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Roger Federer to Play in On-Court Celebration with Hall of Famers During Class of 2026 Induction Weekend

February 10, 2026 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

2026-Induction-Celebration-Roger-and-Mary

### About the International Tennis Hall of Fame The International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) is a non-profit organization that preserves the history of tennis and celebrates its champions to inspire excellence across generations globally. Induction into the Hall of Fame is the Ultimate Honor in Tennis, and to date has been presented to 270 Hall of Famers representing 28 nations. Located in Newport, Rhode Island in the United States, the Hall of Fame honors these legends and chronicles the sport’s history in an interactive museum, digital experiences and global programming. For more information on the International Tennis Hall of Fame, visit tennisfame.com.

International Tennis Hall of Fame Unveils Multi-Million Dollar Museum Upgrades

May 15, 2025 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

The International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) reopened its Museum following a multimillion-dollar renovation and unveiled a new symbol to define Hall of Fame membership for years to come. The transformation honors the sport’s history, celebrates the legacies of its champions and contributors and redefines the guest experience with new state-of-the-art technology.

The Museum renovations were highlighted by the reimagining of the Hall of Famers Gallery and the Celebration Gallery, two areas that celebrate the sport’s history and take visitors on an immersive journey through the decades. The Hall of Famers Gallery is a unique space honoring every Hall of Famer who has received the ultimate honor in tennis with a new symbol of induction: a cast racquet. The Celebration Gallery, through unique artifacts, tells the stories of how each generation inspired the next and showcases the Inspirational Legacies AR Experience, an augmented reality sculpture engaging fans of all ages.
“We are ecstatic to unveil these innovative, interactive spaces in the Museum and are grateful to those who partnered with us to preserve the history of the game and accomplish these renovations,” said Dan Faber, Chief Executive Officer, ITHF. “We cannot wait to welcome fans from around the world to Newport and our facility to celebrate tennis history and honor some of the sport’s most transformative champions.”

The ITHF held a press conference and ribbon cutting ceremony today with Hall of Famers, donors, sponsors and local and state government officials, including Governor Dan McKee, in attendance.

The project was funded by a portion of the $12M Tennis Forever Capital Campaign, which began in 2018; these were the first renovations to the Museum at the International Tennis Hall of Fame since 2015.

Additional areas updated include:
• The Majors, presented by Rolex, an interactive journey through the majors narrated by Roger Federer.
• The Newport Tennis Traditions Gallery, celebrating the origins of tennis in Newport and its connection to the US Open, featuring the US Open trophies.
• The opening of a Legends Lounge, a space for donors and Hall of Famers to gather while in Newport.
• An updated Welcome Center, newly renovated Bellevue Boutique and new Museum Store.
• A renovated Court Tennis Viewing Gallery, which details the history and development of racquet sports and overlooks one of just 49 court tennis facilities worldwide.

As part of the ITHF’s goal to display unique and contemporary items that represent tennis history in the making, some of the magnificent artifacts that will be shown to guests in the reimagined Celebration Gallery include:

• A “Statement CoolMax” shirt and shorts worn by eight-time Major winner Andre Agassi.
• Madison Keys’ outfit from her maiden major singles title earlier this year at the Australian Open.
• Jannik Sinner’s racquet from the 2024 US Open Men’s Singles Championship where he won his second major.
• Umpire’s scorecard from the 1968 match between Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall at the first-ever Open Era tournament.

The Hall of Famers Gallery will feature a Class of 2025 tribute exhibit from this year’s inductees, Maria Sharapova and Bob and Mike Bryan. Sharapova and the Bryan Brothers will be honored during an Induction Celebration taking place the weekend August 21-23, 2025. Tickets are available now at tennisfame.com.

Sharapova’s dresses from her 2004 Wimbledon, 2006 US Open and 2012 Roland-Garros titles will all be on display, along with her iconic “Lemon Frost” colorway from her semifinal appearance at Roland-Garros in 2011.

Artifacts from the Bryan brothers’ legendary careers that are on display include their Men’s Doubles Championship trophies from the 2013 Australian Open, 2013 Roland-Garros, 2013 Wimbledon, 2012 US Open and 2003 Roland-Garros. The 2012 London Olympics Gold Medal will also be available for guests to view as this accomplishment completed their Career Golden Slam.

The Museum at the International Tennis Hall of Fame is open seven days a week (Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To purchase tickets and find more information, visit: https://www.tennisfame.com/.

Tennis Hall of Fame Announces New Additions To Its Board of Governors

February 18, 2025 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

The International Tennis Hall of Fame has announced new additions to its Board of Governors for 2025, which includes three incoming Executive Board Members. Representing a wide array of industries, these individuals bring unique expertise, dedication for philanthropy and passion for the sport of tennis as the ITHF enters a new era of growth. “The addition of these extraordinary new members to the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Board of Governors and Executive Board marks an exciting beginning to a transformational year,” said Dan Swan, Chair of the ITHF’s Executive Board. “With their diverse knowledge and dedication to the Hall of Fame’s philanthropic mission, these individuals will help continue to elevate the Hall of Fame to new heights.”

International Tennis Hall of Fame To Refurbish, Modernize Museum Exhibit In Newport

June 25, 2024 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

The International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) announced a multimillion dollar museum transformation project on the historic property in Newport, RI. The renovations will provide fans with a more interactive and modern experience which preserves and promotes the sport’s history. The Hall of Fame will also introduce new features and physical spaces to celebrate legends and support the sport’s growth.

The ITHF announced in a press conference that Advent, a Nashville-based experiential design firm, was selected to lead the renovations, after a highly competitive nationwide RFP process.

“We are very honored to accomplish this for the Hall of Fame,” said Dan Faber, CEO of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. “We want to preserve what’s already out there with the incredible history of tennis but to prepare for global eyes to be a part of this in Newport. It’s perfect timing with this era of who is going to be inducted over the next five years or so in tennis.”

“It’s a privilege to be entrusted with a story like this,” said Reese Stevens, Director of Conceptual Design, Advent. “It has been great for Advent to be included in this and we still have a ways to go but very much looking forward to the grand reopening in May 2025.

This will be the first museum renovation the Hall of Fame has undertaken since 2015; work includes:

A new Hall of Famers’ Gallery The Current USTA Wing will become the new Hall of Famers’ Gallery; each Hall of Famer will be represented by a new cast racquet, signifying their legendary place in tennis history
The Celebration Gallery, a space celebrating the sport of tennis through the stories of its legends, across generations. The area includes a new Augmented Reality Sculpture to engage fans of all ages
The Roger Federer Hologram will be a new immersive experience presented by Rolex
The creation of a Newport Tennis Traditions gallery, celebrating Newport’s tennis origins and a new display for the perpetual US Open trophies
The opening of a Hall of Famers’ Lounge, an event space designed for inductees and guests
The opening of a new Museum Retail footprint with bespoke, commemorative items
A reimagined Welcome Center and new visitor exit, allowing for better guest flow

Beginning with the Class of 2025 Induction, all Hall of Famers past-and-future will receive a cast racquet as a symbol of receiving the ultimate honor in tennis. Racquets will be on display in the new Hall of Famers’ Gallery. Further, as the Hall of Fame works to preserve tennis history as it happens, these renovations will enable a wider variety of recent acquisitions from current stars and Hall of Famers to be on display simultaneously.

The press conference was held in the USTA Wing of the ITHF Museum with Dan Faber, ITHF CEO; Pat McEnroe, ITHF President and Julianna Barbieri, ITHF SVP of Content & Partnerships joined by project principals from Advent, Reese Stevens, Director of Conceptual Design and Mindy Ward, Director of Client Success. Renovations will begin in November, with the museum closed to the public until planned reopening in May 2025. The renovation is being funded by a portion of the Tennis Forever Capital Campaign, which began in 2018

Rendering of modernized International Tennis Hall of Fame

Ester Vergeer and Rick Draney Inducted Into International Tennis Hall of Fame

July 23, 2023 by tennisbloggers Leave a Comment

“I am proud of the many opportunities I had to share what I had learned and developed with other quadriplegics so they could participate in play. I am proud of being an advocate and campaigner for possibilities and opportunities for growth of the quad division in the United States and around the world,” Draney said.

Judy Tegart Dalton, a member of the Original 9 pioneers of women’s tennis and members of the Class of 2021, was also recognized during the ceremony. Dalton was unable to travel to Newport in 2021, but was aptly championed during this year’s program. In her career, Dalton collected nine major doubles titles, completing the coveted career Grand Slam in doubles. “I’d just like to say how honored I am to join this elite group. I feel that what we did as the Original 9 was something unique. To be honored all together, I would have loved to have been here, but this is nearly as good. In fact, it’s better really,” Dalton said. In a press conference earlier today, Vergeer also reflected on the occasion, saying her induction is, “The biggest honor you can have as an athlete.” Prior to the ceremony, Vergeer and Draney received their signature Hall of Fame Brooks Brothers blazers, and were celebrated after the ceremony at the official Enshrinement Reception presented by Infosys.

Todd Martin Wins “Retro Racquet” Invesco Series QQQ Event In Newport

July 21, 2019 by tennisbloggers

NEWPORT, R.I. – During his down time from his role as Chief Executive Officer of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Todd Martin will sometimes hit the grass courts at the Newport Casino and play tennis using an old wooden Jack Kramer Pro Staff racquet, the racquet he used growing up as a young boy. Martin’s comfort with the wooden racquet on his home courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame served him well Sunday as he won a special “retro racquet” version event on the Invesco Series QQQ, held in conjunction with the ATP’s Hall of Fame Open and the induction ceremonies for the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

“It’s nostalgic,” said Martin after beating Mats Wilander 6-2 in the one-set championship match with the Jack Kramer Pro Staff. “I’ve spent my entire life in tennis in various capacities. This is my original racquet. It makes me think about my childhood.”

Wilander, the former world No. 1, used a steel Yonex racquet that he got as a prize when he won a 12-and-under tournament back in Sweden. Wilander, however, could not play with the racquet because his father stole it from him to use himself. Wilander found the racquet in a closet a few weeks ago and decided to use it for this specially-designed event.

The quality of play with the older racquet frames was quite high in all three Invesco Series QQQ matches with few unforced errors. Said Martin of his wood racquet prowess, “Actually my backhand feels better with wood than it does with graphite. My forehand is horrible with both.”

The title was the first for Martin on the Invesco Series since he won the title in Minneapolis in 2011 and his sixth overall title on this North American tennis tour for champion tennis players over the age of 30. Martin also won the title in Newport on this tour back in 2007 defeating John McEnroe in the final. This year’s event in Newport marked only the second Invesco Series QQQ event for Martin since 2014 after competing in New Haven last summer.

En route to the final, Martin beat newly-minted International Tennis Hall of Fame member Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-4, while Wilander beat Jim Courier 6-2. Kafelnikov, the Russian former French and Australian Open champion, was appearing in his first career Invesco Series QQQ event and used a Jack Kramer Autograph racquet. In his loss, Courier used the steel Wilson T-2000 racquet.

The 2019 Invesco Series QQQ circuit continues August 3 with the Invesco Legends San Jose as part of the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic at San Jose State University.

Earlier this season, Haas kicked off the 2019 Invesco Series QQQ circuit by defeating Roddick 7-6 (2) in the title match at the Oracle Champions Cup in Newport Beach, California. James Blake won the second event of the season at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Fla., defeating Courier 6-3 in the final. Lleyton Hewitt won the third title of the season in Charleston, S.C., as part of the Volvo Car Open in April while Tommy Haas won the Hawaii Champions Cup at the Royal Lahaina Resort in May.

The remaining 2019 Invesco Series QQQ schedule is as follows:

San Jose, CA – August 3 (San Jose State University) James Blake, Andy Roddick, Mark Philippoussis, Michael Chang
New Haven, CT – September 7 (Yale University, Andy Roddick, James Blake, Tommy Haas, Mark Philippoussis)
Toronto, ON – September 26 (Mattamy Athletic Centre): Andy Roddick, Jim Courier, James Blake, Mark Philippoussis)
Los Angeles, CA – October 26 (Sherwood Country Club) Andy Roddick, Jim Courier, Tommy Haas, Mardy Fish)
Houston, TX – November 15: (Rice University) Andy Roddick, James Blake, Mark Philippoussis, Juan Carlos Ferrero

In 2018, Blake won his first Invesco Series QQQ year-long points championship by winning titles in Winston-Salem, New Haven and Houston, while also finishing as runner-up in Los Angeles and Orlando.
In 2017, the year-long points championship was decided in the final match of the season when Andy Roddick defeated James Blake in the Los Angeles final at the Sherwood Country Club. Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion and world No. 1, won four Invesco Series QQQ titles in all in 2017, winning in Birmingham, Ala., Chicago, Lincoln, Neb., and Los Angeles. Blake, the former world No. 4 and former U.S. Davis Cup star, won series titles in Charleston, S.C., Winston-Salem, N.C. and in Lynchburg, Va.

In 2016, Mark Philippoussis won the Series points title with 1600 points and tournament titles in Memphis, Tulsa, Newport, Winston-Salem and New Haven. Roddick finished in second place, also earning 1600 points but losing the head-to-head tiebreaker with Philippoussis 5-2, while winning titles in Charleston, St. Louis, Los Angeles and Orlando. Blake finished in third place with 1100 points and tournament titles in Chicago, Portland and Brooklyn.
In 2015, Roddick won the 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. 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 Invesco Series QQQ 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 $5 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 InvescoSeries.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, pleasevisithorizonmedia.com.

ABOUT INVESCO
Invesco Ltd. is an independent investment management firm dedicated to delivering an investment experience that helps people get more out of life. NYSE: IVZ; Invesco.com, Invesco Distributors, Inc. is the US distributor for Invesco Ltd. and is a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Invesco Ltd.”

Lleyton Hewitt Beats Tommy Haas To Win Debut Invesco Series QQQ Event In Newport

July 22, 2018 by tennisbloggers

Lleyton Hewitt made a triumphant debut on the Invesco Series QQQ circuit Sunday winning his debut event at the International Tennis Hall of Fame by defeating Tommy Haas 7-6(2) in the one-set championship match.

Hewitt, the Australian Davis Cup captain and still active on the ATP World Tour, handed Haas his first-ever loss on the North American tennis circuit for champion tennis players over the age of 30 in the final. Haas made his Invesco Series debut earlier this year in Charleston, S.C. where he won the title beating Andy Roddick in the final. Haas also won the title at the Kohala Coast in Hawaii, defeating John McEnroe in the title match.

Haas took the early lead against Hewitt, breaking serve for 2-0, before Hewitt bounced back to reeled off five consecutive games, buoyed by his amazing return of serve. With Hewitt serving for the match at 5-3, Haas was able to break back with the help of some incredible passing shots to eventually force the deciding tiebreaker. In the tie-breaker, Hewitt proved to be relentless getting off to an early mini-break and never looked back.

“This is the first time I’ve played on the Invesco Series and it was really fun,” said Hewitt. “The conditions were a bit tough as we had to wait out the rain for most of the day but I played well when we got out there and had a great time doing it”.

Due to threatening weather Sunday in Newport, the Invesco Series QQQ matches were delayed to be played after the 12:30 pm ATP singles final, instead of before, as originally scheduled. Hewitt defeated James Blake 6-3 in the first semifinal match, while Haas followed by beating U.S. Davis Cup captain Jim Courier 6-3.

Despite the loss, the 40-year-old Haas remains on top of the Invesco Series QQQ rankings earning 200 ranking points to increase his ranking point total to 1,000. Philippoussis, who won the last Invesco Series QQQ event in May in Toronto, remains in second with 500 points. By winning 400 points with the title, Hewitt, age 37, moves into a tie with the 59-year-old McEnroe for third place in the rankings.

The Invesco Series QQQ continues on August 19 at the ATP World Tour’s Winston-Salem Open in Winston-Salem, N.C. featuring Blake, Roddick, Ginepri, and Michael Chang. The remaining schedule, with player fields, is as follows

The remaining 2018 Invesco Series QQQ schedule is as follows:

• August 19: Winston-Salem, N.C. (Wake Forest University) – Andy Roddick, James Blake, Michael Chang, and Robby Ginepri
• August 23, 24: New Haven, CT (Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale) – John McEnroe, Tommy Haas, James Blake and Todd Martin
• October 4: St. Louis, MO (Chaifetz Arena) – John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Jim Courier, and Mark Philippoussis
• October 6: Houston, TX (Tudor Fieldhouse) – John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, James Blake, and Jim Courier
• October 21: Los Angeles, CA (Sherwood Country Club) – Andy Roddick, James Blake, Tommy Haas, and Mardy Fish
• December 6: Orlando, FL (USTA National Campus) – Jim Courier, Andy Roddick, James Blake and Mardy Fish

2018 Invesco Series QQQ Results

April 7: Charleston, SC (Family Circle Tennis Center) F: Tommy Haas def. Andy Roddick 6-1; SF: Tommy Haas def. Michael Chang 6-2; Andy Roddick def. Mark Philippoussis 6-3

May 5, 6: Kohala Coast, HI (Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows) F: Tommy Haas def. John McEnroe 7-5 SF: Tommy Haas def. Mardy Fish 6-3, John McEnroe def.Jim Courier 6-3

May 17: Toronto, ON (Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre) F: Mark Philippoussis d. John McEnroe 7-5, SF: Mark Philippoussis d. James Blake 7-6 (5); John McEnroe d. Jim Courier 6-2.

July 22: Newport, RI (International Tennis Hall of Fame) F: Lleyton Hewitt d. Tommy Haas 7-6(2) SF: Lleyton Hewitt d. James Blake 6-3; Tommy Haas d. Jim Courier 6-3

Each Invesco Series QQQ event features special VIP experiences, including hit-with-the-pros opportunities and special back-stage access. All ticket, experience and event information can be found at www.InvescoSeries.com

In 2017, the year-long points championship was decided in the final match of the season when Andy Roddick defeated James Blake in the Los Angeles final at the Sherwood Country Club. Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion and world No. 1, won four Invesco Series QQQ titles in all in 2017, winning in Birmingham, Ala., Chicago, Lincoln, Neb., and Los Angeles. Blake, the former world No. 4 and former U.S. Davis Cup star, won series titles in Charleston, S.C., Winston-Salem, N.C. and in Lynchburg, Va.

In 2015, Roddick won the 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. 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 Invesco Series QQQ 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 InvescoSeries.comor 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 visithorizonmedia.com.

John Isner, Stevie Johnson To Play Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open

May 6, 2018 by tennisbloggers

Current world No. 9 and No. 1 American John Isner has committed to return to the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open as defending champion at this summer’s event. Isner is a 3-time champion in Newport, having won titles in 2011, 2012, and 2017. Fellow American Steve Johnson will also return to Newport, and a wild card has been awarded to Thanasi Kokkinakis- a rising star from Australia. All three players have had some huge wins this season, with Isner winning the biggest title of his career at the Miami Open, Johnson repeating as champion in Houston, and Kokkinakis (then world No. 175) knocking out world No. 1 Roger Federer in Miami.

“I always enjoy being in Newport in July,” said Isner. “The Hall of Fame is a really special place to compete and the fans are always terrific. This has been an exciting season for me and I look forward to having Newport be part of it.”

Earlier this season, Isner won his first ever ATP Masters 1000 singles title at the Miami Open. Isner entered the tournament ranked world No. 17 and defeated three top-10 players en route to the trophy- Marin Cilic, Juan Martin del Potro, and Alexander Zverev. The victory propelled Isner back into the world top-10 for the first time since May 2014. His win in Miami was preceded by another huge hard court victory when he won the doubles title at Indian Wells, partnered with fellow American Jack Sock.

Topping off hist recent victories, Isner hit a major career milestone in April in Houston when he served his 10,000th career ace. The record puts him in the company of just three others who have ever done so- Ivo Karlovic, Roger Federer, and Goran Ivanisevic. The ball that Isner served his 10,000th ace with was carefully set aside by the staff at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston and then sent to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, where it is now displayed as a part of tennis history.

“We’re looking forward to a great week of tennis in Newport, and John Isner, Steve Johnson, and Thanasi Kokkinakis will each bring a lot of energy and action to the competition. They have all seen some huge successes this year, and we’re thrilled to have them add Newport to their calendars,” stated International Tennis Hall of Fame CEO Todd Martin.

Houston Champ Steve Johnson Making a Return to Newport

Johnson returns to Newport for his fifth appearance, having twice been a quarterfinalist at the grass court event. Johnson is currently ranked world No. 55. Last month in Houston, Johnson won his third career title and second in Houston at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. Both Johnson and Isner have also been part of this season’s successful US Davis Cup team, which is now heading to the Davis Cup semifinals in September.

A Wild Card for Kokkinakis

Kokkinakis will be making his first appearance in Newport, having been granted a wild card into the event. The 22-year-old from Australia is currently ranked world No. 152 and he has notched some big wins early in his career. In Miami in March, Kokkinakis came through qualifying, won his first round and then faced Roger Federer in the second round. He dropped the first set and then came back to take out the world No. 1 in three sets. Last season, Kokkinakis had a win over then world No. 6 Milos Raonic on the grass courts at Queen’s Club. In Los Cabos, he took out world No. 14 Tomas Berdych en route to his first final, where he fell to Sam Querrey.

Tickets On Sale Now

Tickets for the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open are on sale now on www.HallofFameOpen.com. In addition to seven days of exciting pro tennis, the tournament features kids tennis clinics, a fashion show, and other great special events. Highlights for this summer include an exhibition match featuring reigning US Open Champion & Finalist Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys on Friday, July 20; the International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for Michael Stich and Helena Sukova on Saturday, July 21; and Invesco Legends Newport featuring Jim Courier, Tommy Haas, Lleyton Hewitt, and James Blake on Sunday, July 22. Tickets for all special events include access to that day’s tournament matches.

###

About the International Tennis Hall of Fame

The International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization that preserves and promotes the history of tennis and celebrates its champions, thereby serving as a vital partner in the growth of tennis globally. The Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island in the United States, but Hall of Famers hail from 23 nations around the world. The Hall of Fame honors these legends and chronicles the sport’s history in a comprehensive interactive museum in Newport and programming to celebrate the sport around the world. For information on the International Tennis Hall of Fame and its programs, visit www.tennisfame.com.

About the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open

Hosted on the historic grass courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open is the only ATP World Tour event played in the Northeast and the only pro tournament played on grass courts in North and South America. The 2018 tournament will be held July 15 – 22, 2018. In addition to exciting pro tennis, a highlight of the week will be the International Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2018 Enshrinement Ceremony on July 21. For additional information, visit www.halloffameopen.com.

John Isner of the United States celebrates winning the his quarter final match against Hyeon Chung of South Korea during the Miami Open tennis tournament Wednesday, March 28, 2018, in Key Biscayne, Fla. Isner won 6-1, 6-4. (AP Photo/Gaston De Cardenas)

Mardy Fish Beats Andy Roddick To Win First Career PowerShares Series Title In Newport

July 23, 2017 by tennisbloggers

Mardy Fish won his first career title on the PowerShares Series Sunday, spoiling Andy Roddick’s day after his International Tennis Hall of Fame induction with a 7-5 victory in the one-set championship match.

Playing in his first career final on the North American tennis circuit for champion tennis players over the age of 30, Fish broke Roddick at 5-5 on the grass courts at the Newport Casino with crafty backhand slices that neutralized the forehand of the 2003 U.S. Open champion. The move caused uncharacteristic unforced errors from Roddick, Fish’s good friend and former U.S. Davis Cup and Olympic teammate.

“It was a blast,” said Fish of his first PowerShares Series title. “What a special weekend it has been for all the Hall of Fame inductees, especially my buddy.”

Fish, playing for the second year on the PowerShares Series, won one of his six ATP World Tour singles titles in Newport in 2010 while also winning the Newport doubles title in 2008 with John Isner.

To advance into the final earlier in the day, Fish beat Jim Courier 6-3 in the first semifinal, while Roddick defeated James Blake 6-2 in the second semifinal.

Fish earned 400 PowerShares ranking points with the tournament win to move into a third-place tie with John McEnroe in the PowerShares Series rankings. Roddick leads the PowerShares Series rankings with 1300 points, picking up 200 points for the runner-up showing. Mark Philippoussis, who won in Newport last year, sits in second place with 700 points. Roddick won events earlier this year in Chicago in May and Birmingham in April.

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

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

August 20 – Winston-Salem, N.C. – Andy Roddick, James Blake, Michael Chang, Mardy Fish

August 24-25 – New Haven, Conn. – John McEnroe, James Blake, Michael Chang, Mark Philippoussis

TBD – Lincoln, Neb. – TBD

TBD – Los Angeles, Calif. – TBD

In 2016, Mark Philippoussis won the PowerShares Series points title with 1600 points and tournament titles in Memphis, Tulsa, Newport, Winston-Salem and New Haven. Roddick finished in second place, also earning 1600 points but losing the head-to-head tiebreaker with Philippoussis 5-2, while winning titles in Charleston, St. Louis, Los Angeles and Orlando. James Blake finished in third place with 1100 points and tournament titles in Chicago, Portland and Brooklyn.

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 orwww.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.

“Titanic” Survivors’ Fascinating US Open Match

August 28, 2012 by tennisbloggers

It was 98 years ago, on August 28, 1914, that one of the most fascinating confrontations in the history of the U.S. Championships took place.
Two men – Dick Williams and Karl Behr – who both survived the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, the most famous sea disaster in history, incredibly met in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Championships at the Newport Casino in Rhode Island. The two tennis standouts met for the first time on board the rescue ship Carpathia, Williams nearly having his legs amputated after surviving the night in an overturned life-boat while Behr was lucky to escape on the second life boat launched, before the major panic set in. Two years later, the two face each other in the country’s national championship after having been teammates on the U.S. Davis Cup team earlier in the summer.
On this day, Williams emerged victorious by a 6-1, 6-2, 7-5 margin and went on to incredible win the championship defeating top-ranked Maurice McLoughlin of the United States 6-3, 8-6, 10-8 in the championship match in one of the biggest upsets in tennis history at the time.
The following is the narrative of the pre-match scene between Williams and Behr in Newport 98 years ago as told by author Lindsay Gibbs in her book TITANIC: THE TENNIS STORY, an historical adaptation of this story that can be described as the most incredible in the history of tennis. The book is available where ever books are sold, here via Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Titanic-Tennis-Story-Lindsay-Gibbs/dp/1937559041/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346068847&sr=8-1&keywords=Titanic+Tennis+Story or directly via publisher New Chapter Press at www.NewChapterMedia.com. The book can also be downloaded on Amazon.com’s Kindle at here: http://www.amazon.com/Titanic-The-Tennis-Story-ebook/dp/B0087GZGTO/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1346068847&sr=8-1

The locker room at the Newport Casino was silent. Dick hated silence.
This had not always been the case. He used to love the quiet, he used to seek it out, crave it. His favorite moments growing up had been when he found time to himself in the Swiss countryside, just watching the world and enjoying the silence. A chance to think.
But now silence was his worst enemy. Now when things were silent his mind filled the void with echoes of cries. Without diversion, his mind had a harder time warding off the detailed memories of the ship. The archways, the marble staircase, the carvings in the wood.
In the last couple of years, he had become an expert at small talk. He had mastered his father’s act of talking to strangers. Once the shy athletic star, he now had in-depth conversations about the weather, fashion, politics. He would start a conversation about anything, with absolutely anyone. Because when things were this silent, this still, he felt the ground moving underneath him, as though rocking on a wave. He saw the smokestack falling. He felt the water.
A locker slamming aggressively shut came as a welcome distraction. The horror disappeared and his head instinctively turned in the direction of the sound. There he was, in the greatest of ironies. Karl Behr. The only person in the world he didn’t dare engage in small talk with. The only person in the world who didn’t provide a distraction from the thoughts.
The only person who made it worse. Unfortunately, he was the only other person in the locker room right now. They were about to face off in the quarterfinals of the lawn tennis championships of the United States.
He quickly jerked his head back around and resumed tying his shoes. Had Karl been looking at him? Did he seem angry? Did he look like he was about to speak? What if he tried to talk first? What if Helen came by to wish him luck? He wished tying his shoes was a more complicated activity so he could shut out these thoughts. He had promised himself he wasn’t going to do this. He had promised himself that this was just another match. He would not fall apart now, not when he had come so far.
Sweat poured down his face and he was unsure whether it was the Rhode Island late August heat, the stuffiness of the musty locker room this late in the tournament, or his overactive nerves that was causing such a reaction. He was sure that this was not the way to be feeling right before such a big match, no matter who the opponent was. He had to get himself together.
This was the quarterfinals of the U.S. Nationals, for God’s sake. This was his year. Two years ago he’d taken Maurice McLoughlin to five sets, and last year he’d lost to Mac again, but in the final. Now he was the defending finalist and this was the year he was finally going to do it. He was going to lift that trophy he had been hearing about since he was a youngster. He’d held so many tennis trophies; would this one feel different? He wouldn’t ever find out if he didn’t get himself together here. He checked the tension of his racket strings. It was of course just perfect. He always made sure it was perfect. Tight, but not “board tight.”
The only thing that mattered was winning this match. Win this match. Win two more. Win the trophy. That was it. Simple. He had the talent. He had the shots, the fitness, the desire…He had it all. He just had to stay focused and to not let anything or anyone get in the way. The door opened and a portly tournament official broke the silence with his expected announcement: “Mr. Behr, Mr. Williams, it is time to take the court.”
Neither man said a word. Dick still didn’t look up, unwilling to risk a moment of conversation until a net was between them. He sensed Karl picking up his racket bag and when he heard the footsteps pass him, he followed, looking down at his shoes the whole time. He felt again for his rackets and towels to make sure everything was in place. He took a deep breath and jumped up and down a bit as he walked to get his blood flowing. Jumped up and down on healthy legs. His healthy legs that he wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for…
The chatter, and then cheers, of the Newport crowd came just in time to stop the train of thought.
Just another opponent.
Just win this one match.
Just don’t think.