LEGENDARY NIGHTS

LEGENDARY NIGHT - FT. LAUDERDALE - MAY 21, 2005 - FT. LAUDERDALE, FL
TENNIS EXHIBITION AT THE OFFICE DEPOT CENTER, PRESENTED BY STANFORD FINANCIAL GROUP



Four tennis superstars came together for the first tennis event in the history of the Office Depot Center on Saturday, May 21. The Mercedes-Benz Classic presented by Stanford Financial Group wowed a crowd of 7,000 with top flight tennis and personality to burn.

Anna Kournikova and 2005 Hall of Fame inductee Jana Novotna opened the evening with a bang in the women's singles with Novotna serving and volleying her way to an 8-4 victory in the pro-set match. With her pop-star boyfriend, Enrique Iglesias, on hand to cheer her every move, Kournikova exhibited her racquet skills and world-renowned flair to the crowd's great pleasure. However, in the end, the relentless attacking play of the 1998 Wimbledon Champion proved to be too much.

Next up was the men's singles with two former World No. 1s facing off. John McEnroe, bringing his unique brand of tennis and temper to the court, versus the punishing all-court game of Jim Courier. At one point in the hotly contested match McEnroe allowed the crowd a sneak peek at his backside while disputing a call with the linesman. When play resumed it was the sublime racquet skills of Mr. McEnroe that did the most effective negotiating as he played at a level he claimed he hadn't reached in many years. John walked away with an 8-6 victory in front of the raucous South Florida crowd. With music pumping between games and emcee Wayne Bryan quipping all the way the match was electric.

The evening's highlight was the final match, featuring all four of the stars in mixed doubles action. The players wore microphones and the verbal interaction was as electric and heated as the tennis with Courier egging McEnroe and Kournikova on, forcing the verbally elastic McEnroe to fire back in defense of his partner. Kournikova and McEnroe started out hot, taking a 4-2 lead, before Novotna and Courier came roaring back for a 6-4 victory.

All in all it was a terrific evening for South Florida tennis fans and the First Serve Foundation, which was the evening's charitable beneficiary.