(Above: Agassi and Graf
The New Haven Open at Yale presented by First Niagara will hold a TEEKANNE High Tea, with TEEKANNE brand ambassador and Hall of Famer Stefanie Graf, on Wednesday, August 24 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. in the Courtside Club, an air-conditioned suite overlooking Stadium Court, it was announced today by Anne Worcester, tournament director. The tournament, a WTA event that is part of the Olympus US Open Series, will be held August 18-27, 2011 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale.
An event for tea and tennis aficionados’ alike, patrons will enjoy a light buffet, sample several varieties of TEEKANNE Herbal Wellness Tea and participate in a meet and greet with former World No. 1 Stefanie Graf (who will join the High Tea at 2:30 p.m.). Tickets to the High Tea are $150 and include the afternoon’s matches. To purchase a ticket to TEEKANNE High Tea for the day session and a New Haven Food & Wine Festival Grand Tasting ticket for the evening session, a special combination price of $250 will be offered (phone-order only).
Graf is a former World No. 1 who won an incredible 22 Grand Slam singles titles including a “Golden Slam,” winning all four Grand Slam singles titles and the Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year (1988). She is arguably the greatest female player of all-time, and is married to one of the best men’s players of all-time, eight-time Grand Slam singles champion Andre Agassi. She is the founder of Children For Tomorrow (CFT), a non-profit foundation with the goal of supporting and initiating projects that provide assistance to children and families who have suffered the trauma of war, violence, abuse, exile or loss of the family.
In addition, Graf is a significant part of tournament history. One of her 107 WTA titles came in 1998 during the first-ever women’s tournament in New Haven. She defeated then-World No. 2 Lindsay Davenport and World No. 3 Jana Novotna en route to the title.
“We are thrilled to have a tennis legend and our inaugural champion, Stefanie Graf, return to the New Haven Open,” said Worcester. “Her wildcard entry into the first-ever WTA tournament in 1998 in New Haven, and subsequent victory, drew strong crowds and helped to solidify the foundation of our event, which is now in its 14th year. We know that fans will want to see Stefanie, so we encourage them to get their tickets to TEEKANNE High Tea, for what will be a wonderful event.”
For more information about TEEKANNE High Tea, the tournament, and tickets please visit www.newhavenopen.com