2012 ITF SENIORS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS SET TO BEGIN ON MONDAY, FEB. 6

Written by: Staff on 31st January 2012

2012 ITF SENIORS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS SET TO BEGIN ON MONDAY, FEB. 6 |

La Jolla, Calif. – (January 30, 2012) – The 2012 International Tennis Federation (ITF) Seniors World Championships will get underway with the Seniors World Team Championships scheduled for February 6-11.

Following the Seniors World Team Championships, the Seniors World Individual Championships will take place February 12-19. More than 600 senior players from 32 nations will be playing in the ITF Seniors World Championships at seven San Diego County tennis venues, including the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club.

The 32nd annual international team event, which is the senior equivalent of the Davis Cup and Fed Cup competitions, will feature 10 age divisions. The age divisions and the trophies they are playing for are as follows:

Men’s 35 – Italia Cup Women’s 35 – Suzanne Lenglen Cup

Men’s 40 – Tony Trabert Cup Women’s 40 – Young Cup

Men’s 45 – Dubler Cup Women’s 45 – Margaret Court Cup

Men’s 50 – Fred Perry Cup Women’s 50 – Maria Esther Bueno Cup

Men’s 55 – Austria Cup Women’s 55 – Maureen Connolly Cup

“There is going to be some spectacular senior tennis played over these two weeks,” said Tournament Director and La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club President Bill Kellogg. “With players coming from all over the world, the level of tennis is going to be very, very high. I strongly encourage tennis fans to come out and support this great event.”

The cup competitions will be played at the following locations:

Austria Cup and Maureen Connolly Cup – Balboa Tennis Club, 2221 Morley Field Drive, San Diego

Tony Trabert Cup and Young Cup – Barnes Tennis Center, 4490 West Point Loma Boulevard, San Diego

Italia Cup and Suzanne Lenglen Cup – La Costa Resort and Spa, 2100 Costa Del Mar Road, Carlsbad

Dubler Cup – Morgan Run Club & Resort, 5690 Cancha de Golf, Rancho Santa Fe

Maria Esther Bueno Cup – San Diego Tennis & Racquet Club, 4848 Tecolote Road, San Diego

Margaret Court Cup and Fred Perry Cup – La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, 2000 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla

and La Jolla Tennis Club, 7632 Draper Avenue, La Jolla

The United States team is the defending champion in the Young Cup, Margaret Court Cup, Maria Esther Bueno Cup, Austria Cup and the Suzanne Lenglen Cup.

The ITF Seniors World Team Championships will feature several former professional players who played on the men’s and women’s tennis tours. Among the professional players entered in the team event are:

Gretchen Magers (USA / Young Cup) – A former French Open, Wimbledon and US Open quarterfinalist, Magers won three career WTA singles titles and four career doubles titles. She holds career wins over Jennifer Capriati and Mary Joe Fernandez.

Jeff Tarango (USA / Tony Trabert Cup) – In 1992, he achieved a career-high ATP World Tour singles ranking of 42. Tarango won two ATP World Tour singles titles and 14 doubles championships. He holds wins over Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Sergi Bruguera, Tommy Haas, Gustavo Kuerten, Thomas Muster and Patrick Rafter.

Rick Leach (USA / Dubler Cup) – A former No. 1 doubles player in the world, Leach won 46 career ATP World Tour doubles titles including Wimbledon, US Open and three Australian Open championships. He was a four-time Division I All-American in singles and doubles at the University of Southern California. Leach represented the U.S. in Davis Cup.

Sandrine Testud (France / Young Cup) – Reached a career-high No. 9 WTA singles ranking in 2000. She is a former quarterfinalist at the Australian Open and US Open. Testud, who captured three career WTA singles titles and four doubles titles, holds career victories over Monica Seles, Jennifer Capriati, Justine Henin, Serena Williams, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and Lindsay Davenport. She represented France in Fed Cup and the Olympics.

Luis Enrique Herrera (Mexico / Italia Cup) – Achieved a career-high singles ranking of 49 on the ATP World Tour in 1992. During his professional career, he scored victories over Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Jim Courier and Brad Gilbert. Herrera represented Mexico in Davis Cup as a player and captain.

Julian Alonso (Spain / Italia Cup) – Was ranked as high as No. 30 in the ATP World Tour rankings in 1998. Won two career ATP World singles titles and two doubles titles. Is a past member of the Spanish Davis Cup team. He notched wins over players such as Sergi Bruguera, Marcelo Rios and Goran Ivanisevic

Jan Gunnarsson (Sweden / Fred Perry Cup) – Reached a career high ATP World Tour singles ranking of 25 in 1985. Finished his professional career with one ATP World Tour singles title and nine doubles titles. Gunnarsson reached the singles semifinals at the 1989 Australian Open.

Tournament admission to watch the matches is free and open to the public. On-site parking is available at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club for a nominal fee. There is no charge to park at other tournament venues.