Defending Champion McEnroe Advances At Champions Cup Boston
InsideOut Sports & Entertainment | February 13, 2009
Defending Champion McEnroe Advances At Champions Cup Boston
Former Champion Martin Also Victorious
BOSTON, February 13, 2009 – Defending champion John McEnroe and 2006 tournament winner Todd Martin each posted straight-set victories Friday night to advance into the semifinals of the $150,000 Champions Cup Boston - the opening event on the 2009 Outback Champions Series.
McEnroe defeated fellow American Jimmy Arias, a last-minute substitute for a flu-stricken Mats Wilander, by a 6-3, 6-4 margin. Martin, who defeated McEnroe to win the Boston title in 2006, defeated Mikael Pernfors of Sweden 6-4, 6-2.
The Champions Cup Boston is the first of eight events on the 2009 Outback Champions Series, the global tennis circuit for champion tennis players age 30 and over. Last year, McEnroe won his first career Outback Champions Series title in Boston when he defeated Aaron Krickstein in the championship match. Three days shy of his 50th birthday, the three-time Wimbledon and four-time U.S. Open champion continued to display his strong serve and volley game against Arias, but was critical of the sharpness of his game.
“I’m sort of disjointed right now and the rhythm isn’t there,” said McEnroe. “I haven’t played a match in three months. The flow and the feel isn’t where it needs to be. I need to step it up. I’ve been struggling with a some arm and elbow stuff- I am just getting old. It’s doesn’t get any easier.”
Said Arias, “I thought it was a decent match. He didn’t sever as well as he could normally. We had some good points and good shots. I’m struggling with my body right now it broke down 4-3 in the first set and I think that annoyed him that I was hanging on.”
McEnroe will next face Jim Courier in Saturday afternoon's 2 pm day session semifinal. Martin will take on Pete Sampras in the 7 pm night session in the other semifinal.
Martin also admitted to a few cobwebs in his match with Pernfors, but kicked his game into another gear after breaking his Swedish opponent’s serve at 4-4 in the first set.
“It was in many ways what I would have expected,” said Martin of his win over Pernfors. “It was not the smoothest transition back into competition. Fortunately I controlled my game better at the more critical moments and slowly, but surely, gained a little bit of rhythm.”
Pernfors, the French Open finalist in 1986, was playing in his first competitive match since injuring his Achilles heel in the summer, but felt satisfied, despite the loss.
“I knew going in it was going to be a struggle to play Todd even if I was 100 percent,” said Pernfors. “He has the advantage as he rules the points against me. When he serves well, even if I get into the service game, he is going to have two or three big serves and he’s going to be right back in it. I felt like I served pretty good today. I had to work so much harder with my serve. It’s always going to be an uphill struggle to play against him.”
Tickets for Champions Cup Boston are still available by logging onto www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (617) 931-2000.
Both day and night sessions on Saturday will feature a singles semifinal match and a mixed doubles match featuring Anna Kournikova and Tracy Austin. The Sunday, Feb. 15 session will feature the third-place play-off and the championship match.
Founded in 2005, the Outback Champions Series features some of the biggest names in tennis over the last 25 years, including 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 ranking points that will determine the year-end Stanford Champions Rankings No. 1. The year-end champion will receive a $100,000 bonus courtesy of Stanford Financial Group, the official rankings sponsor of the Outback Champions Series.
Champions Cup Boston is sponsored by Outback Steakhouse, Stanford Financial Group, Staples, ASG, Providea, Talon Air, Coca-Cola, Taj Hotel, NESN and Greater Media.
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 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.