HoF Championships underway
July 6, 2014
NEWPORT, R.I. — The U.S. summer swing for the ATP World Tour kicks off tomorrow in Newport, Rhode Island at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, hosted on the historic grass courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The tournament is the final grass court tournament of the season and the only event played on grass courts in North or South America. No. 1 American John Isner headlines the field, which also features Wimbledon doubles champion Jack Sock among the Americans in competition. Defending champion Nicolas Mahut is back to defend his singles and doubles titles from 2013. Two-time Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt is back in action in Newport as well, where he has been a finalist the past two years.
2014 Hall of Fame Tennis Championships Draw Party
Tournament players and guests of the tournament gathered last night at the International Tennis Hall of Fame for the official draw ceremony. Among those in attendance to help with the ceremony was Rhode Islander Brad Faxon, an 8-time champion on the PGA TOUR. Before the ceremony got underway, Faxon and Hewitt spent some time on the grass courts exchanging tricks of their trade. After a brief warm up they played a short tennis tiebreak and then took a few chip shots.
Leading off the action in the first match on Center Court tomorrow will be a battle of the California college rivals. No. 6 seed Steve Johnson, who was the 2012 and 2011 NCAA Champion while playing for University of Southern California, will face wild card Clay Thompson, a recent UCLA grad who finished his senior season No. 2 in the ITA rankings. Thompson was granted a wild card into the tournament and is making his ATP World Tour main draw debut.
Next up will be wild card Robby Ginepri, a past champion at the event (2003), versus big serving Ivo Karlovic, of Croatia, currently ranked world No. 32.
Rajeev Ram, who won the Newport singles and doubles titles in 2009, will take on Australian Matt Ebden in the third match of the day. Ebden has also had success in Newport, having won the doubles title in 2011 with Ryan Harrison.
No. 2 American and the tournament’s No. 5 seed Donald Young will face Samuel Groth of Australia in the final match on Center Court tomorrow.
When the first round continues on Tuesday, No. 1 seed John Isner faces a qualifier, No. 3 seed Lleyton Hewitt will play Ryan Harrison, and Jack Sock, fresh off his doubles victory at Wimbledon, will face fellow American Alex Kuznetsov.
Main Draw competition at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships gets underway tomorrow at 11 a.m. Following is the Singles and Doubles Draw, and Order of Play for the first round and the final Qualifying Round.
For additional information, tickets, and live scoring, visit HallofFameTennisChampionships.com
Tournament Main Draw – Singles
[1] J Isner (USA) vs. Qualifier
T Smyczek (USA) vs. Qualifier
M Ebden (AUS) vs. R Ram (USA)
A Kuznetsov (USA) vs. [7] J Sock (USA)
[3] L Hewitt (AUS) vs. R Harrison (USA)
M Copil (ROU) vs. Qualifier
[WC] M Krueger (USA) vs. T Ito (JPN)
[WC] C Thompson (USA) vs. [6] S Johnson (USA)
[5] D Young (USA) vs. S Groth (AUS)
R Berankis (LTU) vs. M Jaziri (TUN)
Qualifier vs. P Polansky (CAN)
F Arguello (ARG) vs. [4] N Mahut (FRA)
[8] A Mannarino (FRA) vs. J Wang (TPE)
M Przysiezny (POL) vs. D Sela (ISR)
S Stakhovsky (UKR) vs. F Dustov (UZB)
[WC] R Ginepri (USA) vs. [2] I Karlovic (CRO)
Tournament Main Draw – Doubles
[1] S Gonzalez (MEX) / S Lipsky (USA) vs. D Sharan (IND) / D Young (USA)
R Harrison (USA) / M Venus (NZL) vs. C Guccione (AUS) / L Hewitt (AUS)
[3] M Ebden (AUS) / S Groth (AUS) vs. K King (USA) / M Przysiezny (POL)
A Krajicek (USA) / J Smith (AUS) vs. F Dustov (UZB) / A Pavic (CRO)
A Kuznetsov (USA) / P Polansky (CAN) vs. S Ratiwatana (THA) / S Ratiwatana (THA)
J Erlich (ISR) / R Ram (USA) vs. [4] K Skupski (GBR) / N Skupski (GBR)
N Mahut (FRA) / S Stakhovsky (UKR) vs. R Bemelmans (BEL) / M Copil (ROU)
P Marx (GER) / F Nielsen (DEN) vs. [2] D Nestor (CAN) / A Shamasdin (CAN)
Order of Play, Monday, July 5
CENTER COURT start 11:00 am
[WC] C Thompson (USA) vs [6] S Johnson (USA)
[WC] R Ginepri (USA) vs [2] I Karlovic (CRO)
M Ebden (AUS) vs R Ram (USA)
[5] D Young (USA) vs S Groth (AUS)
COURT 1 start 11:00 am
M Przysiezny (POL) vs D Sela (ISR)
R Berankis (LTU) vs M Jaziri (TUN)
Not Before 2:00 pm
N Mahut (FRA) / S Stakhovsky (UKR) vs R Bemelmans (BEL) / M Copil (ROU)
COURT 2 start 11:00 am
Final Round Qualifying – Qualifying – J Smith (AUS) vs W Odesnik (USA)
[WC] M Krueger (USA) vs T Ito (JPN)
A Krajicek (USA) / J Smith (AUS) vs F Dustov (UZB) / A Pavic (CRO)