NEWPORT, R.I., August 23, 2009 – Pat Cash successfully defended his singles
title at the $150,000 Hall of Fame Champions Cup defeating Jim Courier 6-3,
6-4 Sunday in the championship match at the International Tennis Hall of
Fame. The tournament victory was Cash’s second career title on the Outback
Champions Series, the global tennis circuit for champions tennis players age
30 and over, and earned the 1987 Wimbledon champion $60,000. Cash’s
tournament win at Newport last year was also over Courier in the final by
the exact 6-3, 6-4 score line.
“I’ve been lucky this week,” said Cash. “I got a few lucky breaks today and
you need that to beat these guys, who are all champions. The great thing
about this tour, the Outback Champions Series, is that it is serious tennis.
We get out there and you can see how hard we’re trying, but it’s also fun,”
Cash is regarded as one of the best serve-and-volley and grass-court players
in tennis over the last 30 years. In addition to his 1987 Wimbledon title,
Cash was a singles finalist on grass at the 1987 Australian Open. The
44-year-old Australian was the lone Wimbledon singles champion in the
eight-player Newport field and was most comfortable on the grass courts at
the International Tennis Hall of Fame all week.
“I wouldn’t say I grew up on the grass-court but I have played a lot of
grass-court tennis,” said Cash. “It’s natural for me to play this style of
game. It’s easy. I don’t have to think about it. I just serve and volley.
I’m not smart enough to work out a game tactic against Jim so I just kind of
keep serving and running to the net.”
Courier, playing in his 13th career Outback Champions Series final, was
seeking the first career professional title on grass courts. However, the
1993 Wimbledon finalist and four-time major tournament champion earned
$30,000 with the runner-up showing as well as 800 ranking points that
further solidified his No. 1 ranking on the Outback Champions Series.
“If you watched this match at all you could see how difficult it is to
return Pat’s serve,” said Courier. “He really spotted his serve beautifully
once he got in to the rhythm today and from there I’m struggling because
he’s such a beautiful volleyer. If he gets his hands on anything at the net
then it seems the point’s over. I felt under pressure because I wasn’t
getting to break point on his serve then that’s a lot of pressure on mine.
He’s a great champion. He’s obviously a great grass-court champion. You
don’t win Wimbledon if you’re not. It’s disappointing because I was hoping
to win my first grass-court title.”
In Sunday’s third-place match, Todd Martin defeated Mark Philippoussis 6-3,
6-7(4), 10-6 (Champions Tie-Breaker).
Pete Sampras won the opening event on the 2009 Outback Champions Series,
defeating John McEnroe in the final of the Champions Cup Boston in February.
McEnroe won the second event of the year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
defeating Courier in the final. Sampras won his second title of the year at
the Del Mar Development Champions Cup in Los Cabos, Mexico, defeating
Patrick Rafter in the final. Courier won his first title of the 2009 season
in April at the Cayman Islands, defeating Jimmy Arias in the final.
Following Newport, remaining events on the Outback Champions Series will be
held in Charlotte (Sept. 24-27), Surprise, Ariz. (Oct. 8-11) and Dubai,
U.A.E. (Nov. 18-21).
Founded in 2005, the Outback Champions Series features some of the biggest
names in tennis over the last 25 years, including Andre Agassi, Sampras,
McEnroe, Courier and others. To be eligible to compete on the Outback
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. The Outback Champions Series features eight events on its
2009 schedule with each event featuring $150,000 in prize money as well as
Champions Series points that will determine the year-end Champions Rankings
No. 1.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, established in 1954, is a
non-profit institution dedicated to preserving the history of tennis,
inspiring and encouraging junior tennis development, enshrining tennis
heroes and heroines, and providing a landmark for tennis enthusiasts
worldwide. It was recognized as the sport’s official Hall of Fame in 1986 by
the International Tennis Federation, the governing body of tennis. The
International Tennis Hall of Fame’s legendary grass courts remain the only
competition grass courts available for professional events and exhibitions,
while also available for public play. For more information about the
International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, events and programs, please call
401-849-3990 or log on to www.tennisfame.com
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
“Legendary Night” exhibitions, charity events, private corporate outings and
tennis fantasy camps such as the annual “Ultimate Fantasy Camp”. Through
2008, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment events have raised over $4 million
for charity. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutSE.com or
www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Randy Walker for the Outback Champions Series
917-770-0843
RWalker@NewChapterMedia.com