Djokovic, Sampras, Bryans to play Los Angeles Exhibition

Written by: Staff on 19th January 2013

Djokovic, Sampras, Bryans to play Los Angeles Exhibition

epa03542045 Novak Djokovic of Serbia reaches low for a backhand during his 3rd round match against Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 18 January 2013. EPA/Barbara Walton |

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras, former Top 10 player Mardy Fish and the Bryan Brothers will take part in the inaugural Los Angeles Tennis Challenge at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion on Monday, March 4.

The event is being co-hosted by Fish and former ATP World Tour player and Tennis Channel broadcaster Justin Gimelstob. The star-studded night of exciting exhibition matches falls just days before the start of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Calif.

“I am very excited about playing in Los Angeles for the first time on March 4 at the LA Tennis Challenge,” Djokovic said. “To be playing against my good friend Mardy Fish, and partnering with my childhood tennis idol, Pete Sampras, against the No. 1 doubles team in the world will be an amazing experience. In addition, to be able to help raise valuable funds for so many wonderful charities in the process will certainly make being at the newly refurbished Pauley Pavilion, the place to be.”

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Justin Gimelstob Children’s Fund, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, the Novak Djokovic Foundation, Call to Cure and the Southern California Tennis Association’s community tennis initiatives.

“It’s going to be an unforgettable night of tennis starring some of the biggest names in the game,” said Gimelstob, a former UCLA All-American in the mid-1990s.

Three exhibition pro-set matches will take place beginning at 7 p.m. Djokovic will take on Los Angeles resident Fish in singles followed by a doubles match pitting Djokovic and his childhood idol Sampras against Southern California natives Bob and Mike Bryan. An opening singles match between two marquee players will be announced shortly.

“We are so thankful that a new professional tennis event will be in Los Angeles,” Mike Bryan said. “Los Angeles is home to us and it is vital that competitive and entertaining tennis is accessible here. The LA Tennis Challenge will grow into the premiere tennis event in Los Angeles, and we are proud to support it.”

The longtime men’s ATP stop in LA was sold to a group from Colombia late last year and there are no pro events left in California’s largest city.

The LA Tennis Challenge will be broadcast by Tennis Channel.