McEnroe Returns to Delray Beach International Tennis Championships

Written by: Staff on 26th September 2012

McEnroe Returns to Delray Beach International Tennis Championships

epa03143572 John McEnroe of USA returns the ball to Australia's Pat Cash during their match in ATP Champions tour tennis tournament Kings of Tennis at Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre in Sweden, 13 March 2012. EPA/SOREN ANDERSSON SWEDEN OUT |

McENROE RETURNS TO LEAD ATP CHAMPIONS CHARGE AT THE 2013 DELRAY BEACH

INTERNATIONAL TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS, FEBRUARY 22 – MARCH 3

Wilander, Moya, Cash, Krickstein and Philippoussis Also Playing In Newly-Formatted Event

DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA (www.YellowTennisBall.com): John McEnroe is returning to Delray Beach to play in the newly-formatted ATP Champions Tour event that features six stars playing a round-robin event over three days. The iconic McEnroe will be joined by Mats Wilander, Pat Cash, Carlos Moya, Mark Philippoussis and Aaron Krickstein in the ‘legends’ field at the 2013 Delray Beach International Tennis Championships (ITC) held February 22 – March 3.

A Moya vs. Krickstein and McEnroe vs. Cash doubleheader on Friday, February 22 will kick off the 21st annual ITC, which features the only ATP Champions Tour event in the US and the only one in the world to be played alongside an ATP World Tour event. To celebrate these champions coming to Delray Beach, tournament officials have extended their US Open promotion. From now through Monday, Oct. 8, 11:59 pm, ITC tickets will continue to be available for up to 50% off. To purchase tickets call 561-330-6000, order online at www.YellowTennisBall.com or in-person at Walmart’s Ticketmaster outlets or the Delray Beach ITC box office (open Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, 561-330-6000, 30 NW 1st Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33444). Complete tournament information is available on the Delray Beach ITC website, www.YellowTennisBall.com.

“Our fans never tire of seeing Johnny Mac,” says tournament director Mark Baron. “He is a magician with a tennis racket in his hands. The amazing skills that you see in him and players like Mats and Pat are the reason people of all ages keep coming back.”

McEnroe and Wilander, each winners of seven Grand Slam singles titles and members of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, are both returning to Delray Beach after playing in the ITC’s first two ATP Champions Tour events. McEnroe was the runner-up to Patrick Rafter in the inaugural tournament in 2009.

Moya (2012) and Philippoussis (2011) won the last two Delray Beach ITC events and are the top two players on a Tour where players are ranked based on points compiled across a global schedule. Moya, the 1998 French Open champion, joined the Tour last year and at one point won seven straight events.

Cash, the 1987 Wimbledon champion, and Krickstein have played in all three ATP Champions Tour events that have been held in Delray Beach. Krickstein, the director of tennis at St. Andrews Country Club in Boca Raton, reached the final in 2011.

Under the new format, the Delray Beach ATP Champions Tour event now includes include eight matches – there are six round-robin matches played in two player groups that lead to a 3rd/4th playoff match and a championship match, both scheduled for Sunday, February 24. The Saturday (Feb. 23) lineup will include the ATP Champions Tour’s current top-ranked players, Moya vs. Philippoussis, and a featured match-up between Hall of Famers McEnroe and Wilander. These legends are forever linked by their 1982 Davis Cup quarterfinal – the longest Davis Cup match in history in which McEnroe outlasted Wilander in five sets over six hours and 32 minutes.

“The players are really excited about the new format,” says Baron, who moved the ITC to Delray Beach 15 years ago. “It helps them give our fans a peak performance every time they take the court.” The ITC’s ATP World Tour event, which holds its qualifying tournament during the ATP Champions

Tour event, has early commitments from world No. 11 John Isner and No. 23 Mardy Fish in its singles draw and the world No. 1 Bryan Brothers as its top-seeded doubles team.

Topics: Cash, Delray Beach International Championships, John Mcenroe, Krickstein, Moya, Philippoussis, Wilander