Courier, Chang, McEnroe Headline Surprise Field

Written by: Staff on 29th May 2010

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Courier, Chang, McEnroe Headline Surprise Field |

Michael Chang and Jim Courier, two of only eight Americans to win the men’s singles title at the French Open, will be in the field for the $150,000 Cancer Treatment Centers of America Tennis Championships in Surprise, Ariz., to be played October 20-24 at the Surprise Recreation Campus Tennis and Racquet Complex.

Joining Chang and Courier in the field will be 1984 French Open finalist John McEnroe, 1986 French Open finalist Mikael Pernfors, Mark Philippoussis, Wayne Ferreira, Aaron Krickstein and Jimmy Arias.

The Cancer Treatment Centers of America Tennis Championships is a third-year event on the Champions Series tennis circuit, the New York-based global tennis circuit for champion tennis players age 30 and over. For the first time in Surprise this year, mixed doubles matches will be part of the schedule as former world No. 1 doubles player Anna Kournikova and two-time U.S. Open singles champion Tracy Austin will participate in the day and night sessions of the event on Saturday October 23.

Tickets for the event go on sale Saturday, May 29 and can be purchased at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex, 14469 W. Paradise Lane and also online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000.

Chang broke a 34-year drought of American men in Paris when, at the age of 17 years, three months, he defeated Stefan Edberg in a five-set men’s singles final in 1989. Chang’s victory made him the youngest man to win a major singles title. Two years later, Courier defeated fellow American Andre Agassi in a five-set final to win the first major title of his career. He repeated as singles champion in Paris again in 1992, but was denied by Sergi Bruguera from winning three straight French titles, losing a five-set final in 1993.

To be eligible to compete on the Champions Series, players must have reached at least a major singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team. Each event features $150,000 in prize money – with the tournament champion earning $60,000 – and ranking points that determine the year-end
No. 1. Courier finished the 2009 season as the top-ranked player on the Champions Series, followed by Pete Sampras and Todd Martin.

Former U.S. and Wimbledon finalist Mark Philippoussis defeated John McEnroe earlier this month to win the Staples Champions Cup in Boston and take over the No. 1 Champions Series ranking. Former French Open semifinalist Fernando Meligeni of Brazil was the surprise winner of the opening event on the 2010 Champions Series, winning the title in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil by defeating Philippoussis in the final.

The next event on the Champions Series circuit will be September 30 – October 3 at The Breezeplay Championships in Charlotte, N.C., where Courier will look to win the title for a third straight year and a fourth time overall. In the 2009 final, Courier upset Sampras 3-6, 6-4, 10-8 (Champions Tie Breaker).

Topics: Aaron Krickstein, American Andre Agassi, Andre Agassi, Anna Kournikova, Cancer Treatment Centers, Cancer Treatment Centers Of America, Champions Series, Doubles Player, Fellow American, Jimmy Arias, John Mcenroe, Mark Philippoussis, Night Sessions, Paradise Lane, Pernfors, Stefan Edberg, Tennis Circuit, W Paradise, Wayne Ferreira, Year Drought