Garrison joins Harmon as Olympic coaches

U.S. Fed Cup Captain Zina Garrison and Rodney Harmon, USTA Director of Men’s Tennis, have been named as the women’s and men’s coaches for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Tennis Teams.  In addition, Dan James, Head U.S. National Wheelchair Team Coach, has been named coach for the U.S. Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Team.

The U.S. Olympic tennis team will consist of up to six men and six women, with a maximum of four men and four women competing in the singles competition and a maximum of two men’s and two women’s teams competing in doubles. Olympic team selections will made by June 23.

The Olympic Games will be held August 8-24 in Beijing, China, with the tennis competition being staged August 10-17 at the Beijing Olympic Tennis Centre. The Paralympic Games will be held September 6-17 in Beijing with the tennis competition scheduled for September 8-15 at the same venue. The Olympic competition will conclude eight days prior to the US Open and will be played on the same DecoTurf II hard court surface as the US Open.

The United States has won 15 Olympic medals in men’s and women’s tennis since its return as a full medal sport in 1988 -- more than any other nation.  U.S. players have won 10 medals at the Paralympics, including a gold and a silver in 2004.