I love this time of year in men’s tennis as everyone is asking how Rafael Nadal can be beaten on the dirt, the rest of the year we are asking can anyone beat Roger Federer on any other surface.
Federer’s recent hiring of Jose Higueras as his coach is a huge step in the right direction if Federer is going to win his first French Open. Higueras is recognized as one of, if not the most knowledgeable coaches out there. This is according his former students Jim Courier, Michael Chang, Todd Martin, Pete Sampras and most recently Robby Ginepri.
Federer showed some real fire and moments of excellence in the Monte Carlo final. He artfully demonstrated a new tactic that he has gotten from Higueras – he was not only trying to move Nadal side to side on or far behind the baseline but he was moving him forward and back and winning most points when doing so. Federer was also taking his opportunities when he was able to move forward, which is going to be essential to taking the rhythm away from Nadal. I believe that Federer is only going to get better with this strategy. Yes, he lost the Monte Carlo final but he lost the final there 6-4, 6-4 in 2007 and this year, he lost it 7-5, 7-5 and he blow a couple of very good leads, including 4-0 in the second set. I believe that Federer is a little better off this year and he has a coach that is a very good communicator with a definite plan.
Federer is the most versatile player ever to play the game. He has everything needed to beat possibly the greatest clay court player. Federer is the world No. 1, however, I do think he is going to need all the help he can get when it comes to Nadal and playing him on the dirt – he might need Higueras to play with him against Nadal. The one thing that Federer does have going for him is that Nadal is not doing anything different on the clay in terms of his game and movement. Is this an advantage or not?
Nadal has been playing a lot more doubles and recently won the doubles title in Monte Carlo. Why is he doing this? To prepare for Wimbledon!!! Let the games begin…
Pete Sampras
McEnroe Holds off Sampras at the 2008 Champions Cup Boston
BOSTON, Mass., May 2, 2008 – John McEnroe of the United States continued to surprise fans at the $150,000 Champions Cup Boston with a 2-6, 7-5, 10-4 (Champions Tie Break) win over fellow American Pete Sampras at the Agganis Arena. In Friday afternoon’s opening match, Aaron Krickstein of the United States prevailed 5-7 7-5 10-8 (Champions Tie Break) over Wayne Ferreira of South Africa. Mikael Pernfors of Sweden defeated MaliVai Washington of the United States 6-3 6-1. Jim Courier of the United States also advanced when fellow American Jimmy Arias withdrew from the event due to a hamstring injury. The Champions Cup Boston, which runs through May 4, is the third of eight events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series, the global tennis circuit for champion tennis players age 30 and over.
McEnroe used his trademark fighting spirit to stay in the long rallies throughout the match, ultimately handing Sampras his first loss on the Outback Champions Series. The win also guarantees McEnroe a place in Sunday’s championship final.
“Pete gets you unnerved with you rhythm,” McEnroe said. “I played great yesterday and today I felt I was hanging on for dear life.”
Sampras had high praise for McEnroe’s performance during the match.
“All the credit to John,” Sampras said. “He really played great and hung in the second set. He hit some great shots and his serve was very tough to return.”
In the opening match of Friday’s day session, Ferreira served for the match against Krickstein at 6-5 in the second set, but Krickstein broke his serve and rode the momentum to victory in the Champions Tie Break.
“When it gets to the tiebreaker, it’s anyone’s game and I had some momentum heading into it,” Krickstein said. “Moving forward, I am going to need serve well on a more consistent basis.”
Ferreira was unavailable to reporters after the match.
In the second match of the day, Pernfors consistently hit winners off his forehand side and had a high percentage of points won at the net as he overwhelmed Washington throughout the match.
“I knew I had to win to have any chance to move on,” Pernfors said. “I felt the way I have been playing, if I could get on top of him it would give me a chance to win. I felt as good as I have in the last five months.”
Despite the loss, Washington felt he had made progress from his last match.
“I felt more comfortable than I did two days ago, although the score doesn’t indicate it,” Washngton said. “Mikael makes you work hard. You have to be able to overpower him and hit a few winners. If you don’t and he gets his racket on it, he can jerk the ball around the court. Right now I am at a disadvantage when I get long baseline rallies and have to try to defend.”
Arias withdrew from the tournament this afternoon due to a hamstring injury suffered in Thursday night’s match against Sampras, giving Courier a win by walkover. Justin Gimelstob of the United States stepped in to play an exhibition match against Courier before Sampras and McEnroe took the court. Gimelstob prevailed with a 6-7 7-6 10-8 (Champions Tie Break) win.
Saturday’s schedule is highlighted by fellow Americans Pete Sampras and Jim Courier facing off in the last match of the evening session. The winner of this match will also advance to the match for third place on Sunday. In the opening match of the evening session, Mikael Pernfors will play Aaron Krickstein. Krickstein is guaranteed a place in the championship match if he wins against Pernfors. The day session kicks off with Malivai Washington taking on Wayne Ferreira.
The Champions Cup Boston features $150,000 in prize money with an undefeated tournament winner taking home $54,000. Players also compete for Champions Series points that will determine the Stanford Champions Rankings year-end No. 1 and the winner of a $100,000 year-end bonus. All Champions Series events feature eight-man round-robin match formats 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. Tickets begin at just $15 and can be purchased by calling 617-931-2000 or at www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com.
Founded in 2005, the Outback Champions Series features eight events where champion tennis players continue to exercise their competitive instincts in tournament formats. To be eligible to compete on the Outback Champions Series, players must have either; reached a Grand Slam singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team. Each event also has the right to choose a “wild card” entrant.
InsideOut Sports & Entertainment is a New York City-based independent producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Outback Champions Series, a collection of tennis events featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including one-night “Legendary Night” exhibitions as well as corporate outings, 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
RESULTS AND SCHEDULE FOR 2008 CHAMPIONS CUP BOSTON
Wednesday, April 30
Wayne Ferreira, South Africa, def. Mikael Pernfors, Sweden, 6-2, 6-2
Aaron Krickstein, United States, def. MaliVai Washington, United States, 6-2, 6-2
Thursday, May 1
Beginning at 7:30 pm
Pete Sampras, United States, def. Jimmy Arias, United States, 4-5, ret.
John McEnroe, United States, def. Jim Courier, United States, 6-4, 6-4
Friday, May 2
Beginning at 2:30 pm
Aaron Krickstein, United States, def. Wayne Ferreira, South Africa, 5-7, 7-5, 10-8 (Champions Tie Break)
Followed by
Mikael Pernfors, Sweden, def. Malivai Washington, United States, 6-3, 6-1
Beginning at 7:30 pm
Jim Courier, United States, def. Jimmy Arias, United States, walkover.
Followed by
John McEnroe, United States, def. Pete Sampras, United States, 2-6, 7-5, 10-4 (Champions Tie Break)
Saturday, May 3
Beginning at 2:30 pm
MaliVai Washington vs. Wayne Ferreira
Followed by
John McEnroe vs. Jimmy Arias
Beginning at 7:30 pm
Mikael Pernfors vs. Aaron Krickstein
Followed by
Pete Sampras vs. Jim Courier
Sunday, May 4
Beginning at 2:30 pm
Third-place Match
Followed by
Championship Match
Pistol Pete begins his Outback Champions season in Boston
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.
Pete Sampras Joins The BlackRock Tour of Champions
Pete Sampras has given a huge boost to the BlackRock Tour of Champions by announcing that he is to join the circuit of former World No.1’s, Grand Slam finalists and Davis cup winners in 2008.
Sampras, who won seven Wimbledon titles and ended six successive years as the World No.1, will play two tournaments in his first year – the Grand Champions Brasil in Sao Paulo next month (21-24 May), and the BlackRock Masters Tennis event (2-7 December) at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England.
The trip to Sao Paulo will be the first time he has visited South America, and the BlackRock Masters Tennis event will mark his first journey to England since his last Wimbledon appearance in 2002. In an exclusive video interview on the BlackRock Tour of Champions website, Bjorn Borg welcomes Sampras to the Tour, and Sampras says:
“It’s still fun for me to compete, it’s still a challenge and I still want to hold that trophy up at the end. Today, or 10 years from now, if I’m on the tennis court, I’ll still want to play well and win. When you’re out there, even though it’s now a different sort of arena, you want to win.”
To see the full interviews, click here: http://www.30love.net/#openVideo-YmxhY2tyb2NrX3RvdXJfb2ZfY2hhbXBpb25zLjEyMDgyNzE2NjMzNzM=
Nuala Walsh, Head of International Marketing at BlackRock commented:
“We are delighted that Pete Sampras will be joining the BlackRockTour of Champions. The Tour gives tennis fans a wonderful opportunity to see some of the world’s greatest tennis legends in action again. With tournaments taking place across so many countries in which BlackRock operates, this is also a great way for us to entertain our clients globally.”
Sampras Finds Perfect Balance
Sampras, 36, retired from the ATP circuit in glorious fashion in 2002, winning the US Open, his 14th and final Grand Slam title. It set a record that still stands today. Upon retirement, the American took a step away from the sport.
“Tennis had been such a big focus in my life and for a while it was great to be away from the sport and I loved it,” he said.
“I was playing golf and having fun, but after two or three years I started to get a little bored and a little bit restless. There’s no book on retirement, especially at 31 years old. Initially you love it but after a while you need something to do. I have two kids – a five-year-old, Christian, and a 2-year-old, Ryan, and it has been a lot of fun to see them grow and spend time with them. But, at the same time I feel like a man should work, maybe I’m a little old-fashioned. It took me a while to get to the realisation that I would like to play again and get back into the sport. When I was 26, I never thought I would want to play Champions tennis. But, as time goes on, when you’re playing golf, taking some trips here and there and maybe putting on a little bit of weight, you just kind of feel a little bit unfulfilled as a man. That’s how I felt.”
It didn’t take long for Sampras to re-discover his fitness, form and desire to play and he is now looking forward to the unique blend of fun and competition to be found on the BlackRock Tour of Champions.
“It’s definitely going to be a lot more relaxed,” said Sampras.
“I used to be so focussed that I would just see the hotel and the courts and that was it. I had the feeling that I was expected to win and then there was all the pressure that I put on myself. Today, I still want to play well and still want to win but if I don’t it’s not the end of the world. It’s a totally different feel. I was pretty serious when I played but now I’m a little more relaxed. At the same time, people do want to see competitive tennis, they want to see the real deal. The crowd still want to see me serve and volley the way I used to and pull off my shots, but with a slightly lighter atmosphere.”
Sao Paulo and London
Having never previously been to South America, Sampras is excited at the prospect of visiting Sao Paulo.
“I’ve heard a lot of good things about Sao Paolo but I’ve never been there, so I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
“It’s a different culture and I was just thinking the other day that I used to go somewhere and not even care about the city or its history but now I’ll go there and maybe have a few days off to see some sights, something I wouldn’t have done back then. I’m still there to win though, and I’ll be focussed to put on a good show.
Sampras hasn’t been to the United Kingdom since his disappointing last Wimbledon in 2002 when he lost to George Bastl in the second round. The chance to go back and play at the Royal Albert Hall is something he couldn’t resist, particularly after sampling the venue for the first time almost 20 years ago in the World Championship Doubles.
“I remember it being a great arena,” he said.
“You could hear the glasses during the points with all the people drinking champagne, and everyone in their tuxedos. They really live it up there, so I’m looking forward to it. I haven’t been back to London since my last Wimbledon, which was a bit of a nightmare. I hear a lot of good things about the event in London and the stadium and the exposure it brings. So I’m excited and pretty pumped up about it. I hear the people there really support it and so I’m excited to go back and play a little tennis for them.”
The next event on the BlackRock Tour of Champions is the Seat Champions Cup which takes place in Barcelona from Thursday until Sunday. The Tour will then move onto the Foro Italico in Rome over the weekend of the 10th and 11th May, and then the BlackRock Tennis Classic at the Rothenbaum Club in Hamburg, 14-18 May.
The Tour opened in Belfast in February with Anders Jarryd successfully defending his title.
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)
Rome, Italy – May 10-11
Hamburg, Germany – May 14-17 (BlackRock Tennis Classic)
Sao Paulo, Brazil – May 21-24 (Grand Champions Brasil)
Istanbul, Turkey – July 17-20
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)
SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS 2008 TOUR OF CHAMPIONS RANKINGS
POS. PLAYER PTS
1. Anders Jarryd 400
2. Mikael Pernfors 250
3. Chris Wilkinson (WC) 200
4. Jeremy Bates (WC) 125
5. John McEnroe 80
6. Pat Cash 80
7. Bjorn Borg 60
8. Henri Leconte 60
WC denotes Wild Card.
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
Tennis' April issue: a look at the best of the Open Era
The upcoming issue of Tennis looks back at the past 40 years of tennis (the Open Era), which began with an inclusion of professionals into its most esteemed events — the Grand Slams — for the first time. This move revolutionized the sport and brought us some amazing memories in upsets, defeats, victories, and feats. Read on to see what the mag deemed worthy of its list. (Do you agree? Tell us!)
The Best Shots: The invicible serve of Peter Sampras. “No player owed as much to a single shot. Even as he aged, his serve kept winning him Wimbledons.” The runners-up are Steffi Graf’s forehand, Chris Evert’s backhand; Jimmy Connors’ return, and Roger Federer’s forehand.
Crucial Matches: Props to Tennis for not going with the safe choice of Billie Jean King d. Bobby Riggs (no offense, BJK). Instead, they turn our attention to the 1990 U.S. Open meeting between Sampras and Ivan Lendl. “An unknown Sampras ended Lendl’s streak of eight U.S. Open finals, and helped usher in the power era,” according to the magazine. Runners up are McEnroe defeating Borg at the 1981 U.S. Open, the 1973 Battle of the Sexes, Rosewall winning over Laver in Dallas, 1972; and Graf’s victory over Navratilova at Wimbledon in 1988.
Biggest Upsets: Navratilova’s 1983 French Open loss to Kathy Horvath, bringing the American’s win-loss record for that dominant year to 83-1. Runners-up are Doohan d. Becker, 1987; L. McNeil d. Graf, 1994; Yzaga d. Sampras, 1994; and Ashe d. Connors, 1975.
Outrageous Moments: The biggest buhskyooze moment is the 1993 stabbing of Monica Seles. The incident derailed a potentially historic career for Seles (btw, why wasn’t her backhand in the top 5?). Runners-up are McEnroe defaulting in Melbourne, 1990; Connors wiping out a ball mark, 1977; the Ilie Nastase uprising at Flushing Meadows, 1979; and Jennifer Capriati’s drug bust mug shot, 1994. (By the time Martina Hingis effed up at Wimbledon this year, drugs were already passe…)
Biggest Rivalries: “The cold war duals of Navratilova vs. Evert defined the term ‘rivalry’ in tennis,” notes the magazine. Their duels ended up 43-37 in Navratilova’s favor. Other rivalries mentioned are Laver vs. Rosewall, Borg vs. McEnroe, Court vs. King, and Sampras vs. Agassi. It’s early yet, but what about Rafa and Roger?
Records: Steffi Graf’s Golden Slam. Runners-up are Chris Evert’s semifinals run from 1971-1987; Navratilova’s 350 titles (that’s 200 more than almost everyone else, man or woman!); Roger Federer’s 10 Grand Slam Finals from Wimbledon 2005 to the U.S. Open in 2007 (a men’s record), and Nadal’s clay-court streak of 81 consecutive wins.
Best Dressed: Serena Williams takes the title in fashion. “From the cat suit to the soccer socks, Serena has made tennis fashion a sport of its own.” Runners-up are Bjorn Borg, Chris Evert, Maria Sharapova, and Roger Federer.
Biggest Disappointments: The “ornery and super-smooth” Chinito, Marcelo Rios. He never won a major, and he defaulted a match in Los Angeles back in the early aughts, ruining the one chance I had to see him play. Other losers are Iva Majoli, Anna Kournikova; Dick Stockton, Mark Philippoussis.
Feel-Good Victories: The tearful collapse of Jana Novotna in the 1993 Wimbledon final made her 1998 win against Natalie Tauziat even sweeter. Runners-up: Virginia Wade’s win at Wimbledon in 1977, Yannick Noah’s 1983 win at Roland Garros, Jennifer Capriati’s comeback at the 2001 Aussie Open, and Goran Ivanisevic’s historic Monday final in 2001.
Patrick McEnroe Named General Manager, USTA Elite Player Development
Written by the USTA
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., April 2, 2008 – The USTA today announced that Patrick McEnroe has been named General Manager, USTA Elite Player Development, as part of a new strategic direction for the development of future American champions. This initiative will provide a greater focus on top American junior players and young pros in an effort to achieve championship status. As part of a unified effort, the USTA will create a “Champions Advisory Board” and “Coaches Commission,” bringing together the best in American tennis to provide input into talent identification, program development, and coaching. In addition, the new direction will include the launch of “USTA Pro Track,” providing a pathway for top American juniors to achieve at the highest levels of the game.
McEnroe, who led the U.S. Davis Cup team to its first title in 12 years last December, will remain in his role as Captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team. He will begin his new full-time position as General Manager on May 12, and will report to Arlen Kantarian, CEO, Professional Tennis. McEnroe will oversee the USTA’s National Coaches and coaching program, as well as the USTA Training Centers in Boca Raton, Florida, and Carson, California.
For the first time, the USTA is now training and housing top junior talent on a full-time basis in the new state-of-the-art training facility at its Boca Raton Training Center on the campus of the Evert Tennis Academy. Its creation is the first-step in the hands-on development of top junior talent by the USTA.
“This is the beginning of a new strategic direction for the USTA as we create a unified effort to help keep America a dominant force in tennis for years to come,” said Arlen Kantarian, CEO Pro Tennis, USTA. “Patrick McEnroe is one of the most respected and forward-thinking minds in tennis today, and has achieved success at every level of the sport. With Patrick at the helm, we look forward to building a broad coalition of support toward one common goal – – create the next generation of American champions.”
“This is one of the sport’s highest callings and I am thrilled to unify and lead a team to work together to keep America the home of champions,” said McEnroe. “The USTA has significantly stepped-up its commitment to the development of elite champions, and I am honored to lead this effort. I look forward to working with our past champions, top coaches, academies, and other industry leaders for the betterment of American tennis.”
In his 11-year pro career (1988-98), McEnroe won one singles and sixteen doubles titles, including the 1989 French Open doubles title. He reached a career high singles ranking of No. 28 in September 1995 and an individual doubles high of No. 3 in 1993. He was a member of the U.S. Davis Cup team in 1993, ’94 and ’96. As U.S. Davis Cup Captain he began his tenure committed to working with younger talent. His 14 wins are tied for second all-time for a U.S. Davis Cup Captain and he now has a roster that has played as a group for a record nine straight ties and captured the Davis Cup for the U.S. for the first time in 12 years in 2007. He also was coach of the 2004 U.S. Olympic men’s tennis team.
A respected television and radio commentator, McEnroe graduated from Stanford University with a degree in political science as a three-time singles All-American (1986-88) and member of two NCAA championship teams (1986 and ’88). As a junior in 1984, McEnroe claimed the USTA Boys’ 18s National Grass Court singles title, the USTA Boys’ 18s National Clay Court doubles title and French Open boys’ doubles title. He was a member of the U.S. Junior Davis Cup Team in 1986 and ’87.
McEnroe, 41, is married to actress Melissa Errico. The couple resides in Manhattan and has a daughter, Victoria.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT PATRICK McENROE…..
“Patrick is a strong leader and understands the players, the sport and what it takes to build champions. He is a driven man of the highest character. I look forward to working with him as part of the USTA’s inclusive effort to develop American champions.”
— Billie Jean King
“The USTA continues to make the right moves in regards to Player Development. Patrick is an excellent choice to head its new Elite Player Development unit. I look forward to seeing him down here in Boca Raton at the USTA Training Center.”
— Chris Evert
“The USTA made a great choice in selecting Patrick for this position. Patrick is a good friend, a great Davis Cup Captain and a solid ambassador for the sport of tennis. I wish him nothing but the best and will help in any way I can.”
— Pete Sampras
“I’ve known Patrick for a long time and have always been impressed with his commitment to the sport. Patrick is a great guy for the job.”
— Andy Roddick
“I have witnessed first hand Patrick’s desire to build champions and win. This shows that the USTA is committed to doing everything it can to develop the next group of American champions. I know Patrick will have an open mind and a creative vision that will allow our top talent to develop into champions.”
— James Blake
“The USTA is clearly on the right track – great hire. Patrick is a man who puts what is best for American tennis in front of everything else. We look forward to working with him and the USTA on this new focused effort to create American champions and inspire individuals to play the game.”
— Nick Bollettieri
“Hiring Patrick to head Elite Player Development is an outstanding move by the USTA. He will have the respect of the players, the coaches and from the tennis world at large. His keen competitive instinct, his exceptional understanding of the game and his classy leadership capabilities help to make him uniquely qualified for this honor and responsibility.”
— Dick Gould
Patrick’s coach at Stanford
Click here to view photos of the Sony Ericsson Open
Sampras To Face McEnroe And Courier As Champions Cup Boston Schedule Is Announced
NEW YORK, N.Y., March 27, 2008 – InsideOut Sports & Entertainment today announced the match schedule for the 2008 Champions Cup Boston to be played April 30 – May 4 at the Agganis Arena in Boston. Fourteen-time major champion Pete Sampras will be back to defend his Champions Cup Boston title and is grouped with John McEnroe, Jim Courier and Jimmy Arias in group A. McEnroe will play Courier on Thursday, May 1 following Sampras’ opening match versus Arias. Sampras will then play McEnroe on Friday evening, May 2 and Courier on Saturday evening, May 3. Todd Martin, the event’s 2006 winner, is grouped with Wayne Ferreira, Aaron Krickstein and Mikael Pernfors
in group B and will open play against Krickstein on Wednesday, April 30.
The Champions Cup Boston is the third of eight events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series, a collection of tennis events played around the world featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. The event features $150,000 in prize money with an undefeated winner taking home $54,000. Players also compete for Champions Series points that will determine the Stanford Champions Rankings year-end No. 1 and the winner of a $100,000 year-end bonus. All Champions Series events feature eight-man round-robin match formats 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. Tickets begin at just $15 and can be purchased by calling 617-931-2000 or at www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com.
“We have some block-buster match-ups leading up to the Sunday finale for this year’s Champions Cup Boston that will once again provide for great buzz in the Boston community along with excellent competition and entertainment,” said Jon Venison, co-founding partner of InsideOut Sport & Entertainment and the Outback Champions Series. “Each match-up features some of the most prolific tennis players over the last 25 years. In the case of Sampras, McEnroe and Courier, you have rematches of some of the greatest and most significant matches in tennis history.”
The full schedule of play is as follows;
SCHEDULE FOR 2008 CHAMPIONS CUP BOSTON
Wednesday, April 30
Beginning at 7:30 pm
Wayne Ferreira vs. Mikael Pernfors
Followed by
Todd Martin vs. Aaron Krickstein
Thursday, May 1
Beginning at 7:30 pm
Pete Sampras vs. Jimmy Arias
Followed by
John McEnroe vs. Jim Courier
Friday, May 2
Beginning at 2:30 pm
Wayne Ferreira vs. Aaron Krickstein
Followed by
Todd Martin vs. Mikael Pernfors
Beginning at 7:30 pm
John McEnroe vs. Pete Sampras
Followed by
Jim Courier vs. Jimmy Arias
Saturday, May 3
Beginning at 2:30 pm
Todd Martin vs. Wayne Ferreira
Followed by
John McEnroe vs. Jimmy Arias
Beginning at 7:30 pm
Mikael Pernfors vs. Aaron Krickstein
Followed by
Pete Sampras vs. Jim Courier
Sunday, May 4
Beginning at 2:30 pm
Third-place Match
Followed by
Championship Match
Sampras is returning to the site where last year he played his first competitive tournament since he won the 2002 US Open. In 2007, Sampras went 3-0 in round robin play in Boston and staved off three match points from Martin to win the championship match 6-3, 5-7, 11-9 (Champions Tie-Break). The seven-time Wimbledon champion also played a much-anticipated sold-out Saturday night match with McEnroe, defeating his former Davis Cup doubles partner 6-3, 6-4 in an electric atmosphere at the Agganis Arena. McEnroe, 49, said during the first event on the 2008 Outback Champions Series in Naples, Fla., earlier this month that this will be his final year of playing competitive tournament tennis. Thus, the 2008 Champions Cup Boston will be his final tournament in the Boston area.
Founded in 2005, the Outback Champions Series features eight events where champion tennis players continue to exercise their competitive instincts in tournament formats that feature prize money and Champions Series ranking points that determine a year-end No. 1 player on the Stanford Champions Rankings. To be eligible to compete on the Outback Champions Series, players must have either; reached a Grand Slam singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team. Each event also has the right to choose a “wild card” entrant.
InsideOut Sports & Entertainment is a New York City-based independent producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Outback Champions Series, a collection of tennis events featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including one-night “Legendary Night” exhibitions as well as corporate outings, 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
Retailer Teams with Tennis Great Jim Courier to Provide Free School Supplies to Students
Soon after Jim Courier’s five-set heroics against Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski in the epic 3-2 U.S. win over Great Britain in the 1999 Davis Cup, he walked into a local grocery store in Orlando, Fla. To Courier’s surprise, his efforts on behalf of his country’s national tennis team did not go unnoticed as the bag boy at the store said to Courier, “`You’re that Davis Cup guy!’ ”
Courier had the shoe on the other foot Thursday as he was the bag boy as he and Stapes teamed up to make it “easy” for 20 students to purchase school supplies with an exciting shopping spree at the Staples Brighton location. Staples and Courier provided each student, who participate in Boston’s after-school tennis program “Tenacity” with a $100 Staples gift card to purchase much-needed school supplies.
Courier, who will compete in the third annual Champions Cup Boston tennis tournament April 30-May 4 at Boston University’s Agganis Arena, joined Staples CEO Ron Sargent in helping students pick out school supplies and check-out at the register. Ned Eames, the President and Founder of Tenacity, the official charity of the Champions Cup Boston, was also on hand helping the students shop, and accepted an additional $1,000 donation to Tenacity from Staples.
“It is our privilege to be involved in today’s shopping spree alongside our Champions Cup Boston corporate sponsor, Staples,” said Courier, Co-Founder of InsideOut Sports & Entertainment and the Outback Champions Series. “Staples’ leadership in the Boston community is matched by Tenacity’s commitment to positively impact the lives of thousands of area children annually and we couldn’t be more pleased to work together.”
“Charitable organizations that make a difference for today’s youth are central to Staples’ philanthropic mission,” said Sargent. “We are proud to show our support for Champions Cup Boston and its charity partner, Tenacity.”
“Giving children the chance to obtain school supplies at no cost is another great benefit of Tenacity’s partnership with Champions Cup Boston,” said Eames. “We are grateful for the contribution that Staples has made to each student and for the $1,000 donation they made to our organization. Jim Courier and Staples’ generosity will have an immediate impact on our kids, who will use these valuable educational tools – notebooks, pens and pencils – to learn more effectively and guide them along the right path to fulfill their dreams.”
Tickets for Champions Cup Boston start at just $15 and are available now at ChampionsSeriesTennis.com or by calling (617) 931-2000.
InsideOut Sports & Entertainment announced last month the return of tournament tennis to Boston with the third annual Champions Cup Boston. Fourteen-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras, seven-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe, four-time Grand Slam champion Courier and Australian and US Open finalist Todd Martin will join four more tennis greats as they vie for the title and $150,000 in prize money at Agganis Arena April 30-May 4, 2008. Sampras will defend his Champions Cup title where, one year ago, he came out of retirement to defeat Todd Martin in a hotly contested final where he saved three match points. McEnroe finished in third place.
Boston is the third tournament on the 2008 Outback Champions Series, a collection of men’s tennis events in the United States and abroad featuring some of the greatest names in the sport over the age of 30.
About Staples
Staples, Inc. invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and today is the world’s largest office products company. With 76,000 talented associates, the company is committed to making it easy to buy a wide range of office products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business services. With 2007 sales of $19.4 billion, Staples serves consumers and businesses ranging from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in 22 countries throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. Headquartered outside of Boston, Staples operates more than 2,000 office superstores and also serves its customers through mail order catalog, e-commerce and contract businesses. More information is available at www.staples.com.
About the Outback Champions Series
Founded in 2005, the 2008 Outback Champions Series features eight events where champion tennis players continue to exercise their competitive instincts in tournament formats which feature prize money and Champions Series ranking points to determine the year-end Stanford Champions Rankings No. 1 player. In 2008, the year-end Stanford Champions Rankings No. 1 will also receive a $100,000 cash bonus. To be eligible to compete on the Outback Champions Series, players must have reached either a Grand Slam singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team. Each event also has the right to choose a “wild card” entrant.
About InsideOut Sports & Entertainment
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 corporate outings, 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.
About Tenacity
Tenacity is one of the premier youth development programs in the City of Boston offering both after-school and summer programming that combines tennis, literacy and life skills to help youth develop the skills and self-confidence they need to succeed in life. Tenacity’s After-School Excellence Program currently partners with eight middle schools in Boston to provide intensive after-school services for 210 students. The Summer Tennis & Reading Program operates at 28 neighborhood sites throughout the city and more than 4,500 Boston youth participate
Tiger Woods, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer
The following excerpt from THE ROGER FEDERER STORY, QUEST FOR PERFECTION (www.rogerfedererbook.com) by Rene Stauffer discusses the relationship between Federer and Tiger Woods and Roger Federer.
When Tiger Woods achieved the “Tiger Slam” in 2000 and 2001—winning all four of golf’s major championships in a row—Roger Federer was not yet 20 years old. The way that Woods dominated golf and reignited interest in the sport certainly caught the attention of the young Federer. However, he never thought that he would ever be compared to someone as dominant as Woods. “His story is completely different from mine,” he said in the spring of 2006. “Even as a kid his goal was to break the record for winning the most majors. I was just dreaming of just once meeting Boris Becker or being able to play at Wimbledon some time.”
Despite their different developments and the differences between their sports, the commonalities between Woods and Federer became unmistakable through the years. Like the four-time Masters champion, Federer is in full pursuit of sports history. While Woods is pursuing Jack Nicklaus and his 18 major championships, Federer is chasing Pete Sampras and his 14 Grand Slam singles titles. Both Woods and Federer are amazing because of their mental resilience, which is evident from the fact that they manage to make the most terrific shots under the greatest of difficulties.
Unlike his parents, Roger Federer is not a passionate golfer, but he follows Woods’ career with great interest. “It would be interesting to meet him and to see what he’s like in person,” Federer said in Key Biscayne in 2006.
Both Federer and Woods are clients of the International Management Group (IMG) and Federer’s agent, Tony Godsick, is friends with Mark Steinberg, the agent of Woods. In the summer of 2006, Federer asked Godsick if he could arrange a meeting with Woods. “The next thing I heard was that Woods would be delighted to come to the US Open final,” Federer recollected. “At that time the tournament hadn’t even started. I would have preferred meeting him in a more relaxed atmosphere than on the day of the US Open final—and I still had to get there first.”
The public had no idea that a spectacular meeting was in the making behind the scenes at the US Open. After Federer defeated the Russian Nikolay Davydenko in the semifinals, he was informed that Woods was going to make good on his promise. He flew to New York from Florida on his private jet with his wife, Elin, to watch the US Open final in person. To everyone’s surprise, Woods took a seat in Federer’s guest box—which was quite noteworthy given the fact that Federer faced an American, Andy Roddick, in the final. “The fact that Tiger was sitting there put me under extra pressure,” Federer later admitted. “It was just like when I was younger when my parents or Marc Rosset watched me play in person. You want to play especially well.”
Woods’ timing was perfect. He watched and cheered as Federer won his third straight US Open title, defeating the resurgent Roddick 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. For the third year in a row, Federer won both Wimbledon and the US Open—a record that he didn’t have to share with anyone.
While Federer briefly met Woods before the final, the two spent well over an hour together in the locker room following the match, drinking Champagne and gazing at the US Open trophy that Federer just won. Woods even talked on the phone to Federer’s parents who were at home in bed as it was nearly three in the morning in Switzerland.
“I was impressed by how much we had in common,” Federer explained when Woods was on his way back to Florida. “He knew exactly what I was going through and I see what he has to go through. I’ve never spoken with anybody who was so familiar with the feeling of being invincible.”
“It was terrific for me to see him go into my player’s box, shake his fist, and enjoy himself,” he recollected a few weeks later. “He was the loudest one in my box. I was surprised how loose he was about it. He was happy as a kid to be able to watch the final. I think we’ll do things together more often.”
The appearance of Woods at the 2006 US Open final sparked more comparisons—and debates—between the two “athletes of the century” as to who was greater and more dominant. With all due respect to Woods, James Blake came out in favor of Federer. “In tennis, it’s a tournament where you have one bad day and you’re out,” said Blake. “That’s what we do every single week. Roger is winning every Grand Slam except for the French, winning every Masters Series tournament. That means he can’t have one bad day—that’s incredible. Not to mention he has to be out here for four hours running as opposed to walking while carrying one club—again not taking anything away from golf. Tiger’s proven himself every Sunday every time he has a lead. But look at Roger’s record in Grand Slam finals, too. In Grand Slam finals, he’s 8-1. That’s unheard of.”
The Woods camp and golf fans pointed out that the American, in contrast to Federer, already won all four major tournaments in his sport and instead of only having to defeat seven opponents at the biggest tournaments, Woods had to fight off around 150 contenders. Tennis aficionados emphasized that Grand Slam tournaments lasted two weeks and not just four days and that in tennis, having an off day is enough to get knocked out whereas in golf, players could always save the day in such a situation.
Still others highlighted the commonalities between the two. “Despite their total dominance, Tiger Woods and Roger Federer show a modest self-discipline that would have impressed the most chivalrous medieval knight,” The Daily Telegraph of Britain wrote. The Calgary Sun stated unequivocally which of the two super athletes it favored—“(Federer) is infinitely more human than Tiger Woods, more precise, more likable, more honest, less robotic, seemingly enjoying his place as a tennis player for the ages.” The Daily News of Los Angeles, by contrast, questioned all of these comparisons. “You say the Swiss dude is definitely the greatest tennis player of all time? Good, then we can switch back to the Bengals-Chiefs. Equating Roger Federer to Tiger Woods isn’t a backhanded compliment, it’s a forehanded insult. An athlete of Federer’s all-around refinement deserves better than to be defined in terms of another athlete.”
After his US Open victory, Federer returned home to Switzerland when he received a surprise phone call. Pete Sampras, whose legacy and records were now one of Federer’s biggest rivals, called to offer congratulations. “He had already text messaged me three days ago and now he was calling me to congratulate me personally,” said Federer shortly after the US Open. “He asked if I had gotten the message. I said I was just about to reply. It was almost embarrassing. Perhaps I should have replied quicker.” Sampras told Federer how much he liked to watch him play and emphasized that he now was more clearly dominant than he was during his prime. “To hear something like this from him was incredible,” Federer said. “It’s never happened to me before that my earlier idol called me to compliment me.”
Sampras and Federer continued their text message relationship, with Sampras offering more good wishes over the following few months. Before the tournament in Indian Wells in March of 2007, Federer then took the initiative and called Sampras, who meanwhile announced he was returning to competitive tennis on the Champions circuit run by his contemporary Jim Courier. Federer asked Sampras if he would like to hit some balls and train together. “I wanted to see how well he could still play because, after all, he was one of my favorite players growing up,” Federer explained. With a wink in his eye and devilish grin, he then said, “beating him in his backyard in Wimbledon was so special to me, so I wanted to try and beat him in his house.”
Federer and Sampras only played once during their careers—the memorable round of 16 match at Wimbledon in 2001. Late in Pete’s career, the two had one brief practice session together in Hamburg. “It started to rain,” Federer recollected. “I was so disappointed, but he was happy to get off.”
After their training session together in Los Angeles in the spring of 2007, Federer expressed his surprise at how well Sampras could still keep up during their practice session. “We played some great sets and tie-breaks. I’m glad to see that he’s actually still enjoying tennis.” The scores of these practice matches? “They’re secret,” Federer said. “Surprisingly, he was very good, but not good enough to beat me!”
Federer found that he and Sampras shared many commonalities and could talk in great detail of their respective lives and pressures on the tour, as well as common experiences, experiences at particular tournaments and even about players who they both played against. With Woods, this was not the case. “Pete and I played the same tournaments and even played against the same opponents,” Federer said. “I have much more in common with Pete than I have with Tiger off court.”
“When I was new on the tour, I hardly ever spoke to Pete,” he continued. “First of all, he was never around at the courts, and when he would come into the locker room, everything was quiet because he was respected so much by all the other players.” Several years later, Federer finally got a chance to find out what made Sampras so unique and what brought him so close to perfection.
Courier and Martin Win Openers As 2008 Outback Champions Series Kicks Off In Naples, Fla.
NAPLES, Fla., March 12, 2008 – Jim Courier and Todd Martin both registered round-robin match victories Wednesday in the opening session of the $150,000 The Oliver Group Champions Cup at the Players Club & Spa at Lely Resort as the Outback Champions Series officially kicked off its 2008 season. Martin won the night’s opening match, defeating Sweden’s Anders Jarryd 7-6 (5), 6-3, while Courier defeated Aaron Krickstein 6-1, 3-6, 10-6 (Champions Tie-Break). The Outback Champions Series, a collection of tennis events around the world featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30, features eight events in 2008, its third full season.
Martin finished the 2007 Outback Champions Series season as the year-end No. 1 ranked player based on a tournament title in Newport, R.I. and runner-up showings at three other events. Playing for the first time at The Oliver Group Champions Cup, Martin struggled finding his footing on the clay surface after having played recent exhibition matches on faster surfaces.
“I had to deal with less then my best game tonight and the lack of comfort on the courts,” said Martin, who beat Pete Sampras in an exhibition match last week in Jacksonville, Fla. “I was lucky to win the first set and win the tie-break. I served well when I needed to.”
Said Jarryd, “It was a very competitive match. The first set could have gone either way. The second set was close, but Todd just had more chances.”
Courier won the 2006 singles title in Naples en route to clinching the year-end No. 1 ranking in the Outback Champions Series inaugural year in
2006. He needed a Champions Tie-Break – played in lieu of a third-set – in his match Wednesday night to defeat Krickstein, who lost last year’s Naples final to Wayne Ferreira.
Round-robin play continues Thursday evening as Magnus Larsson takes on fellow Swede Mikael Pernfors at 7 pm, followed by John McEnroe taking on fellow American Jimmy Arias.
The Oliver Group 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. More information – including ticket information – is available by visiting http://www.championsseriestennis.com/
About The Outback Champions Series
Founded in 2005, the Outback Champions Series features eight events where champion tennis players continue to exercise their competitive instincts in tournament formats that feature prize money and Champions Series ranking points that determine a year-end No. 1 player on the Stanford Champions Rankings. To be eligible to compete on the Outback Champions Series, players must have either; reached a Grand Slam singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team. Each event also has the right to choose a “wild card” entrant.
About InsideOut Sports & Entertainment
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 corporate outings, 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