I'll try to post these when I have time. This week is a bit slow since Nadal isn't playing. The first is the ATP Media notes for Marseille, and the second is a press release re the ATP Ambassador Program. We may get to see some of our fave retired playes in action again. :mrgreen: RESULTS - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23 Singles - First Round O Rochus (BEL) d K Beck (SVK) 36 76(5) 61 J Bjorkman (SWE) d R Sluiter (NED) 75 63 Singles- Qualifying Round N Mahut (FRA) d I Andreev (RUS) 63 76(3) M Rosset (SUI) d V Hanescu (ROM) 76(5) 57 64 F Mayer (GER) d T Ascione (FRA) 64 76(4) J Knowle (AUT) d J Tipsarevic (SER) 67(6) 61 64 Doubles - First Round (1) Knowles/Nestor d Hrbaty/Kucera 63 76(6) (4) Palmer/Vizner d Nieminen/Pavel 75 64 Escude/Safin d Gonzalez/Srichaphan 61 62 ORDER OF PLAY - TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 Centre Court - 11 am S Sargsian (ARM) vs F Santoro (FRA) (3) P Srichaphan (THA) vs A Martin (ESP) J Nieminen (FIN) vs N Escude (FRA) K Kucera (SVK) vs F Gonzalez (CHI) Not Before 7:30 pm (8-WC) M Safin (RUS) vs F Mayer (GER) G Ivanisevic (CRO) vs (7) A Clement (FRA) Court 1 - 2 pm Cibulec/Pala vs Knowle/Vanhoudt (WC) Benneteau/Mahut vs (2) Damm/Suk (WC) Bachelot/De Chaunac vs A. Martin/O. Rochus Guez/Hilaire vs (3) Hanley/Zimonjic ATP MEDIA NOTES – MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23 BJORKMAN WINS FIRST ROUND MATCH; ROCHUS WINS FIRST MATCH IN 2004 Last year's finalist Jonas Bjorkman, defeated Raemon Sluiter 7-5, 6-3, to move into the second round. Bjorkman, who defeated Mark Philippoussis in the fourth rubber to clinch Sweden's first round win over defending Davis Cup champion Australia, improved his match record to 4-4 on the season. Olivier Rochus rallied to beat Karol Beck 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-1, to win his first match of the season (1-3). Rochus, a quarterfinalist in Marseille last year, overcame Beck's 15 aces, to reach the second round. Marc Rosset, the oldest player in the singles draw at 33, qualified with a three-set victory over Victor Hanescu of Romania. Rosset won the Marseille title three times (1993-94, 2000) and he has a 23-4 career record in the tournament. He plays his first round on Wednesday against Davide Sanguinetti. In doubles, top seeds Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor and fourth seeded Jared Palmer and Pavel Vizner won opening round matches in straight sets. Nicolas Escude and Marat Safin, playing together for the first time since last March, also advanced with a straight-sets win. WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID Bjorkman: "It's been a pretty good time for Swedish tennis, we are in much better shape than before. Pim-Pim (Joachim Johansson) has been having great results especially obviously last week in Memphis...Everybody was saying that I was the last Swede to win an ATP tournament so it's great to have another title. But at the same time we had been expecting this kind of results from both Johansson and Soderling, they have a lot of talent and are the future of Swedish tennis." Rosset: "I know I am a better player than my ranking says. My goal is to play ATP events this year even if it means having to qualify. The qualifying events are really tough because you have to win three matches just to get into the draw and everybody is so hungry and everybody is a good player." TUESDAY MATCHES Third seed Paradorn Srichaphan will make his debut at the Open 13 Tuesday when he battles Spaniard Alberto Martin. The Thai No. 1, who reached his third consecutive Chennai final in the first week of the year (l. to Moya), has a 9-4 match record on the season and is 13th in the INDESIT ATP 2004 Race. Goran Ivanisevic continues his comeback at the Open 13 as he plays French favorite and seventh seed Arnaud Clement in the first round. Ivanisevic lost in the second round in Milan and the first round in Rotterdam, his first events in eight months. Clement, who comes from nearby Aix-en-Provence, reached his first career ATP final in Marseille five years ago (l. to Santoro). He has a 3-2 advantage over Ivanisevic, including a first round win in Marseille in 2001. Wild card and eighth seed Marat Safin takes on German qualifier Florian Mayer for the first time. Safin, who is 2nd in the INDESIT ATP 2004 Race after reaching the Australian Open final earlier this month, is playing in Marseille for the third time. He lost in the opening round in 1999-2000. Safin is playing his first match since losing 11-9 in the fifth set to Max Mirnyi on Feb. 6 in the second rubber of the first round Davis Cup tie against Belarus. Fabrice Santoro, one of three former champions in the field, is playing in Marseille for the eighth year (13-6 record). Santoro opens play against Sargis Sargsian of Armenia. In their last meeting in the opening round of Marseille two years ago, the Frenchman prevailed in a third set tie-break, saving three match points. Nicolas Escude, a Marseille finalist two years ago (l. to Enqvist) and semifinalist last year, has a tough assignment against Jarkko Nieminen of Finland. Nieminen defeated the Frenchman in their only previous meeting in the first round of Roland Garros last year. Escude, who opened the year with a title in Doha (d. Ljubicic), enters Marseille with a 9-2 match record on the season and he is 10th in the INDESIT ATP 2004 Race. Sargis Sargsian (ARM) vs Fabrice Santoro (FRA) Series Tied 1-1 97 Moscow (Russia) Carpet R32 Sargis Sargsian 6-3 2-6 6-3 02 Marseille (France) Hard R32 Fabrice Santoro 6-1 3-6 7-6(11) Sargsian FastFacts: 2004 Highlights: QF: Doha (l Henman); YTD W-L: 4-5 YTD Titles: 0 Career Titles: 1 Date of Birth: June 3, 1973 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 48 INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 42 * As of February 23, 2004 Santoro FastFacts: 2004 Highlights: YTD W-L: 2-3 YTD Titles: 0 Career Titles: 4 Date of Birth: December 9, 1972 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 83T INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 71 * As of February 23, 2004 Paradorn Srichaphan (THA) vs Alberto Martin (ESP) Series Tied 1-1 98 Bangkok Challenger (Thailand) Hard R32 Alberto Martin 2-6 7-6 6-2 03 Canada TMS (Canada) Hard R64 Paradorn Srichaphan 6-0 7-6(5) Srichaphan FastFacts: 2004 Highlights: F: Chennai (l Moya); YTD W-L: 9-4 YTD Titles: 0 Career Titles: 4 Date of Birth: June 14, 1979 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 13 INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 12 * As of February 23, 2004 A. Martin FastFacts: 2004 Highlights: YTD W-L: 3-4 YTD Titles: 0 Career Titles: 3 Date of Birth: August 20, 1978 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 74T INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 61 * As of February 23, 2004 Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) vs Nicolas Escude (FRA) Nieminen Leads 1-0 03 Roland Garros (France) Clay R128 Jarkko Nieminen 7-6(3) 6-7(4) 6-3 6-1 Nieminen FastFacts: 2004 Highlights: SF: Adelaide (l Hrbaty); QF: Rotterdam (l Mirnyi); YTD W-L: 7-5 YTD Titles: 0 Career Titles: 0 Date of Birth: July 23, 1981 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 30T INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 35 * As of February 23, 2004 Escude FastFacts: 2004 Highlights: W: Doha (d Ljubicic); YTD W-L: 9-2 YTD Titles: 1 Career Titles: 4 Date of Birth: April 3, 1976 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 10 INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 77 * As of February 23, 2004 Karol Kucera (SVK) vs Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) First Meeting Kucera FastFacts: 2004 Highlights: QF: Milan (l Johansson); YTD W-L: 4-4 YTD Titles: 0 Career Titles: 6 Date of Birth: March 4, 1974 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 54T INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 51 * As of February 23, 2004 Gonzalez FastFacts: 2004 Highlights: W: Vina del Mar (d Kuerten); YTD W-L: 6-3 YTD Titles: 1 Career Titles: 4 Date of Birth: July 29, 1980 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 27T INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 24 * As of February 23, 2004 Marat Safin (RUS) vs Florian Mayer (GER) First Meeting Safin FastFacts: 2004 Highlights: F: Australian Open (l Federer); YTD W-L: 6-2 YTD Titles: 0 Career Titles: 11 Date of Birth: January 27, 1980 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 2 INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 30 * As of February 23, 2004 Mayer FastFacts: 2004 Highlights: YTD W-L: 1-1 YTD Titles: 0 Career Titles: 0 Date of Birth: October 5, 1983 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 87T INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 155 * As of February 23, 2004 Goran Ivanisevic (CRO) vs Arnaud Clement (FRA) Clement Leads 3-2 98 Moscow (Russia) Carpet SF Goran Ivanisevic 7-5 6-2 00 Monte Carlo (Monaco) Clay R64 Arnaud Clement 6-0 6-7(6) 6-4 00 Wimbledon (England) Grass R128 Arnaud Clement 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 01 Marseille (France) Hard R32 Arnaud Clement 6-4 6-3 01 Indianapolis (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Goran Ivanisevic 7-5 7-5 Ivanisevic FastFacts: 2004 Highlights: YTD W-L: 1-2 YTD Titles: 0 Career Titles: 22 Date of Birth: September 13, 1971 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 118T INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 544 * As of February 23, 2004 Clement FastFacts: 2004 Highlights: QF: Sydney (l Hewitt); YTD W-L: 5-4 YTD Titles: 0 Career Titles: 2 Date of Birth: December 17, 1977 INDESIT ATP 2004 Race: 78T INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking: 25 * As of February 23, 2004 And here's a bit about the new Ambassador's Program: ATP Announces Launch of Ambassadors Program PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida, U.S.A. – The ATP, governing body of men’s professional tennis, today announced the launch of the ATP Ambassadors Program, an initiative designed to promote the game of tennis at all levels through the active involvement of former ATP players. Through ATP Ambassadors, former players on the ATP circuit will share their experiences at various events such as kids’ days, charity functions and speaking engagements as they increase their involvement with the ATP and its activities. In the initial phase of the program, the ATP Ambassadors have teamed with Tennis Magazine (U.S.) and former player and current ESPN announcer Cliff Drysdale to promote a number of Demo Days at select cities across the United States in 2004. The Demo Days, which will be held at more than a dozen ATP tournament cities in the United States, aim to promote the sport and ATP tournaments at local clubs through fun, well-organized tennis clinics featuring Cliff Drysdale Management pros and ATP Ambassadors. “The numerous former pro players of this game are an important asset in promoting pro tennis, and through ATP Ambassadors, we will help showcase their spirit and enthusiasm for the game to tennis fans worldwide,” said Chris Clouser, CEO, ATP Properties and President, ATP Inc. “ATP Ambassadors provides a platform for former ATP players to help grow the game of tennis. The knowledge and experience of ambassadors such as Cliff Drysdale can be a tremendous benefit to coaches, recreational players, fans and aspiring pros.” The three-day Demo Days mini-camps, which will include sessions featuring Cliff Drysdale pros for adults and kids, will take place at various cities before and during ATP tournaments, such as the Franklin Templeton Tennis Classic in Scottsdale. In Scottsdale, two Demo Days mini-camps will be held this week in advance of the tournament next week. Here is the preliminary list of participating Demo Days cities: ATP Tournament City Dates Club Name Contact Number Scottsdale Feb. 23-25 Village Racquet & Health Club 1-602/840-6412 Scottsdale Feb. 27-29 Scottsdale Athletic Club 1-480/951-0882 Indian Wells March 6-8 Braemar Country Club 1-818/345-3230 Indian Wells March 9-11 Mission Hills 1-760/328-5800 Miami March 19-21 Weston Tennis Center 1-954/389-8666 Miami March 22-24 Ritz Carlton Tennis Garden 1-305/365-4300 Houston April 12-14 Houston Racquet Club 1-713/464-4811 About ATP
