SURPRISE, Ariz., Oct. 10, 2009 – Andre Agassi advanced into the final of the $150,000 Cancer Treatment Centers of America Tennis Championships at Surprise Saturday with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Wayne Ferreira of South Africa. Agassi, playing in his debut event on the Outback Champions Series tennis circuit, will face Todd Martin in Sunday’s final at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex. Martin advanced to the final with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 win over fellow American Aaron Krickstein in Saturday evening’s second semifinal.
The Cancer Treatment Centers of America Tennis Championships at Surprise is the seventh and final event on the 2009 Outback Champions Series, the global tennis circuit for champion tennis players age 30 and over.
Agassi jumped on Ferreira early and opened the match by breaking serve with a series of well-struck backhand returns. Agassi hit two aces in each of his next three service games and broke Ferreira again to close out the first set 6-3. Ferreira was able to break Agassi’s serve twice in the second set, but was unable to solidify his breaks with service holds and succumbed in straight sets.
“I was able to find my swing early which was really the key to the whole match,” said Agassi. “I served well and really was able to run away with the first set. I knew which shot I was going to hit and that’s such a huge difference to be able to do that. I played a few really good games to hold serve and things just got very comfortable.”
During their ATP careers, Agassi held an 11-0 career record against Ferreira, while losing only one set in their 11 meetings. Agassi’s final-round match with Martin will be a re-match of their five-set U.S. Open final 10 years ago in 1999.
Said Agassi of his 1999 U.S. Open win over Martin, “I think about that match a lot. It was a really good time in my life and that was a beautiful match.”
Martin needed only one service break to defeat Krickstein and advance into his 11th career Outback Champions Series final and his first of the 2009 season. After taking the first set in a tie-breaker, Martin registered the only service break of the match to take a 3-1 lead and held on to advance into the final.
“I served great tonight, especially in the tiebreaker,” said Martin. “He knows where I am vulnerable so serving well is important.”
Said Krickstein, “It was a one break match. Todd served extremely well and there’s not much you can do when that happens. He had 15 or 20 aces and was hitting a lot of corners. This match was all about the serve.”
Sunday’s order of play is as follows;
12pm
Wayne Ferreira vs. Aaron Krickstein – Third Place Match
Followed by
Andre Agassi vs. Todd Martin – Championship Match
John McEnroe won the inaugural event in 2008 in Surprise defeating Martin in the final. Ticket, travel and tournament information can be found by visiting www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com.
Pete Sampras won the opening event on the 2009 Outback Champions Series, defeating 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 Jim 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 Arias in the final. Pat Cash successfully defended his title on the grass courts at the Hall of Fame Champions Cup in Newport, R.I. in August, defeating Courier in the final. Courier won his second title of the season in Charlotte in September, defeating Sampras in the final.
Founded in 2005, the Outback Champions Series features some of the biggest names in tennis over the last 25 years, including 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 seven 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.
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, 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.