Jun 11, 2019 | People Watch, Pro Tennis, Tournaments/Events
Tournament to Feature Oracle Champions Cup, a Special One-Night Men’s Legends Event; Additional Stops on the Road to Indian Wells to be Announced
New Haven, Conn. (June 6, 2019) – The Oracle Challenger Series announced today that the first event of the 2019-2020 Series will be held in New Haven, Conn. at the Yale Tennis Center on September 2-8, 2019 and will also feature the Oracle Champions Cup, a one-night men’s legends Invesco Series QQQ event headlined by Connecticut native James Blake.
Now in its third year, the Oracle Challenger Series aims to help up-and-coming American players secure both ranking points and prize money at home in the United States. The two American men and two American women who accumulate the most points over the course of the Series receive wild cards into their respective singles main draws at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, CA. As part of the Series’ mission to grow the sport of tennis and make professional events more accessible, each tournament is free and open to the public.
The 2018-2019 Oracle Challenger Series made stops in Chicago, Houston, Newport Beach and Indian Wells, with Reilly Opelka, Donald Young, Lauren Davis and Jessica Pegula earning the coveted wild card spots into the 2019 BNP Paribas Open. The Series also served as a launching pad for 18-year-old Canadian sensation Bianca Andreescu, who captured the title at Newport Beach in January before becoming the first-ever female wild card to win the BNP Paribas Open; while American Taylor Fritz successfully defended his own title in Newport Beach.
This year, the New Haven tournament will launch the 2019-2020 Series and be instrumental in determining which players make the most of the opportunity to receive wild cards into the largest ATP Tour and WTA combined two-week event in the world. Additional stops on the 2019-2020 Road to Indian Wells will be announced in the coming months.
“We are thrilled to bring the Oracle Challenger Series to New Haven this fall,” said Philippe Dore, Marketing Director, Oracle Challenger Series. “With such a rich tennis history, there is no better place for us to kick off the 2019-2020 Road to Indian Wells, and we look forward to ushering in a new era of men’s and women’s professional tennis in New Haven this September.”
Additionally, the Series’ inaugural 2019-2020 tournament will feature the Oracle Champions Cup, an Invesco Series QQQ event, on Saturday, September 7. The one-night tournament is part of the competitive circuit featuring legendary tennis icons and world-renowned champions, and will be headlined by Fairfield, Connecticut native and former World No. 4 Blake; 2003 U.S. Open Champion and former World No. 1 Andy Roddick; former World No. 2 Tommy Haas; and two-time Davis Cup titlist and former World No. 8 Mark Philippoussis. The event will consist of two one-set semifinals, with the winners meeting in a one-set championship match.
Tickets to the Oracle Champions Cup will be available to a select audience in a pre-sale beginning Monday, June 24, and will go on-sale to the general public on Wednesday, June 27 at 10:00 a.m. local time. Special VIP packages will also be available, including a pro-am, backstage meet-and-greet, exclusive player party, and more.
For more than three decades, New Haven has hosted both men’s and women’s professional tennis events. For 21 years, New Haven hosted the annual Connecticut Open – consistently welcoming some of the biggest names in women’s professional tennis – before the WTA sanction was sold earlier this year, and now the Oracle Challenger Series will ensure that professional tennis is played in New Haven once again.
For more information about the Oracle Challenger Series, visit oraclechallengerseries.com. If you are interested in becoming a ballkid or volunteer for the event, please email [email protected]. For more information about the Oracle Champions Cup and to purchase tickets and VIP special packages, visit https://www.invescoseries.com.
READ MORE AT https://www.tennisindustry.org/cms/index.cfm/news/oracle-challenger-series-brings-men-women-pros-back-to-new-haven/
May 1, 2019 | People Watch, USTA
White Plains, NY, April 23, 2019 – The USTA announced its plans to support the candidacy of Dave Haggerty for ITF President, and to nominate him for the position by the deadline of May 27. The decision to do so was approved unanimously by the USTA Board of Directors.
“Dave Haggerty is a passionate advocate for tennis, whose strong leadership skills makes him the right choice to continue as ITF President,” said USTA Chairman of the Board and President Patrick Galbraith.
David Haggerty was elected President of the ITF on 25 September 2015. Previously, he served as Chairman, CEO and President of the USTA Board of Directors. In that position, he also served as the Chairman of the US Open and was on the USTA board for 10 years.
Haggerty is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame Board of Directors and the Women’s Tennis Association. He graduated from George Washington University in Washington D.C., with a degree in business administration and marketing. Haggerty was a top player on the GWU tennis team for four years and played on the satellite tour in Europe after graduation. He is a member of the GWU Athletic Hall of Fame where he still holds the school record for the most wins in singles and doubles.
READ MORE AT https://www.tennisindustry.org/cms/index.cfm/news/usta-to-nominate-dave-haggerty-as-president-of-itf/
May 1, 2019 | People Watch, Tournaments/Events, USTA
White Plains, NY, April 24, 2019 – The United States Tennis Association announced that David Brewer will step down as US Open Tournament Director and USTA Chief Professional Tennis Officer following the 2019 US Open. Brewer began his career at the USTA in the spring of 1997.
Brewer has had a thirty plus year career in tennis, starting as a tennis pro at the Nick Bollettieri Academy immediately after his college graduation. He then served in positions at Adidas, Turner Broadcasting, and Indian Wells, before joining the USTA as Director of Pro Tennis, a new position at the time, in 1997. In this position, he oversaw the newly formed departments of USTA Pro Circuits, USTA Team Events and officiating.
In 2001, he added US Open Tournament Manager to his duties, was later elevated to Deputy Tournament Director, and then US Open Tournament Director in 2012. In his role as Tournament Director, Brewer oversaw and interacted with all aspects of the tournament, from player relations to match scheduling, industry and tour relations, and broadcast operations.
Also in 2012, Brewer was elevated to USTA Chief Pro Tennis Officer. In addition to the US Open, his responsibilities included the US Open Series, USTA Pro Circuits and all other aspects of the professional tennis at the USTA including oversight of USTA assets on the ATP and WTA Tours.
Under his leadership, a number of innovations were instituted at the US Open, including the serve clock and warm-up clock, and the coaching for those players competing in the US Open Qualifying Tournament and the US Open Junior Tournament as well as continued expansion of electronic line calling. He was instrumental in introducing the Wheelchair Championships to the US Open. Brewer was also intimately involved in the five-year $650 million transformation of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Brewer also served as the USTA’s leader for the renovations at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. The entire site was expanded to accommodate a newly combined ATP/WTA event, and two new buildings, the Paul Flory Player Center and the South Building, were constructed.
“David has been an invaluable contributor to the growth and popularity of the US Open,” said Gordon Smith, USTA CEO and Executive Director. “His passion for the sport shone through in his many years devoted to the game.”
Smith noted that Brewer will stay on as a consultant, and will assist the USTA in its search for a new US Open Tournament Director.
READ MORE AT https://www.tennisindustry.org/cms/index.cfm/news/brewer-to-step-down-as-usta-pro-tennis-chief-us-open-tourney-director/
May 1, 2019 | Industry, People Watch, Teaching Pros/Coaches
TEMPE, Ariz. (April 24) – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), the not-for-profit governing body of college tennis, welcomes seven new members to its Board of Directors, ITA Chief Executive Officer Timothy Russell announced.
Joining the 19-person board are Shaheen Ladhani (Goldman, Sachs & Co. Investment Advisor), Danielle Lund McNamara (Yale Head Women’s Tennis Coach), Ann Lebedeff (Professor of Physical Education and Athletics at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges), Roland Thornqvist (University of Florida Head Women’s Tennis Coach), Dr. Tommy Valentini (Gustavus Adolphus Head Men’s Tennis Coach), Billy Pate (Princeton University Head Men’s Tennis Coach) and Judy Van Horn (University of South Carolina Executive Associate Athletics Director for Sport and Risk Management.
Created to support the ITA and college tennis, the Board of Directors is chaired by Jon Vegosen, a founding member of the Chicago corporate and litigation law firm Funkhouser Vergosen Liebman & Dunn Ltd. Russell, as the Association’s president and chief executive officer, also serves on the board.
“I am appreciative that our sport and Association have such a committed group of individuals who are giving of their time to work collaboratively on behalf of our coaches, programs and student-athletes,” Russell said. “At the same, I am excited and thankful to our new members who share the same passion for college tennis and possess the desire to help grow our sport.
“A special thank you must be given to Jon Vegosen for his tremendous leadership and to our dedicated executive committee,” Russell added. “I am confident that our Board will continue to serve in the best interests of the ITA and with a vision and purpose to attend to the big-picture needs of the ITA that will insure a bright future for college tennis and tennis in our country.”
Added Vegosen: “I want to thank all those who have served on the Board with distinction and purpose for the betterment of the Association and college tennis. We appreciate their dedication, excellent ideas, guidance and contributions. It has been an honor to work with each of them. I look forward to welcoming a talented group of new individuals who will work together with our outstanding staff, skillfully led by Tim Russell, to carry out and enrich the mission and objectives of the ITA while enhancing college tennis.”
The new term will begin July 1, 2019.
READ MORE AT https://www.tennisindustry.org/cms/index.cfm/news/ita-announces-seven-new-members-to-board-of-directors/
Apr 1, 2019 | Facilities, Health/Fitness, Industry, Initiatives, Participation, People Watch
The eighth annual National Wounded Warrior Tennis Camp will take place May 6-9, 2019 at the Balboa Tennis Club in San Diego.
READ MORE AT http://www.tennisindustry.org/cms/index.cfm/news/8th-annual-national-wounded-warrior-tennis-camp-may-6-9/
Mar 29, 2019 | 10-Under Tennis, Facilities, Industry, Participation, People Watch, Teaching Pros/Coaches
The United States Tennis Association announced the winners of its Annual Awards presented at the USTA Annual Meeting and Conference, held March 22-25, at the JW Marriott in Austin, Texas. The honorees were recognized for their dedication to growing the game at an awards luncheon.
READ MORE AT http://www.tennisindustry.org/cms/index.cfm/news/usta-names-recipients-of-annual-awards1/
