Naples Champions Cup starts Friday

[Moose Malloy]

Here are the 2 round robin groups:

Wilander, Krickstein, Cash, McEnroe
Chang, Courier, Korda, Pernfors

It's odd that they have all the older players(80s) in one group & the more modern (90s) players in the others. Chang is making his champions debut, hopefully he can play better than he did his last years on tour.

Winners from each group play in the final. I think it will be Mac vs Courier(since Courier created this series, he seems extra motivated. And he won the last event in November)

Unfortunately, no TV coverage.

http://www.championscuptennis.com/

 

[VolklVenom]

it's a sad failing that this sort of comp isn't televised.

 

[oscar_2424]

Not even the tennis channel?

 

[Moose Malloy]

Tennis Channel is showing Indian Wells on Saturday, so it would have been difficult to show Champions Cup. I think there are showing it taped next week.

 

[Moose Malloy]

Anyone going to this?
Here are today's matches(no tv coverage so don't move this to match results, please)

Mats Wilander vs. Aaron Krickstein
Michael Chang vs. Petr Korda(let's see how Chang will adjust to competive match play after a few years abscence. Tough 1st match)
Jim Courier vs. Mikael Pernfors
John McEnroe vs. Pat Cash

 

[Moose Malloy]

Former World No. 1 Mats Wilander kicked off the return of senior tennis to Florida with a comeback victory on Friday afternoon. The former French Open champion rallied for a 2-6, 6-2, 10-2 (Super tiebreak) triumph over Aaron Krickstein in the opening match of the Champions Cup-Naples at the Players Club & Spa at Lely Resort in Naples, Florida.

http://www.sportsmediainc.com/tennisweek/index.cfm?func=showarticle&newsid=14905&bannerregion=

 

[Moose Malloy]

Michael Chang’s appearance at the Champions Cup Naples ended Saturday afternoon after he sustained a lower left leg injury in his match with Mikael Pernfors.

Jim Courier, whose InsideOut Sports & Entertainment company is presenting the tournament and who was scheduled to play Chang on Sunday at 7 p.m., said Chang will not be able to take the court Sunday.

“It’s not often that a player gets wheeled out on a gurney and is able to play the next day,” Courier said after the match. “No one is more disappointed than (Michael) is but I’m a close third behind him and his father.”

Chang, a former French Open champion playing his first tournament since retiring after the 2003 U.S. Open, was leading Pernfors 6-0, 5-2 when he sprinted across the court to return a Pernfors shot. He got to the ball, then crumpled to the court writhing in pain. Chang did not try to stand up and was wheeled off by emergency medical personnel.

About a half-hour later, Courier and Chang’s father, Joe, carried Chang to the back seat of a tournament car. Courier said Chang was going to see the Boston Red Sox orthopedist to assess the injury.

Courier will face Naples' Johan Kriek in an exhibition to open the night session at 7 tonight. Courier will advance to Monday's championship match. Courier said later Saturday night that Chang would be flying home today.

"The news we're hearing is that he probably is going to have to have surgery on his Achilles,'' Courier said.

If Chang had won the match against Pernfors, his match against Courier would have been to decide who would play in Monday’s championship match.

http://www.championscuptennis.com/index.php?page=newspost77

 

[Moose Malloy]

Michael Chang def. Petr Korda 6-2, 6-4

Jim Courier def. Mikael Pernfors 6-2, 6-2

Pat Cash def. John McEnroe 2-6, 7-6 (5), 10-6 (TB)

Jim Courier def. Petr Korda 6-1, 6-3

Mikael Pernfors def. Michael Chang 0-6, 2-5 (Ret.)

John McEnroe def. Mats Wilander 3-6, 6-1, 10-5 (TB)

Aaron Krickstein def. Pat Cash 6-1, 6-1

Mikael Pernfors def. Petr Korda 7-6 (5), 3-6, 10-8 (TB)

John McEnroe def. Aaron Krickstein 6-4, 6-2

Jim Courier def. Michael Chang W.O.

Pat Cash def. Mats Wilander 7-5, 6-1

 

[Moose Malloy]

Jim Courier will face Pat Cash in the championship match of the inaugural Outback Champions Series–Naples Monday evening as both champions advanced through their respective round robin groups. Courier won Round Robin Group A with a perfect 3-0 record, while Cash won Round Robin Group B with a 2-1 record and, with his win over John McEnroe in Friday’s opening day of play, wins the tie-break against McEnroe, who also had a 2-1 round robin record in Group B.

McEnroe will take on Mikael Pernfors in the third place match on Monday starting at 6:30 pm, preceding the championship match.

Cash clinched his place in the final by defeating Mats Wilander 7-5, 6-1 Sunday night in a rematch of the 1988 Australian Open men’s singles final.

The Tennis Channel will broadcast the third-place match between Pernfors and McEnroe and the championship match between Courier and Cash on tape delay on Tuesday at 8 p.m. Eastern time.


http://www.sportsmediainc.com/tennisweek/index.cfm?func=showarticle&newsid=14905&bannerregion=

 

[VGP]

Man, that sux for Chang.

 

[loubapache]

TTC has it tonight (Tuesday).

 

[Moose Malloy]

watched the matches last night. the courts were in terrible condition, players were constantly slipping. jmac commented that they weren't suitable for play. no wonder chang got injured. they should only hold these events at professional venues.