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NEWPORT, RI -- The International Tennis Hall of Fame has announced the Gibson Guitar Champions Cup schedule of play for August 22-26. In addition, 1996 Wimbledon Singles Finalist MaliVai Washington will make his Outback Champions Series debut at the Gibson Guitar event, rounding out the eight-player field in Newport.
The Gibson Guitar Champions Cup is a new event on the 2007 Outback Champions Series tour and is the only Series event played on grass. The Gibson Guitar Champions Cup will be the fourth of seven events in the 2007 Series, a collection of tennis events featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. Washington, now 38, was the singles finalist at Wimbledon in 1996, where he lost to Richard Krajicek after coming back from 0-5 deficit in the fifth set against Todd Martin in the semifinals. In 1993, Washington became the second African- American man after Arthur Ashe to play for the U.S. Davis Cup team. In 1996, he was the first African-American man to play on the U.S. Olympic Team. During his ATP career, he won four singles titles, including the 1992 U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships. The Gibson Guitar Champions Cup schedule of play will consist of two round robin groups for the five day event. Headlining Group A will be three-time Wimbledon champion John McEnroe, 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, three-time Australian Open champion Mats Wilander and 1992 Olympic silver medalist Wayne Ferreira. Jim Courier, a Wimbledon finalist in 1993, headlines Group B that also features 1996 Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek, two-time Wimbledon semifinalist Todd Martin and Mal Washington. The player schedule for the 2007 Gibson Guitar Champions Cup is as follows: Wednesday, August 22
Beginning at Noon on Bill Talbert Center Court
Wayne Ferreira vs. Pat Cash
Followed by
Todd Martin vs. Richard Krajicek
Followed by
Mal Washington vs. Jim Courier Thursday, August 23
Beginning at Noon on Bill Talbert Center Court
Wayne Ferreira vs. Mats Wilander
Followed by
John McEnroe vs. Pat Cash
Followed by
Todd Martin vs. Mal Washington Friday, August 24
Beginning at Noon on Bill Talbert Center Court
Jim Courier vs. Richard Krajicek
Followed by
Pat Cash vs. Mats Wilander
Followed by
John McEnroe vs. Wayne Ferreira Saturday, August 25
Beginning at Noon on Bill Talbert Center Court
Richard Krajicek vs. Mal Washington
Followed by
Jim Courier vs. Todd Martin
Followed by
John McEnroe vs. Mats Wilander Sunday, August 26
Beginning at Noon on Bill Talbert Center Court
Third Place Match
Followed by
Championship Match Tickets for the five tennis sessions of the Gibson Guitar Champions Cup at the International Tennis Hall of Fame are now on sale and can be purchased by calling 866-914-FAME or ordered online through www.tennisfame.com. VIP packages and sponsorship opportunities are still available by calling 866-914-FAME. Additional information is available by visiting www.tennisfame.com and www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com. About the Gibson Guitar Champions Cup in Newport, RI
The Gibson Guitar Champions Cup will feature 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 $142,000 in prize money with an undefeated winner taking home $50,000 as well as Outback Champions Series ranking points that will determine the year-end champion. About the Outback Champions Series
Founded in 2005, the Outback Champions Series features seven 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. To be eligible to compete on the Outback Champions Series, players must have 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. The 2007 Outback Champions Series kicked off March 7-11 in Naples, Fla.., at The Oliver Group Champions Cup where Wayne Ferreira of South Africa defeated Aaron Krickstein in the final. Pete Sampras returned to tournament tennis for the first time since the 2002 US Open at the Champions Cup - Boston and won the title, defeating Todd Martin in the final. Sampras also won the third event on the 2007 Outback Champions Series, the Champions Cup – Athens, in his first ever visit to Greece, the homeland of his father Sam and mother Georgia. The next four events on the 2007 Outback Champions Series calendar are stops in Newport, R.I., Charlotte, N.C., Dallas, Texas and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. After three events on the 2007 Outback Champions Series, Sampras leads the points standings with 1600 points, followed by Ferreira with 1250 points and Martin with 1200 points. In 2006, Courier finished the year as the Champions Series year-end points champion with tournament victories in Naples and Charlotte and third-place finishes in both Boston and Houston. McEnroe finished in second place in the 2006 year-end points standings, led by a runner-up finish in Boston and a third-place finish in Naples. Martin finished in third place in the 2006 points standings, with the tournament triumph in Boston as his best result. 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 2006, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Outback Champions Series, a collection of tennis events held nationally and internationally featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including one-night "Legendary Night" exhibitions as well as charity events and tennis fantasy camps, including the annual Ultimate Fantasy Camp. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutlive.com or www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com. Hall of Fame Class of 2007: Pete Sampras, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Sven Davidson, Russ Adams |
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