World Tennis Day Taking Shape In London

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 26th November 2013

Cash and Lendl play tennis in 45 metres of hight

World Tennis Day Taking Shape In London

epa02743308 After a tennis match on the glass roof of the Office and hotel block 'The Squaire' at the airport Frankfurt/Main tennis legend Pat Cash and Ivan Lendl speak to the press in Frankfurt/Main , Germany, 20 May 2011. Till 22 May Pat Cash and Czech-born Ivan Lendl compete at the 'Cup of Legends' at Frankfurt Tennis stadium. EPA/ARNE DEDERT |

Pat Cash and Ivan Lendl

Pat Cash has now been the face of CNN’s Open Court television show for five years but the Australian still keeps himself more than active on the competitive court in seniors’ event. And he will be re-running his 1987 Wimbledon triumph against Ivan Lendl in London, just across the Thames from the All England Club at Earl’s Court as part of the ever growing World Tennis Day early next March.

The 48 year-old long-time London resident will make the short journey from his Chelsea home to face Lendl on Monday, 3 March 2014 in the inaugural London leg of the now established World Tennis Day while events are also taking place in Bangkok, Hong Kong and New York City.

“It’s been a long time since Ivan and I walked onto Centre Court that day but we both still think we can play a mean game of tennis and I guess there’s still a few old scores to settle,” said Cash, who was alongside the ITF’s Executive Vice President Juan Margets, World Tennis Day Showdown organizer Jerry Solomon, Nigel Nathan, the Group Managing Director Earls Court and Ceri Williams, Head of Banking, Capital Markets Exchanges and Insurance for the Financial Times, for the London launch.

“I still remember a few bruising encounters between us on the court and I guess I’m still sore about the way he pulled apart a pair of red tennis shoes, my pride and joy at the time, when I was a new kid on the block back in Monte Carlo almost 30 years ago.

“But I’ve got to say I really respect the work Ivan has done as coach with Murray. He’s the difference between the guy being a very good player and a proven Grand Slam champion. But I don’t think I’ll be telling him that on the day. And he wouldn’t expect me to.”

Lendl, back home in the United States, countered: “Ivan Lendl: “The night at Earls Court should be another great Showdown event. It was great to play in the Showdowns in Hong Kong and New York, and having seen those, I have high ex pectations for this Showdown in London.”

Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi will also reprise their rivalry in the London event, their first meeting in the British capital since the pair contested the 1999 Wimbledon final. The Financial Times will be the presenting sponsor in London and the official publication at the other three venues.

Lendl’s long time agent, Jerry Solomon, the President and CEO of StarGames, Inc., is the guiding light behind the World Tennis Day that was first held as the World Tennis Showdown at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 2008. Last year the New York event became part of World Tennis Day, the same year a second Showdown was added in Hong Kong.

Next year, the New York event will feature a doubles match featuring the Bryan brothers (Mike and Bob) against the McEnroes (John and Patrick) with Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray staging a re-run of this year’s Wimbledon final in singles.

London’s Earls Court has hosted a wide variety of events, and the World Tennis Day Showdown adds to the history of the sports at the venue. Most recently, Earls Court was the home of volleyball during the 2012 Olympic Games. Earls Court hosted boxing, gymnastics, weight lifting and wrestling during the 1948 Olympic Games and over the years has also been the site for several boxing title fights.

Topics: 10sballs, Andre Agassi, Andy Murray, Cnn, Itf, Ivan Lendl, John Mcenroe, Novak Djokovic, Pat Cash, Pete Sampras, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Wimbledon, World Tennis Day