NICOLAS MAHUT, MARCOS BAGHDATIS & NICK KYRGIOS TO PLAY HALL OF FAME TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Written by: Staff on 23rd May 2014

NICOLAS MAHUT, MARCOS BAGHDATIS & NICK KYRGIOS TO PLAY HALL OF FAME TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

epa04024242 Nick Kyrgios of Australia in action during his match against Benoit Paire of France in round two of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 16 January 2014. EPA/MARK DADSWELL AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Defending champion Nicolas Mahut, and

Wild Cards Marcos Baghdatis and Nick Kyrgios

to play Hall of Fame Tennis Championships

~ Mahut won both the singles and doubles titles at the tournament last year.~

~ Baghdatis, who has been ranked as high as world No. 8, and Kyrgios, an up and coming Australian player, will be making their first appearances in Newport. ~

~ Tickets for the tournament are on sale now on www.HallofFameTennisChampionships.com ~

Defending champion Nicolas Mahut of France has committed to the player field for the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, R.I., where he captured both the singles and doubles titles last year. In addition, two wild cards have been awarded to Marcos Baghdatis, an exciting player formerly ranked in the world top-10, and Nick Kyrgios of Australia who achieved the world No. 1 ITF Juniors ranking in 2013. The three new entries to the field will join No. 1 American John Isner and Australian great Lleyton Hewitt in the tournament, which will be played at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., July 5 – 13. The tournament, which is held directly after Wimbledon, is the only event played on grass courts in North or South America, and the only ATP World Tour event in New England.

“Tennis season has finally arrived in New England and we are gearing up for a great tournament this summer at the International Tennis Hall of Fame,” commented Tournament Director Mark Stenning. “Nico Mahut was unstoppable in Newport last summer and we are glad to welcome him back as defending champion. Marcos Baghdatis and Nick Kyrgios are exciting players to watch, and we know the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships fans will enjoy seeing them compete.”

Nicolas Mahut won both the singles and doubles titles at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships last year, following an epic couple of days of competition in which inclement weather forced him to play four matches in 24 hours. Mahut entered the Newport tournament last year ranked world No. 127. Since winning in Newport, he has consistently climbed the ATP World Tour rankings and is currently world No. 38, having reached a career high of world No. 37 earlier this month. Mahut’s victory in Newport last year was his second career title, having won his first just weeks prior at the Topshelf Open at s-Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands. With countryman Michael Llodra, Mahut was a finalist at the French Open in doubles last year. Inclusive of his 2013 Newport titles, he has won two singles titles and eight doubles titles.

Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus has been a staple of the ATP World Tour since the early 2000s. He has achieved notable wins against some of the world’s best players including Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, and Andy Murray, and has been involved in many long, exciting matches. He is recognized for the energy that he brings to each match, and for his ability to draw fans in. In 2006, Baghdatis reached a career high of world No. 8 and won his first career title with a victory at the China Open. He has finished the season ranked in the world top-50 six times in the past eight years, and has won four ATP World Tour titles. Baghdatis made his Davis Cup debut for the Cyprus Davis Cup team in 2000 as a 14-year-old. He has been a dedicated and successful player for his country ever since, and has been instrumental in advancing the team from the lowest division of Davis Cup to move up two levels into the Euro/Africa Group II. With 43 straight wins, he is one of the most successful Davis Cup players of all time.

Nineteen-year old Australian Nick Kyrgios had a break through season just about this time last year, and has been going strong ever since. Kyrgios was given a wild card into the 2013 French Open, at which he won his first career ATP level match, defeating then world No. 52 Radek Stepanek in three tiebreak sets. Also last year, Kyrgios won the Australian Open junior title and the Wimbledon junior doubles title. He achieved the world No. 1 ITF Juniors ranking. This season, Krygios won back-to-back Challenger Tour titles in April. Earlier this year he represented Australia in Davis Cup competition. Next week, he is set to play in the French Open again, and has been training with Roger Federer in advance of the tournament. He is currently ranked world No. 161.

Tickets for the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, including access to the International Tennis Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony on July 12, are available now. Hall of Fame Members save $5 on tickets, and enjoy many other benefits throughout tournament week, including access to a Member Lounge, first-in-line status for autographs, and much more. Tickets and membership info is available on HallofFameTennisChampionships.com or by phone at (401) 849-6053

About the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships

Hosted on the historic grass courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships is the only ATP World Tour event played in the Northeast and the only pro tournament played on grass courts in North and South America. The tournament draws 32 top male players to Newport direct from Wimbledon to compete for the Van Alen Cup and more than $450,000 in prize money. The Hall of Fame Tennis Championships is made possible through the support of major sponsors including Rolex, Chubb Personal Insurance, EMC Corporation, Alex and Ani, Carolyn’s Sakonnet Vineyards, and Mich Ultra. The 2014 tournament will be held July 5 – 13, 2014. In addition to exciting pro tennis, a highlight of the week will be the Class of 2014 Enshrinement Ceremony on July 12. For additional information, visit www.HallofFameTennisChampionships.com.

Topics: Atp World Tour, Hall Of Fame, Marcos Baghdatis, Nick Kyrgios, Nicolas Mahut, Tennis, Tennis News

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May 23, 2014 at 9:33 am

NICOLAS MAHUT, MARCOS BAGHDATIS & NICK KYRGIOS TO PLAY HALL OF FAME TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS – http://t.co/NSf4MyCOGE @nmahut @NickKyrgios