Del Potro, Hewitt, Nishikori, Baghdatis Commit to 2013 AAMI Classic

Written by: Resendiz on 25th October 2012

Del Potro, Hewitt, Nishikori, Baghdatis Commit to 2013 AAMI Classic

epa03424198 Kei Nishikori of Japan in action against Milos Raonic of Canada during the final of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships tournament in Tokyo Japan, 07 October 2012. Nishikori won the final 7-6. 3-6, 6-0. EPA/TOMOYUKI KAYA |

(Original Story: http://aamiclassic.com.au/news.php)

Next January, the Kooyong tennis event now known as the AAMI Classic celebrates its 25th Anniversary. Tournament Director, Colin Stubs, today announced the first four of his eight-man field:

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO (ARG – ranked 7) – 2009 US Open winner

LLEYTON HEWITT (AUS – 83) – former World No. 1 and 2011 AAMI Classic winner

KEI NISHIKORI (JPN – 19) – recent Japan Open winner

MARCOS BAGHDATIS (CYP – 33) – 2006 Australian Open finalist.

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO (or DelPo as he is known) has a career high ranking of 4 and 11 titles to his name, two achieved earlier this year in Estoril and Marseille. He also won Olympic Bronze in London and was a finalist in Rotterdam, semi-finalist in Dubai, Cincinnati Masters, Madrid Masters and quarter-finalist in Sydney and Indian Wells Masters, as well as Australian, French and US Opens. The 24 year old is no stranger to adversity, having returned from a right wrist operation in May 2010 to win the ATP “Comeback Player of the Year” award in 2011, when he rose from a ranking of 485 to 11. That grit and determination saw him break back into the top ten again in May this year

LLEYTON HEWITT returns to Kooyong after winning the event in 2011. The father of 3 won his first tournament in 1998 in home-town Adelaide and went on to amass 28 career titles, including Wimbledon and the US Open. This year he got to the final in Newport, losing to American No. 1 John Isner. He is feared, fearless and thought to be one of the greatest competitors the sport has ever seen. His Australian Davis Cup performances are legendary.

KEI NISHIKORI, who at 22 is the highest-ranked Japanese male in the Open era, reached a best ever ranking of 15 earlier this month when he clinched his second title by winning his home event in Tokyo. He made the semis in Kuala Lumpur and quarters at the Australian Open, Newport, Barcelona, Buenos Aires and the London Olympics this year.

MARCOS BAGHDATIS, Australia’s favourite Cypriot, obviously enjoys his Kooyong preparation as he is returning for the fourth time. The 27 year old, who recently married WTA player, Karolina Sprem, won Australian hearts when he unexpectedly reached the 2006 Australian Open final. He has had a recent surge of form, having got to the semi-finals in Tokyo, where he lost to eventual winner Nishikori. He showed great fighting spirit to make the third round in Shanghai last week, after a sensational three set tie-break win over Canadian Milos Raonic in the second round. Other 2012 results include semi-finals in Sydney, Zagreb and Tokyo, as well as quarter-finals in Brisbane and Munich.

Tournament Director Colin Stubs is pleased with his first four signings:

“We are delighted with our player commitments thus far and look forward to celebrating our 25th Anniversary by staging a sensational event, jam-packed with great tennis, great entertainment and initiatives such as ‘Kids Day’ on the Friday” he said.

More announcements will be made shortly regarding player signings and movements.

Topics: Aami Classic, Juan Martin Del Potro, Kei Nishikori, Lleyton Hewitt, Marcos Baghdatis, Sports, t, Tennis