Li Na, Marion Bartoli Get New Haven Open Wild Cards

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:10:00 PST

Thursday was a typical wild card deadline day for New Haven Open tournament director Anne Worcester.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Worcester had two wild cards left for the tournament, which starts with qualifying Friday. The deadline was Thursday at 4 p.m. And she wasn't sure when two of the players she wanted to play in New Haven — French Open winner Li Na and world No. 9 Marion Bartoli — were playing their third-round matches Thursday in Cincinnati. The outcomes would likely determine whether or not they came to New Haven.

But when Samantha Stosur beat Serena Williams Wednesday and had to set up a matchup with Li Thursday, things fell into place. Both matches started at 11 a.m. (if Williams had played Li, that match likely would have been later). Both Li and Bartoli lost in three sets. And within five minutes of each other, both confirmed — an hour before the deadline — that they would accept wild cards for New Haven.

"This year was the longest wait for the biggest result," Worcester said. "We got really lucky. Three weeks ago, none of them had any interest in playing because they were all going to go deep in Toronto and Cincinnati.

"This is such a critical year for the tournament so it's a good year to be lucky. We have five new sponsors we're trying to impress."

She had been trying to get Li to return to the tournament for the first time since 2006, when Li was ranked 25th in the world and lost in the second round. But Li didn't want to play before the U.S. Open. Now, as the fifth-ranked player in the world and the first Asian player to win a major, Li is a sensation in China and her acceptance was a coup for Worcester.

Bartoli is a regular at New Haven, having played there seven times previously.

Worcester also went after Venus Williams, who said Wednesday she wouldn't return to New Haven, where she won four times. No. 3 Kim Clijsters told New Haven no last week and No. 6 Petra Kvitova declined Wednesday.

Along with the first round of qualifying for the WTA event Friday, the U.S. Open National Playoff Championships continue in New Haven with quarterfinals in men's and women's singles. The finals will be Sunday.

Jelena Jankovic Gets Wild Card For New Haven Open

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:00:00 PST

Jelena Jankovic, a former world No. 1 player, accepted a wild card into the New Haven Open, which will begin Friday with qualifying matches at the Connecticut Tennis Center.

Jankovic, who is ranked No. 14, recently lost in the first round at Toronto. She has 12 WTA titles, with the most recent coming last year with a victory over current No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki at Indian Wells. Jankovic was the top player in the world in 2008, when she advanced to the finals of the U.S. Open and lost to Serena Williams.

This will be her third time playing in New Haven, where she reached the third round in 2005.

"We are delighted to welcome Jelena Jankovic, a former world No. 1 player with a wonderful, fan-friendly personality, to the New Haven Open," tournament director Anne Worcester said in a statement. "There have only been 20 players in history that have reached the No. 1 ranking, so that speaks to her incredible talent."

There are two wild cards left for the main draw, which begins Sunday. The first was given to Christina McHale, a rising American ranked No. 76 who upset Wozniacki, 6-4, 7-5 Wednesday in the second round at Cincinnati.

Wozniacki, the three-time defending New Haven champion, has been struggling lately, also losing her first match in Toronto the week before.

The U.S. Open National Playoff Championship, which will send the winning men's and women's singles player into the U.S. Open qualifying round, will start at the Connecticut Tennis Center Thursday.

U.S. Open National Playoffs Welcome Addition To New Haven Event

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:00:00 PST

NEW HAVEN — The fact that the New Haven Open is now a women's-only tennis tournament this year has been well-documented since last fall when the announcement was made.

But some people have e-mailed tournament director Anne Worcester and asked why are there men's matches scheduled this weekend at the Connecticut Tennis Center?

"I've gotten five e-mails last week from people saying you need to update your website — it still says that men are coming," Worcester said last week. "We did such a good job of promoting the fact that the new face of tennis in New Haven is women's, only with all these extra bells and whistles … and now we have to explain this is a WTA event and the U.S. Open national playoffs."

While the qualifying and first-round matches for the New Haven Open women's event are going on this weekend, the tournament will also be hosting the U.S. Open national playoff championship.

Sixteen men and sixteen women will vie for a singles entry into the U.S. Open qualifying round, which starts next week in New York. There will also be a new mixed doubles tournament, which will be played Aug. 24-27. The winning mixed doubles team will get an entry into the U.S. Open's main draw.

Blake Strode of Cary, N.C., won the inaugural men's playoff event last year and went to the U.S. Open, where he won a first-round qualifying match but lost in the second round. Strode, who was an All-American at Arkansas, deferred going to Harvard Law School in 2009 to play professionally. He won the New England regional this year to qualify for the playoffs and is also the second seed in the mixed doubles with Whitney Jones.

"It was a great experience," said Strode, 24, of last year's national playoffs. "It was a big incentive to be able to play in the Open."

Last year, between the men's and women's tournaments, the Pilot Pen had about 160 matches. This year, with the addition of the U.S. Open playoffs, there will be 120 matches.

The event was added to the tournament after Worcester got a phone call in January from Jeff Ryan, the director of USTA team competitions.

"He contacted me and said what if we would be able to bring this women's and men's national playoff championships to one place?" Worcester said. "Last year, it was in Stanford for the women and Atlanta for the men. What if we were able to bring it to one place and that one place was New Haven?"

Worcester didn't take long to think about it before she agreed.

"I think the USTA looked at this tournament's history with promoting the rising stars of tomorrow," she said. "I think they knew we would not put this event on the back courts; we would put it on stadium court, which we are."

The first round of singles is Thursday and is free to the public. The WTA qualifying matches don't start until Friday. The U.S. Open playoff finals will be Sunday on stadium court. Mixed doubles start Aug. 24 and the final will be Aug. 27 on stadium court before the New Haven Open championship match.

Like The Tournament

Each day starting Wednesday, fans who "Like" the New Haven Open Facebook page will be eligible to win two tickets to the finals. … The USTA and the New Haven Open unveiled the refurbished tennis courts at Wilbur Cross High Tuesday, part of the USTA's Olympus U.S. Open Series Legacy program.

NEW HAVEN OPEN TO FEATURE TEEKANNE HIGH TEA EVENT WITH HALL OF FAMER STEFANIE GRAF

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 08:00:00 PST

22-Time Grand Slam Champion Captured 1998 Pilot Pen Tennis Crown

NEW HAVEN, Conn., August 1, 2011 – The New Haven Open at Yale presented by First Niagara will hold a TEEKANNE High Tea, with TEEKANNE brand ambassador and Hall of Famer Stefanie Graf, on Wednesday, August 24 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. in the Courtside Club, an air-conditioned suite overlooking Stadium Court, it was announced today by Anne Worcester, tournament director. The tournament, a WTA event that is part of the Olympus US Open Series, will be held August 18-27, 2011 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale.

An event for tea and tennis aficionados’ alike, patrons will enjoy a light buffet, sample several varieties of TEEKANNE Herbal Wellness Tea and participate in a meet and greet with former World No. 1 Stefanie Graf (who will join the High Tea at 2:30 p.m.). Tickets to the High Tea are $150 and include the afternoon’s matches. To purchase a ticket to TEEKANNE High Tea for the day session and a New Haven Food & Wine Festival Grand Tasting ticket for the evening session, a special combination price of $250 will be offered (phone-order only). To purchase tickets, click here

Graf is a former World No. 1 who won an incredible 22 Grand Slam singles titles including a “Golden Slam,” winning all four Grand Slam singles titles and the Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year (1988). She is arguably the greatest female player of all-time, and is married to one of the best men’s players of all-time, eight-time Grand Slam singles champion Andre Agassi. She is the founder of Children For Tomorrow (CFT), a non-profit foundation with the goal of supporting and initiating projects that provide assistance to children and families who have suffered the trauma of war, violence, abuse, exile or loss of the family.

In addition, Graf is a significant part of tournament history. One of her 107 WTA titles came in 1998 during the first-ever women’s tournament in New Haven. She defeated then-World No. 2 Lindsay Davenport and World No. 3 Jana Novotna en route to the title.

“We are thrilled to have a tennis legend and our inaugural champion, Stefanie Graf, return to the New Haven Open,” said Worcester. “Her wildcard entry into the first-ever WTA tournament in 1998 in New Haven, and subsequent victory, drew strong crowds and helped to solidify the foundation of our event, which is now in its 14^th year. We know that fans will want to see Stefanie, so we encourage them to get their tickets to TEEKANNE High Tea, for what will be a wonderful event.”

For more information about TEEKANNE High Tea, the tournament, and tickets please visit www.newhavenopen.com or call 855-4-NHTENNIS.

Volunteer for the New Haven Open!

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:30:00 PST

Work behind the scenes at the final women's stop before the US Open! As a volunteer, you will receive a uniform, complimentary tickets, credential, meal coupons and free parking. Applications are due by Friday, August 5th.
We still have positions in three areas where we could use your help:

Transportation: A unique opportunity to transport players and other New Haven Open at Yale VIPs in private tournament vehicles.This department also runs 15 passenger shuttle vans between the tournament site and tournament hotels. Transportation volunteers WILL NOT be driving golf carts. We also provide airport transfers to the following airports: Tweed, Hartford, White Plains, and occasionally JFK and LGA. We require a photocopy of your valid driver's license along with your application for insurance purposes. Minimum age is 21.

General Volunteer: Work in various areas from staffing Hospitality Suites to monitoring on court entrances. Great for volunteers who would like a variety of different duties throughout the week. Minimum age is 18.

Usher: The backbone to the tournament. The primary duty of ushers is checking for proper tickets and controlling movement during play. Each usher is assigned to a section of the venue each shift. Long periods of standing are required and ushers are subject to being in the sun during the day. Minimum age is 18.

Click here for more information.

New Haven Food & Wine Festival Expands!

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 08:00:00 PST

The fourth annual New Haven Food & Wine Festival will return this summer as a newly expanded weeklong series of culinary offering, complete with five distinct events for "foodies". This year's Food & Wine Festival will collectively feature more than 20 of the city's top restaurants, providing guests with multiple opportunities to sample an array of gourmet cuisine, wine and cocktails.

NEW BBQ Bash -Sunday, August 21, 5:00-7:30pm

NEW Mixology 101: History of the Cocktail sponsored by Lux Bond & Green -Monday, August 22, 5:00-7:00pm

NEW Champagne Tasting sponsored by The Wine Thief & Lux Bond & Green -Tuesday, August 23, 5:00-7:00pm-SOLD OUT!

Grand Tasting -Wednesday, August 24, 5:00-7:30pm

Vineyard Vines Ladies Day Luncheon & Fashion Show hosted by Island Time -Thursday, August 25, 11:30am-1:00pm

New Haven Open - New Finals Schedule!

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:30:00 PST

We are excited to announce a new format for the final day of the tournament on Saturday, August 27 that will be complete with three finals matches! Gates will open at 11:00am and all spectators will receive a hat courtesy of Yale-New Haven Hospital.

The first finals match of the day will begin at 1:00pm and will feature the WTA doubles. Following the women's doubles, for the first time in tournament history fans will be able to watch the finals of the US Open National Playoffs Championships Mixed Doubles matches. The winning mixed doubles team will be granted a wild card into the Main Draw of the US Open. The 2011 tournament will conclude with the WTA finals beginning at 5:00pm. This will be an exciting day full of matches that you will not want to miss!

The US Open Comes to New Haven

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 07:30:00 PST

The New Haven Open at Yale presented by First Niagara is excited to announce the addition of the US Open National Playoffs Championships to the tournament schedule. The US Open National Playoffs Championships is the culmination of 16 men's and women's singles and (new this year!) mixed doubles sectional events across the United States. The 16 men's singles, women's singles and mixed doubles champions from each sectional qualifying tournament will advance to the US Open National Playoffs Championships which will be held at the New Haven Open. The singles winners will earn a spot in the US Open qualifying while mixed doubles winners will earn a spot in the US Open main draw!
The men's and women's singles US Open National Playoffs Championship is set to take place Thursday, August 18-Sunday, August 21 and the mixed doubles US Open Playoffs Championship will take place Wednesday, August 24-Saturday, August 27.

Tickets to the US Open National Playoffs Championships are included in the price of New Haven Open tickets (tickets not sold separately)

Call for WTT Captains & Players

Fri, 06 May 2011 09:00:00 PST

CTC is making a call for Captains & Players to contact CTC NOW to declare a team or express interest in joining a team for our 12th annual Recreational World Team Tennis league played this June and July. Opening rounds begin Thursday June 9.

The CTC WTT Rec league features coed team tennis using the exciting WTT format with divisions at 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5.

Captains make the league possible. No Captain, No team, No play...

What Captains must do:

1. Contact CTC a.s.a.p. at wttleague@tenniscircuit.com to declare what level team you will captain. Don’t wait! Due to schedule restrictions, CTC may limit to first 4 teams each level.

2. Secure home courts for 3 to 4 home matches. Either 2 outdoor courts for 2 hours, or 1 outdoor court for 3 hours (using a modified format).

3. Work with CTC to plan the schedule: 3 home matches and 3 away matches in a four team division throughout June and July. Maximum one match per week: either 6PM Fridays (for local matches) or 5PM Saturdays (for teams with more than 30 miles travel). This allows teams from all over the state to compete in the league.

4. Select players for your team: Captains may select players from the large CTC/WTT draft pool of players looking for teams or recruit separately. Recommended roster is 3 to 4 men plus 3 to 4 women. Minimum for at team match is 2 men, 2 women. Roster limit is 10 players.

5. Submit $150 team fee to CTC by Saturday May 29, 2011 to secure team entry: Captains seek reimbursement from their teammates.

What Captains get:
Choice of team roster
Choice of home court locale
No cost to captains, teammates subsidize expenses
Choice of CTC T-shirt or Cap
WTT tickets - good for Boston Lobsters or NY Sport Times WTT matches

E-mail wttleague@tenniscircuit.com for additional details.

WORLD NO. 1 AND THREE-TIME DEFENDING CHAMPION CAROLINE WOZNIACKI COMMITS TO NEW HAVEN OPEN AT YALE PRESENTED BY FIRST NIAGARA

Thu, 05 May 2011 23:00:00 PST

Ticket Packages Now On Sale; Fans Can Donate To New Haven Youth Tennis & Education

NEW HAVEN, Conn., May 5, 2011 – World No. 1 and three-time defending champion Caroline Wozniacki has committed to New Haven Open at Yale presented by First Niagara, a WTA event that is part of the Olympus US Open Series to be held August 18-27, 2011 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, it was announced today by Tournament Director Anne Worcester.

The 20-year old Dane has never lost in New Haven winning all three times she entered the tournament, and this year she enters for the first time as the World No. 1 ranked player. Each year she has entered New Haven Open at Yale she has climbed the rankings – in 2008 she entered at No. 30 in the world, in 2009 at No. 9, and last year at No. 2.

Wozniacki’s title last year in New Haven catapulted her into the semifinals of the US Open, and her strong play in the fall winning Tokyo and Beijing made her the 20th woman in history to reach the World No. 1 ranking. She won a Tour-leading six titles in 2010, and has continued her winning ways this year capturing crowns at Dubai, Indian Wells and Charleston, while also reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open. This year she has the opportunity to tie Venus Williams’ four consecutive wins at the New Haven Open at Yale (1999-2002).

“New Haven Open at Yale is clearly one of my favorite tournaments of the year,” said Wozniacki. “I am glad to be coming back this summer and it would be incredible to win the event for a fourth-time. I was glad to hear last fall that the tournament had secured new sponsors to keep the rich tradition of women’s tennis going in New Haven.”

“Our event is ‘all new’ this year – a new name, new sponsors, new events and more – but the beautiful thing is that fans will once again get to see the best players in the world, starting with World No. 1 and three-time defending champion Caroline Wozniacki,” said Worcester. “In addition to top players and rising stars, the New Haven Open at Yale will deliver new special events like the US Open National Playoffs Championships, an expanded New Haven Food & Wine Festival, an enhanced Aetna FitZone for both kids and adults, and much more.”

As top players start committing to the New Haven Open at Yale, fans will want to get their ticket packages as soon as possible. Packages, which are now on sale, range from Weeklong Box Seats (the best seats in the house for all 14 sessions starting at $375/seat), to the Weekender (semifinal and final sessions starting at $75/seat), to the After Hours (all six night sessions starting at $100/seat). Fans purchasing tickets can also donate to New Haven Youth Tennis & Education, a non-profit organization that provides life-skills, mentoring, educational support and tennis programming to youth in New Haven. New Haven Youth Tennis and Education is focused on providing opportunities for youth to have a safe place to learn, play and discover in a positive, healthy and active way. Daily tickets for New Haven Open at Yale will be on sale starting Wednesday, June 1, 2011.

For more information about New Haven Open at Yale, call 1-855-4-NHTENNIS or visit www.newhavenopen.com.

2011 Connecticut Tennis Challenge Season Begins May 20

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:36:37 PST

The Connecticut Tennis Circuit is accepting online and mail-in entries for our annual CT Tennis Challenge outdoor league.

Regular season: May 20 through August 21, 2011.
Conference playoffs: August 22 through September 30.
State Championships Oct 8-9

For more info visit http://tenniscircuit.com/ctc.html

See you on the Circuit!

NEW HAVEN OPEN AT YALE ANNOUNCES FIRST NIAGARA AS PRESENTING SPONSOR

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 04:00:00 PST

First Niagara To Activate Sponsorship Focused On Community Outreach Programs

NEW HAVEN, Conn., February 15, 2011 – New Haven Open at Yale, a WTA event that is part of the Olympus US
Open Series to be held August 19-27, 2011 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, has signed First Niagara as the Presenting Sponsor of the tournament for a minimum of three years, it was announced today by Tournament Director, Anne Worcester. The new tournament name will be New Haven Open at Yale presented by First Niagara and in the coming months a new tournament logo will be unveiled.

“I am thrilled to announce that First Niagara will be our Presenting Sponsor for at least the next three years,” said Worcester. “When First Niagara President and Chief Executive Officer John Koelmel and I spoke in September, the future of the tournament was very much in doubt. John made it clear, at that time, that he understood the importance of the tournament to the New Haven community and that he intended First Niagara to play a significant role in supporting our future success.”

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TOURNAMENT CONTINUES AS NEW HAVEN OPEN AT YALE

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:00:00 PST

Four Cornerstone Sponsors To Support Women’s-Only Event

NEW HAVEN, Conn., October 21, 2010 – The start of a new era in the world of New England professional sporting events began today as the New Haven Open at Yale was launched. Four Cornerstone sponsors, Aetna, American Express, Yale-New Haven Hospital and Yale University, will support the women’s only Olympus US Open Series event on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, it was announced today by Anne Worcester, tournament director. The tournament will be held August 19-27, 2011 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale.

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TWO-TIME PILOT PEN CHAMPION AND CONNECTICUT NATIVE JAMES BLAKE GRANTED WILDCARD FOR 2010 PILOT PEN TENNIS

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:00:00 PST

Portion Of Proceeds From J-Block Tickets And Fila J-Block Tees To Benefit Thomas Blake, Sr. Memorial Research Fund

NEW HAVEN, Conn., August 9, 2010 – Two-time Pilot Pen champion and Connecticut native James Blake has been granted a wildcard into Pilot Pen Tennis at Yale, an Olympus US Open Series event on the ATP World Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, to be held August 20-28 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, it was announced today by Anne Worcester, tournament director.

Blake will be making his fourth trip to New Haven this year, with the first coming in 2005 when he ran the table to capture the title as an unseeded wildcard. The win catapulted him into the US Open where he reached the quarterfinals, and played one of the most epic and exciting matches in US Open history, eventually falling in five sets to future Hall of Famer Andre Agassi. He will be looking to conjure up a similar run this year, as debilitating foot and knee injuries have sidelined him for portions of last summer and this spring. He is completely healthy again, and his game is starting to round back into the form that saw him reach a career-high ranking of World No. 4 in 2006.

“Earlier this year was very difficult for me, but this summer I feel completely healthy and that has had a big impact on my game and how I feel about the future” said Blake. “I love playing at the Pilot Pen and have so many good memories from 2005 and 2007 when I won the titles. It’s my hometown event, which means that all of my family and friends come out in the J-Block and support me in person, which never ceases to be special.”

The Pilot Pen is once again partnering with Blake to raise money for his charity, the Thomas Blake, Sr. Memorial Research Fund. Blake’s father passed away in 2004 from gastric cancer, thus in 2008 James created the fund to help raise money for leading-edge cancer research. The tournament will donate a percentage of all box seat tickets sold in the “J-Block,” the cheering section created by the Pilot Pen during his run to the title in 2005 and which has received national acclaim as well as proceeds from Fila “J-Block” t-shirts sold on-site at the Pro Shop.

“Adding James Blake, a two-time champion and hometown favorite, to our field is one of the best ways to strengthen our player field even more,” said Worcester. “James has such a strong following throughout Connecticut, it will definitely bring out all his fans far and wide, and in turn, we are delighted to help him support a cause about which he is so passionate.”

Blake’s first match will be on Monday afternoon, session two, and will not start before 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase in the J-Block and are on sale starting today. In addition, Blake will be one of the featured stars at Kids Day on Sunday, August 22 (session one) and those tickets are also on sale.

The Pilot Pen still has three men’s and two women’s main draw wildcards to distribute and there are four spots in both main draws for advancing qualifiers.

For tickets, how to become a volunteer, or more information about the tournament, please call the Pilot Pen Tennis Box Office, 888/99-PILOT, 203/776-7331, or log on to www.pilotpentennis.com.

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FORMER WORLD NO. 1 AND GRAND SLAM CHAMPION ANA IVANOVIC GRANTED WILDCARD FOR PILOT PEN TENNIS

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:30:41 PST

Serbian Star Attracts Fans Both On And Off The Court

NEW HAVEN, Conn., August 5, 2010 – Former World No. 1 and Grand Slam champion Ana Ivanovic has been granted a wildcard into Pilot Pen Tennis at Yale, an Olympus US Open Series event on the ATP World Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, to be held August 20-28 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, it was announced today by Anne Worcester, tournament director.

The 22-year old Serbian star will be making her first trip to New Haven, where she will be seeking the ninth title of her career. Two years ago Ivanovic had a magical season that included the French Open title, a runner-up finish at the Australian Open, and the World No. 1 ranking. The following year in 2009 was filled with nagging injuries that caused inconsistency and left her without a title for the first time since 2005, but she did reach the finals at Indian Wells, and the fourth round of the French Open and Wimbledon. This year she has reached the semifinals at Brisbane and in Rome.

“I am excited to make my first visit to the Pilot Pen,” said Ivanovic. “I have been working hard on my game, and hope that I can play well and capture the title. I’ve heard great things about this event, and hope that this could be the first of many more trips to New Haven.”

Ivanovic is a star that transcends the sport, with model-looks that have graced the covers of numerous magazines around the world. She has regularly been voted one of the most attractive tennis players in the world, and has garnered a loyal following from fans both on and off the court.

“Ana Ivanovic is clearly a fan favorite on Tour, and we are certain our fans at the Pilot Pen will love her as well,” said Worcester. “She has phenomenal talent, and we are thrilled to add her to a field that continues to strengthen as we draw closer to the start of the event. Adding her to the likes of Caroline Wozniacki, Elena Dementieva, Francesca Schiavone, Melanie Oudin, and numerous other international stars means that our women’s field will once again offer fans world-class tennis.”

The Pilot Pen still has four men’s and two women’s main draw wildcards to distribute and there are four spots in both main draws for advancing qualifiers.

For tickets, how to become a volunteer, or more information about the tournament, please call the Pilot Pen Tennis Box Office, 888/99-PILOT, 203/776-7331, or log on to www.pilotpentennis.com.

PILOT PEN TENNIS TO OFFER ALL AMERICAN TICKET PACKAGE FEATURING MELANIE OUDIN, SAM QUERREY AND MARDY FISH

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 22:00:00 PST

Limited Offer Includes Meet And Greet With Players And Tickets To Four Sessions

NEW HAVEN, Conn., August 3, 2010 – American tennis stars Melanie Oudin, Sam Querrey and Mardy Fish are part of a unique All American ticket package now on sale for Pilot Pen Tennis at Yale, an Olympus US Open Series event on the ATP World Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, to be held August 20-28 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, it was announced today by Anne Worcester, tournament director.

This limited offer includes a meet and greet with all three players on Monday, August 23, in the Courtside Club suite, box seat tickets to the evening session that night, and box seats to three other sessions of choice during the tournament, all for only $350. Consumers of this package will have the chance to mingle with these American stars, get autographs and take pictures with the players. The package will be available until Tuesday, August 17.

Oudin, who was the Cinderella story of the US Open last year with her stunning run to the quarterfinals upsetting the likes of Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva in tough three set matches, heads into the Pilot Pen as potentially the future of American women’s tennis. On the men’s side, Sam Querrey, currently 23 years-old and ranked No. 20 in the world, was a finalist last year at the Pilot Pen. He has had a terrific 2010 season thus far winning four titles at Memphis, Belgrade, London, and just last week in Los Angeles where he defeated World No. 4 Andy Murray in the finals. They are joined by a Pilot Pen fan favorite in veteran Mardy Fish. The two-time Pilot Pen finalist is red-hot, winning his last ten matches and capturing titles at Newport and just last weekend in Atlanta, where he defeated top ranked Americans Andy Roddick and John Isner. He has catapulted up the rankings this summer, climbing more than 70 ranking places to get back in the top 35.

“While the Pilot Pen always features a diverse international field of talent, we are always looking to celebrate the terrific American players in our tournament,” said Worcester. “Melanie Oudin and Sam Querrey represent the future of tennis in the this country, and veteran Mardy Fish is showing he is still a force to be reckoned with after his two consecutive victories this summer. Offering our fans a chance to meet these players, in an intimate setting, is exactly the exceptional value we want to continue to deliver.”

For tickets, how to become a volunteer, or more information about the tournament, please call the Pilot Pen Tennis Box Office, 888/99-PILOT, 203/776-7331, or log on to www.pilotpentennis.com.

WORLD NO. 6 ELENA DEMENTIEVA GRANTED WILDCARD FOR PILOT PEN TENNIS

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:40:33 PST

French Open Semifinalist Making Her Ninth Trip To New Haven

NEW HAVEN, Conn., July 27, 2010 – World No. 6 and French Open semifinalist Elena Dementieva has been granted a wildcard into Pilot Pen Tennis at Yale, an Olympus US Open Series event on the ATP World Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, to be held August 20-28 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, it was announced today by Anne Worcester, tournament director.

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TWO-TIME DEFENDING CHAMPION CAROLINE WOZNIACKI AND AMERICANS MELANIE OUDIN, SAM QUERREY AND MARDY FISH HEADLINE FIELDS FOR 2010 PILOT PEN TENNIS

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:17:01 PST

Special ‘Two For One’ Ticket Offer Now On Sale

NEW HAVEN, Conn., July 14, 2010 – World No. 4 and two time defending champion Caroline Wozniacki, and a trio of Americans, Melanie Oudin, Sam Querrey and Mardy Fish headline the fields for Pilot Pen Tennis at Yale, an Olympus US Open Series event on the ATP World Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, to be held August 20-28 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, it was announced today by Anne Worcester, tournament director.

Fans interested in seeing some of the stars listed above can take advantage of another great ticket deal just for the next week (July 14-21). Tickets to the Tuesday evening session on August 24 will be “buy one, get one free,” for a savings of $24. Fans can purchase online or over the phone, and need to include the special offer code, BOGOPPT10. Earlier this summer, more than 5,000 tickets were sold for the special $1 ticket Monday night session, so fans will want to take advantage of the Tuesday night offer before tickets are gone.

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2010 FRENCH OPEN CHAMPION AND WORLD NO. 6 FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE COMMITS TO PILOT PEN TENNIS

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:00:56 PST

$1 Daily Tickets Still Available; Ballkid Tryouts Begin Thursday, June 10

NEW HAVEN, Conn., June 7, 2010 – 2010 French Open champion and World No. 6 Francesca Schiavone has committed to Pilot Pen Tennis at Yale, an Olympus US Open Series event on the ATP World Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, to be held August 20-28, 2010 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, it was announced today by Anne Worcester, tournament director.

Daily tickets for the Pilot Pen are now on sale, and fans can still take advantage of the special $1 ticket promotion, which has been extended through Tuesday at midnight. Middle tier tickets for the first evening session on Monday, August 23, which typically are $20, are available for $1. Last year, more than 5,000 tickets were sold through this unique offering, so fans will want to take advantage before they are gone. The tournament will announce other exceptional ticket offers leading up to the Pilot Pen, which will feature World No. 3 and two-time defending champion Caroline Wozniacki, American Sam Querrey, and charismatic veteran Marcos Baghdatis, in addition to Schiavone.

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Volunteer at the 2010 Pilot Pen!

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:28:20 PST

Apply today to volunteer at the 2010 Pilot Pen! As a volunteer, you will receive a uniform, complimentary tickets, credential, meal coupons and free parking.

As a reminder to those who are interested in volunteering at the Pilot Pen, applications are due by Tuesday, July 6.

Visit the following link for additional information:
http://www.pilotpentennis.com/en/Volunteers/2010 Volunteers.aspx