No lobs allowed

Stanford Championships move to SMU

Every time I see Jim Courier, I have to remind myself that this guy with the slightly disheveled red hair and perpetual smile is a four-time Grand Slam champion -- a guy who has stood on the sport's biggest stage and lifted the hardware twice at Roland Garros and twice at the Australian Open. He's not a big, intimidating guy, but every once and a while, you catch a glimpse of his passion for the sport.

That passion showed up Wednesday at SMU where Courier was announcing that the Stanford Championships, the sixth of eight events on the Outback Champions Series, would be moving to new Turpin Tennis Center, located behind Moody Coliseum. After a formal press conference, Courier led a group of media out to courts where he described how his company, InsideOut Sports & Entertainment, would transform one of the six courts into center court of a stadium that will seat 2,500 for the Stanford Championships on Oct. 22-26.

Courier described a court surrounded by seats, complete with temporary luxury suites and a courtesy tent. His vision is of an intimate setting where eight of the top players in the world 30-and-over will put on a show, passion and all.

That's the beauty of the Outback Champions Series. It's not an exhibition. Courier's not a huge fan of exhibitions. He's played in them and he'll play in more, but having something on the line, such as prize money and points standings is what it's all about for him and the rest of the guys who will be coming to Dallas. Wayne Ferreira, Todd Martin and Mark Philppoussis will be joining Courier in October and four more will be announced later.

Here's hoping John McEnroe and Pete Sampras make the trip, but that's probably asking too much. It would also be fun to see recent Hall of Fame inductee Michael Chang, who is listed on the Outback Champions Series players list, but has yet to play a match this year. I'm also hoping for the return of Pat Cash, because it's always nice to have a rock star around. He always reminds me of a healthier and considerably younger Keith Richards.

Tickets: Individual start as low as $15 and packages are available by calling 877-332-8499. Check out the "Flex package" which is good for any three of the seven sessions. 

Notes: Kids Day is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Kinds under 18 are invited to the free clinic. Free ticket vouchers will be presented to the first 100 kids. ... The Stanford Championships will help raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

-- Rusty Hall

    

 

McEnroe wins first Outback title

John McEnroe won his first title on the Outback Champions Series at the $150,000 Champions Cup Boston Sunday, rallying from a set down to defeat fellow American Aaron Krickstein 5-7, 6-3, 10-5 (Champions Tie Break) in the championship match at the Agganis Arena. Playing in his 13th career event on the Outback Champions Series, the four-year-old senior circuit for players 30 and over, McEnroe earned $54,000 and 800 Champions Series points that enabled him to tie Jim Courier for the No. 1 spot in the Stanford Champions Rankings.

Courier won Sunday’s third-place match, defeating Wayne Ferreira of South Africa 6-4 6-2.

The 49-year-old McEnroe, who earlier this year said he would start to scale back his competitive tournament appearances, enjoyed an incredibly successful week in Boston, beating Courier 6-4, 6-4 on Thursday and handing seven-time Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras his first loss on the Outback Champions Series in a 2-6, 7-5, 10-4 (Champions Tie-Break) victory Friday night. His match with Krickstein on Sunday was highlighted by many long rallies and strong play from the baseline. In the first set, Krickstein broke McEnroe at 5-5 and hit three aces on his serve to take the opening set. McEnroe took the second set with his aggressive net play and rode the momentum to victory in the Champions Tie Break.

"For my favorite fan base –- 75-year old women -- this proves to you that you can still be young at an advanced age," said McEnroe, who previously lost Outback Champions Series singles finals in Boston in 2006, Newport, R.I., in 2007 and Naples, Fla., in 2008. "I've been playing for a couple of years with frustration and wondering if I was ever going to win again. If you had told me I would have to play Courier and Sampras, I thought I was screwed. Aaron was playing really well, but I found another gear in the tiebreaker. I knew I could win if I played the way I was capable of."

-- Outback Champions Series

Courier wins Grand Cayman title

Jim Courier defeated Wayne Ferreira 7-6, (3), 7-6 (1) to win the singles title at the $150,000 The Residences at The Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman Legends Championships, the second event on the 2008 Outback Champions Series tennis circuit. Courier’s victory, his first on the Outback Champions Series since 2006, earned him $54,000 and 800 Stanford Champions rankings points that vaulted him to the No. 1 ranking on the circuit for player over the age of 30.

In the third-place match, Jimmy Arias beat Paul Haarhuis 7-6 (3), 2-6, 10-8 (Champions Tiebreak). Arias entered the tournament having won only one career match on the Outback Champions Series, but won three matches in Grand Cayman, including a round-robin win Thursday against John McEnroe, his first career victory over the three-time Wimbledon champion.

The title was Courier’s fourth Outback Champions Series tournament victory -- to go with titles in Houston in 2005 and in Naples, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C. in 2006. His win over Ferreira avenged his loss to the South African in the final of the Stanford Championships in Frisco in October.

The Champions Series will be returnin to the Dallas-Fort Worth area Oct. 22-26.

STANFORD CHAMPIONS RANKINGS
(Through Two Events)

1. Jim Courier, USA, 1,200 points; 2. Todd Martin, USA, 900; 3. John McEnroe, USA, 800; 4. Jimmy Arias, USA, 600; 4, Wayne Ferreira, South Africa; 6. Mikael Pernfors, Sweden, 350; 6. Paul Haarhuis, Netherlands, 350;  8. Aaron Krickstein, USA, 300; 9. Magnus Larsson, Sweden, 200; 10. Anders Jarryd, Sweden, 100; Mats Wilander, Sweden, 100.

Martin wins Naples title

Todd Martin begins 2008 on the Outback Champions Series right where he left off last year: at the top of the standings.

Martin defeated John McEnroe 6-3, 6-1 Sunday to win The Oliver Group Champions Cup in Naples, Fla. -- the opening event on the 2008 Outback Champions Series tennis circuit.  Martin, who finished 2007 as the No. 1 ranked player on the Outback Champions Series, earned $50,000 for the victory and also gained 700 ranking points to make him the early leader in the 2008 Stanford Champions Rankings. McEnroe earned $32,000 and 600 ranking points with the runner-up showing.

The Naples title was Martin’s third Outback Champions Series tournament victory –- all coming at the expense of McEnroe. Martin beat McEnroe in the final of the 2006 Champions Cup Boston as well as in the final of the 2007 International Tennis Hall of Fame Champions Cup in Newport, R.I.

“I felt I had an honorable first set and a half,” said McEnroe. “I thought I was hitting the ball well but missed my chances. I also didn’t get a good handle on break points in the first set. When I miss a point that I feel I should get and don’t - that is frustrating. I had a few break points and missed them.”

McEnroe, 49, is playing in his final year of competitive tournament tennis. Earlier this week, McEnroe said that 2008 would be his final year of competitive tournament tennis. “Definitely,” said McEnroe when asked if this was his final year. “I can’t keep on going just winning half of my matches.”

“John has been very much the face of our sport," Martin said. "John is such an amazing talent.  It is the difference between the type of talent of Michael Jordan had and Charles Barkley. Though Barkley was a great player, Jordan was so graceful and made everything happen.  The way John played the game is so artistic and gifted.  It is a joy to watch.”

Martin, McEnroe reach Champions final

John McEnroe and Todd Martin advanced into the title match at The Oliver Group Champions Cup with singles victories that clinched the top spot their respective round-robin groups. McEnroe overwhelmed Magnus Larsson 6-3, 6-2 to win Round Robin Group A with a 3-0 record, while Martin defeated Jim Courier 6-4, 6-4 to finish 2-1 in Round Robin Group B.

The Oliver Group Champions Cup is the opening event on the Outback Champions Series, a collection of tennis events around the world featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30.

McEnroe, who said this week this is his final year of competitive tournament tennis, will be gunning for his first title on the Outback Champions Series after losing two previous finals -- both to Martin in Boston in 2006 and in Newport, R.I. in 2007. Martin, last year’s No. 1 ranked player on the Outback Champions Series, will be competing in his eighth Outback singles final and will be seeking his third title to go with his 2006 title in Boston and his 2007 title in Newport.

“It will be a tough match,” said McEnroe. “Todd uses the angles well and puts you on the defensive. His second serve return is great – it’s one of the best around. I can’t really stay back with him so I will have to move up and cut off the angles.”

Krickstein upsets Champions' champion

Aaron Krickstein continued his run of good play at The Oliver Group Champions Cup on Friday, staging a 6-3, 6-7 (1), 10-3 (tiebreaker) upset of Todd Martin, the defending Outback Champions Series champion, on the second day of round-robin play at the Players Club & Spa at Lely Resort.

Other winners on the third day of competition included John McEnroe, Jim Courier and Magnus Larsson.  McEnroe defeated Mikael Pernfors 4-6, 6-3, 10-6, Courier defeated Anders Jarryd 6-2, 7-5 and Larsson defeated Jimmy Arias 6-4, 6-4.

“Aaron played real well today," Martin said. "He has not played well against me in other tournaments in the series and this time he did.  The two most important things when you play is how you control your mind and the way you move and today Aaron was moving well and was aware of what he was doing.”

McEnroe won his second straight match by a third-set champions tiebreaker. The four-time US Open champion can clinch a spot in Sunday’s singles final with a win over Larsson Saturday night. McEnroe is seeking his first singles title on the Outback Champions Series.

“I still feel I have not found my range,” said McEnroe of his first two match wins in Naples. “To be honest, I have been lucky.”

The Outback Champions Series will come the Dallas-Fort Worth area on October 22-26. A site has not been confirmed. The tournament was held at the Deja Blue Arena in Frisco last year, but organizers would like to find a more central location.

Saturday's lineup
1:30 p.m. -- Aaron Krickstein vs. Anders Jarryd; followed by Todd Martin vs. Jim Courier.
6:30 p.m. -- Mikael Pernfors vs. Jimmy Arias; John McEnroe vs. Magnus Larsson

McEnroe opens with a win

John McEnroe began what could be his final year of competitive tournament tennis Thursday, defeating Jimmy Arias 7-6 (4), 2-6, 10-6 in his opening round-robin match in the Outback Champions Series event in in Naples, Fla.

McEnroe, who turned 49 on Feb. 16, has hinted that he would stop playing tournament tennis after he turns 50. He said earlier this week that he is “looking at my options” as he begins his 30th full year as a tennis professional. The four-time U.S. champion showed his high-octane competitive juices were still overflowing against the 43-year-old Arias, winning the third set tie-breaker 10-6 to wrap up the first round of The Oliver Group Champions Cup.

“When you get to the tiebreak, it really is a roll of the dice,” McEnroe said. “Once you get ahead (5-1 in third-set tiebreaker) like that, it is tough to come back.”

In the evening’s other match, Mikael Pernfors defeated fellow Swede Magnus Larsson 7-6 (8), 7-6 (5).  Pernfors, the two-time NCAA champion at the University of Georgia and 1986 French Open runner-up, credited his serve in the upset of Larsson in the night session’s opening match.

“I served better than I ever had, not necessarily with speed but with placement hitting the balls on the lines,” said Pernfors. “I served as good as I can and by being able to put some pressure on him. I can’t play better in this part of my career.  I feel good physically and am moving well, which hasn’t been the case for a while.”

Round-robin play continues Friday with Larsson taking on Arias in the afternoon session’s opening match, followed by Todd Martin against Aaron Krickstein. In the Friday evening session, Jim Courier takes on Anders Jarryd followed by McEnroe against Pernfors.

Champions Series sets to kickoff 2008 season

The Outback Champions Series, co-founded by tennis Hall of Famer Jim Courier, kicks off the 2008 season tonight at The Oliver Group Champions Cup in Naples, Fla. The senior circuit, for players 30 and over, expands to a record eight events this year with each event featuring $150,000 in prize money and an undefeated winner pocketing $54,000 as well as ranking points that will determine the year-end champion.

“We kick off the 2008 Outback Champions Series this week with something extra on the line for the guys,” said Courier, who won the 2006 series title. "The top player in the year-end Stanford Champions Rankings will earn a $100,000 bonus and with Pete Sampras, John McEnroe and the other legends of the game competing throughout the season, we should be in for a highly competitive race.“

In addition to Courier, Sampras and McEnroe, defending series champion Todd Martin will be looking to repeat last year's run to the championship, which includes a swing through Dallas on Oct. 22-26.

The full 2008 Outback Champions Series schedule is available here.

2008 Champions Series Schedule

The Oliver Group Champions Cup -- March 12-16,The Players Club & Spa at Lely6 Resort Golf & Country Club, Naples, Fla. The Players: Jimmy Arias, Jim Courier, Wayne Ferriera, Anders Jarryd, Aaron Krickstein, Todd Martin, John McEnroe and Mikael Pernfors.

The Residence at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman Legends Championship -- April 16-12, Grand Cayman. The Players: Jimmy Arias, Jim Courier, Wayne Ferriera, John McEnroe (Four players TBA)

Champions Cup Boston -- April 30-May 4, Agganis Arena, Boston. The Players: Jim Courier, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras (Five players TBA)

International Tennis Hall of Fame Champions Cup -- Aug. 13-17, Newport, R.I.

The Championships at the Palisades -- Sept. 24-26, Charlotte, N.C.

Stanford Championships -- Oct. 22-26, Dallas (Site TBA, tickets on sale soon)

Cancer Treatment Centers of America Championships at Surprise -- Nov. 5-9, Surprise, Ariz.

Emirates NBD The Legends "Rock" Dubai -- Nov. 18-22, Dubai, UAE

Champions Series sets first date for 2008

The Outback Champions Series will open the 2008 season with The Oliver Group Champions Cup in Naples, Fla. on March 12-16. Former tournament champions Jim Courier and Wayne Ferreira are the first two players to commit to the event at The Players Club & Spa at Lely Resort. Ferreira is the defending tournament champion. Courier won the title in 2006, the event’s first year.

No other dates for the series have been announced, but Courier said Thursday that the series is tentatively scheduled to return to the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Oct. 22-26.
-- Rusty Hall