nothing wrong with his game. It’s in his head. He feels the pressure.” For the moment, Federer lost his entire creativity, his entire joy in playing ten­nis and his self-confidence. “I allowed myself to become too dragged down mentally and I thought I couldn’t play tennis anymore,” he said later.
But his greatest setback still lay before him and it would come from a completely unexpected direction.

The Day I Beat Pete Sampras On Grass

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It was on this day in tennis history, June 11, 1991 when Mark Keil, ranked No. 224 playing in only his second career ATP tour event, staged a staggering upset of future seven-times Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras 6-2, 7-6 in the first round of the Stella Artois Championships at Queen’s Club in London. Following the win over the No. 8 ranked player in the world, Keil entered the post-match press conference and asked reporters, “Is this where I am supposed to sit. I have never done this before.” Asked what his previous claim to fame had been prior to beating Sampras, Keil responded, “Nothing.” Keil, the producer and star of the tennis documentary “The Journeymen” (click here to order), takes readers back to that occasion in this week’s blog.
After losing early in the French Open, I headed to play a Challenger in Surbiton, England the second week of the French. I partnered with Doug Flach, the former All American out of the University of Tennesse, and brother of former U.S. Davis Cup doubles standout Ken Flach. We lost first round to James Blake’s nutritionist Mark Merklein and the soft spoken Michael Sell, 6-2 in the third.
The next week – who would have thunk it – but I beat the greatest player ever to play the game, Pete Sampras. Yes, I am still milking this occasion, and until a better moment in my life shows up, it has to be done. When I arrived that day in June in 1991, I stayed at a bed and breakfast in Wimbledon village. I was travelling with Craig Boynton, an American who now coach’s Mardy Fish. He got sick that week, and was watching movies from dusk till dawn. The day before I played Pete, I hung out with a friend Allysa Rappaport. She was backpacking around Europe. She was a nice girl. Her dad started the Outback chain of restaurants. What a great flavor of the week. I tried to resume a relationship with her when I got back to my homebase of Tampa, but to no avail. The morning of my match was a glorious one, and I warmed up with Brad Pearce, a Mormon from Utah who was a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon once. He told me I had a chance. That was all I needed. I proceeded to play lights out on the best grass court in the world still to this day. The only moment of the match I regret was not looking him in the eyes when I shoke his hand. I must admit the match changed my life, some for the good, some for the bad. I let my ego get in the way of my career, and subsequently did not break into the top 100 in singles. The next few months I felt like since I had beaten the No. 8 player in the world, I didn’t need any help. I was main draw of ten challengers in singles after that. I should have had my coach at the time Allen Webb come with me, to get past that last hurdle. When you break into the top 100 in singles, it’s like getting invited to the best dance. After a celebratory dinner with my pal and fellow player T.J. Middleton and Allysa and her friend Marybeth, I had the huge challenge of playing Malivai Washington the next day. The former star from the University of Michigan couldn’t handle my aggressive play in the first set. I won 7-6. “I’m going to win the tournament now” That’s what I thought and I’m sure everyone in the crowd read my mind. He then beat me 6-3, 6-2. It’s a week I won’t forget.
Enjoy Wimbledon!

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Mashona Washington Breaks Through in Carson

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Last week on the challenger circuit, one player moved closer to showing her former top 50 form, while two players on the men’s side won their second challenger titles of the year.
Mashona Washington of the United States broke through in her comeback to professional tennis with a win at the $50,000 challenger in Carson, California, defeating fellow American Alexa Glatch 7-5, 6-4. Washington, who injured her right knee at a Fed Cup tie in the summer of 2006, sidelining her for sixteen months, has endured some demoralizing losses against unranked players in challenger qualifying since coming back. The younger sister of former U.S. Davis Cup standout and 1996 Wimbledon runner-up Malivai Washington is now finally beginning to show the form that took her inside the world’s top 50 and led to wins against players like Maria Sharapova back in 2004.
At the $25,000 event in Togliatti, Russia, Nina Bratchikova of Russia won her second consecutive challenger title with a 6-3, 6-0 rout of Patricia Mayr of Austria. Bratchikova also won the $25,000 event in Moscow, Russia last week. This has also been some of the best few weeks of Mayr’s career, having reached her first ever challenger final just a couple of weeks ago in Italy.
In other results on the women’s side, Tomoko Yonemura of Japan won the $25,000 event in Gunma, Japan, while Anastasjia Sevastova of Latvia won the $25,000 challenger in Galantina, Italy.
On the men’s side, Gilles Muller of Luxembourg won his second challenger title of the year at the $75,000 event in Izmir, Uzbekistan, with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Kristian Pless of Denmark. Muller used his big serve and forehand to overwhelm the diminutive Pless throughout the match and move just outside the world’s top 100 this week.
At the $50,000 challenger in Carson, California, Amer Delic of the United States also won his second challenger title of the year, fighting back from being down in each set to defeat fellow American Alex Bogomolov by a 7-6, 6-4 score. Delic’s other challenger title came on American soil as well, having won early in the year at a tournament in Dallas, Texas. Bogomolov was unable to defend his title, having won in the finals last year against Kei Nishikori of Japan
In other results on the men’s side, Paolo Lorenzi of Italy won the $35,000 event in Alessandria, Italy, while Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russia won the $35,000 challenger in Karlsruhe, Germany.
The challenger circuit will be graced by the almost unheard of presence of a top 15 player this week, as Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic is the top seed at the $150,000 challenger in Prostejov, Czech Republic. Victor Hanescu of Romania is the top seed at the $50,000 challenger in Furth, Germany, and Fabio Fognini of Italy is top seed at the $35,000 challenger in Sassoulo, Italy. Main draws for the challengers in Surbiton, Great Britain, and Yuba City, California were still being made at press time.
On the women’s side, Tatiana Garbin of Italy is the top seed at the $75,000 event in Rome, Italy. Akiko Nakamura of Japan leads the way at the $50,000 challenger in Surbiton, Great Britain, while Mariana Duque Marino of Colombia takes top billing at the $25,000 event in Galantina, Italy.

Mondays With Bob Greene: Ana Ivanovic May Even Be Better Than Maria Sharapova

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STARS
Nikolay Davydenko won The Hypo Group Tennis International 2008 in Poertschach, Austria, defeating Juan Monaco 6-2 2-6 6-2
Sweden captured the ARAG World Team Cup in Duesseldorf, Germany, edging Russia 2-1 when Robert Lindstedt and Robin Soderling took the decisive doubles, downing Dimitry Tursunov and Mikhail Youzhny 4-6 7-6 (5) 11-9
Gilles Simon defeated Julien Benneteau 7-5 6-2 to win the Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca, Morocco
Anabel Medina Garrigues successfully defended Internationaux de Strasbourg title by beating Katarina Srebotnik 4-6 7-6 (4) 6-0 in Strasbourg, France
Agnieszka Radwanska beat Elena Demetieva 6-3 6-2 to win the Istanbul Cup in Istanbul, Turkey
SAYINGS
“I don’t think I will ever come back. I think that it’s important just to move on.” – Justine Henin, confirming her retirement from tennis is for good.
“What better way could there be for me to say goodbye?” – Gustavo Kuerten, three-time French Open champion who retired after losing his first-round match at Roland Garros 6-3 6-4 6-2 to Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu.
“I’ve never been this nervous in my whole life and maybe never been this glad in my whole life either. It’s a great feeling.” – Robin Soderling, after teaming with Robert Lindstedt to win the decisive doubles and lead Sweden to the ARAG World Team Cup title.
“Even though I was a qualifier this week, I knew that in theory I was number two of the tournament. I came here to win the tournament. I knew that I had my chances and it was a great week for me.” – Gilles Simon, after winning the Grand Prix Hassan II.
‘I had a couple of funny finals, but I would say this was the toughest. It stopped and started. I don’t even know how long we were out there.” – Katarina Srebotnik, who led 6-4 6-5 before losing at Strasbourg, France, to Anabel Medina Garrigues.
“I am very happy to win here and I have a lot of confidence going into Paris.” – Nikolay Davydenko after winning The Hypo Group Tennis International 2008.
“In the warm-up I couldn’t put the ball in the court because I was so nervous. So the first few games were more like my warm-up.” – Agnieszka Radwanska, who won the Istanbul Cup
“The doctor did not give me the green light to serve at 100 percent. I prefer to focus on the grass-court season.” – Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, pulling out of the French Open.
“I have had the best preparation I’ve had since 2002. I fell like I have played so many clay-court tournaments. I feel like I’m a clay-court player. I’m comfortable out there, which is great.” – Serena Williams, saying she’s one of the favorites to win at Roland Garros.
“I am probably more relaxed. I am now capable of saying the objective is just the next match.” – Amelie Mauresmo, admitting the pressure to win the French Open has affected her game in the past.
“You have to concentrate. You just have to survive all the problems that come at you. It’s like tennis’ equivalent of a marathon.” – Carlos Moya, the 1998 French Open champion, on playing at Roland Garros.
“If he’s as good as he looks right now … and stays away from injuries and be motivated, it’s going to be tough to beat him at the French.” – Bjorn Borg, picking Rafael Nadal to win his fourth straight French Open.
“I don’t think it’s going to be anything that’s terribly long and I would be surprised if he was not ready to go for Queen’s. But as for now he needs to take a good 10 days, 12 days, just rest.” – John Roddick, Andy’s brother and coach, on the sixth-ranked American’s right shoulder injury.
“There is sufficient cause for concern about the integrity of some players and those outside tennis who seek to corrupt them.” – Report by an independent panel that concluded that 45 professional tennis matches in the past five years had suspicious betting patterns.
“James Blake is a great ambassador for his sport on and off the court. He is always friendly, courteous and lives the idea of Fair Play.” – Dietloff von Arnim, tournament director of the ARAG World Team Cup while giving Blake the Fair Play Trophy for the second time.
“You taught me everything important in this sport.” – James Blake, thanking his coach Brian Baker after receiving the Fair Play Trophy in Duesseldorf, Germany.
STIRRING FINISH
The ARAG ATP World Team Championships went into overtime before Sweden finally edged Russia 3-2 to collect the trophy. The two nations split the singles – Sweden’s Robin Soderling beat Mikhail Youzhny 6-3 6-1 in the opener before Russia’s Igor Andreev eclipsed Thomas Johansson 2-6 6-3 6-4, ensuring that the doubles would be decisive. Soderling and Robert Lindstedt, who were undefeated during the week, rallied from behind to nip Dimitry Tursunov and Youzhny 4-6, 7-6 (5) 11-9.
SKIPPING PARIS
A host of French players and two former world number ones – Americans Lindsay Davenport and Andy Roddick – are among the growing crowd skipping the French Open for various reasons, including retirement, injuries and fatigue. Another former number one, three-time defending women’s champion Justine Henin, shocked tennis when she announcement her retirement last week. Others who have pulled out of Roland Garros include French players Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who will undergo right knee surgery, Sebastiab Grosjean and Tatiana Golovin; Americans Meilen Tu and Meghann Shaugnessy; India’s Sania Mirza; Romania’s Andrei Pavel, and Austria’s Stefan Koubek.
SIZZLING SI
The cover of Sports Illustrated’s South Africa edition shows a topless Ana Ivanovic with her arms strategically wrapped around her body. The edition is headlined “Beauties of Sport Special Issue,” while the cover line says, “Author Paul Fein wrote of Ivanovic: “Breathtakingly beautiful and very talented, the Serbian tennis star has blazed up the WTA Tour rankings. We never … ever … thought we’d say this, but she may even better than Maria.”
SIR RABBIT
American Ashley Harkleroad revealed that she posed for the August edition of Playboy magazine. The 23-year-old Harkleroad, who is ranked 61st in the world, noted other athletes who have appeared in the magazine include Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard and former volleyball player Gabrielle Reese. “I’ll be the first tennis player ever. That’s kind of cool,” Harkleroad said.
SPANISH STREAK
Anabel Medina Garrigues is very comfortable at Strasbourg, France. For the second straight year and the third time in her career, the Spaniard won the Internationaux de Strasbourgh, this time rallying from a 6-4 6-5 deficit to beat Katarina Srebotnik 4-6 7-6 (4) 6-0 in a title match plagued by rain delays. Besides her three titles in Strasbourg, Medina Garrigues has won at Palermo, Italy, four times in her eight career titles.
SURPASSES MILLION-DOLLAR MARK
When Agnieszka Radwanska knocked off top-seeded and defending champion Elena Dementieva 6-3 6-2 to win the Istanbul Cup, she became the first Polish woman to surpass USD $1 million in career earnings on the WTA Tour. It was the third career title for Radwanska, who won at Stockholm, Sweden, last year and Pattaya City, Thailand, earlier this season. The loss was Dementieva’s first in eight matches in Istanbul.
SWEET SWEDES
Robert Lindstedt and Robin Soderling not only outlasted their Russian opponents to lift Sweden to the title of the 2008 ARAG World Team Cup, the pair also won the tournament’s doubles ranking. Lindstedt and Soderling captured all three of their round-robin matches in straight sets, then capped the week with a 4-6 7-6 (5) 11-9 win over Mikhail Youzhny and Dimitry Tursunov in the decisive match. Their victory in the final was enough to earn the pair an additional $15,700 along with the Rheinische Post Doubles Cup. Soderling won all eight matches he played – four singles and four doubles – during the week, joining John McEnroe and Fernando Gonzalez as the only players in the 31-year history of the tournament to achieve the feat.
STANDOUT
James Blake was awarded the Fair Play Trophy at the ARAG World Team Cup for the second time. The honor was voted on by the media representatives and the eight team captains.
SHALE SPARKLE
Maria Sharapova will have extra sparkle when she takes to the court at Roland Garros. The world number one will be wearing earrings designed by Tiffany’s Elsa Peretti, part of a two-year partnership between the tennis star and the jeweler. Sharapova also will be wearing a “Paris dress” by Nike which will have a luminous Tiffany pearl button closure.
STUDY INTENSIFIED
Tennis will take closer look at 45 matches played over the past five years that produced unusual better patterns. An independent panel recommended a closer investigation be made along with creating both an anti-corruption program and an integrity unit in tennis. The four Grand Slam tournaments, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), APT and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour accepted all 15 recommendations of the Environmental Review of Integrity in Professional Tennis, which concluded that “professional tennis is neither systematically nor institutionally corrupt.”
SPECIAL LADY
The Barnard Medal of Distinction – Barnard College’s highest honor – was bestowed on Billie Jean King at the school’s 116th commencement ceremony in New York City. King was honored for her being a pioneering athlete and champion for social equality.
STANDING TALL
United States Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe is one of nine new members of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Men’s Hall of Fame. Inducted in ceremonies at Tulsa, Oklahoma, were McEnroe, who played at Stanford, Steve Denton of Texas, David DiLucia of Notre Dame, Donald Johnson of North Carolina, Jim Pugh of UCLA, Robbie Weiss of Pepperdine and Chris Woodruff of Tennessee. Also inducted were Tom Jacobs, honored for his longtime contributions while at the NCAA, and Minnesota coach Jerry Noyce. The ITA Men’s Hall of Fame has inducted more than 170 players, coaches and contributors, including the late Arthur Ashe (UCLA), Jimmy Connors (UCLA), John McEnroe (Stanford) and Stan Smith (Southern California).
SENIOR STEFAN
Stefan Edberg, a six-time Grand Slam champion, including two Wimbledons, will join the BlackRock Tour of Champions later this year. The 42-year-old Swede, who retired from the ATP circuit 12 years ago, will compete in Paris, France, in September and in London, England, in December. Also joining the senior circuit are former French Open champions Michael Chang and Yevgeny Kafelnikov along with 1996 Wimbledon finalist Malivai Washington.
SITE SWITCH
Bangalore is the next stop for the ATP tournament that has been held in Mumbai the last two years. Located in southern India, Bangalore was host to the ATP World Doubles Championships in 2000. The Bangalore Open, which will begin play on Sept. 29, is being promoted by a company owned by Indian tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi.
SAD NEWS
The first chief executive officer of the ATP Tour, Hamilton Jordan, is dead. The political strategist behind Jimmy Carters successful 1976 run to the White House, Jordan led the formation of the ATP Tour when it began in 1990. Jordan, who died at his home in Atlanta, Georgia, was 63.
SHARED PERFORMANCES
Doubles Champions
Poertschach: Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa beat Julian Knowle and Jurgen Melzer 7-5 6-7 (3) 13-11
Casablanca: Albert Montanes and Santiago Ventura beat James Cerretani and Todd Perry 6-1 6-2
Istanbul: Jill Craybas and Olga Govortsova beat Marina Erakovic and Polona Hercog 6-1 6-2
Strasbourg: Yan Zi and Tatiana Perebiynis beat Chan Yung-Jan and Chuang Chia-Jung 6-4 6-7 (3) 10-6 (tiebreak)
SITES TO SURF
French Open (Roland Garros): www.rolandgarros.com/
French Tennis Federation: www.fft.fr/portail/
Ana Ivanovic: www.anaivanovic.com/
Anna Kournikova: http://clubs.sportsmates.com/kournikova/
Rafael Nadal: www.rafaelnadal.com
TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK
ATP
$11,034,805 Roland Garros, Paris, France, clay
WTA TOUR
$10,891,368 Roland Garros, Paris, France, clay
TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK
ATP
$11,034,805 Roland Garros, Paris, France, clay
$150,000 Prostejov Challenger, Prostejov, Czech Republic, clay
WTA TOUR
$10,891,368 Roland Garros, Paris, France, clay
$100,000 Tiro A Volo, Rome, Italy, clay

Pistol Pete begins his Outback Champions season in Boston

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MaliVai Washington replaces injured Todd Martin in the eight-player field
NEW YORK, N.Y., April 29, 2008 – Pete Sampras will kick off his 2008 Outback Champions Series season this week by defending his title at the $150,000 Champions Cup Boston. The Champions Cup Boston, which will be held April 30 to May 4 at Agganis Arena, is the third of eight events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series, the global tennis circuit for champion tennis players age 30 and over.
Last year, Sampras made his return to competitive tournament tennis in Boston and won the title, defeating Todd Martin in the final. The seven-time Wimbledon champion and the owner of a men’s record 14 major men’s singles championships is grouped this year with John McEnroe, Jim Courier, and Jimmy Arias in the event’s Group A. Sampras will open play against Arias on Thursday, May 1 and will play McEnroe on Friday evening, May 2 and Courier on Saturday evening, May 3.
InsideOut Sports & Entertainment, the New York-based owners and organizers of the Outback Champions Series and the Champions Cup Boston, announced Tuesday that Martin, the 2006 Champions Cup Boston champion, has withdrawn from the event due to a strained back and will be replaced by 1996 Wimbledon finalist MaliVai Washington.
More info: For tickets and match schedule, please visit the Champions Cup website.