TENNIS NEWS FLASH FROM RIVER OAKS – STEVIE JOHNSON, SAM QUERREY, MARCOS BAGHDATIS ENTER EVENT, A GREAT KIDS DAY IS PLANNED, IT’S FREE, SIGN UP!

Written by: Staff on 1st February 2016

TENNIS NEWS FLASH FROM RIVER OAKS - STEVIE JOHNSON, SAM QUERREY, MARCOS BAGHDATIS ENTER EVENT, A GREAT KIDS DAY IS PLANNED, IT'S FREE, SIGN UP!

epa05119892 Steve Johnson of the USA returns the ball to David Ferrer of Spain during their third round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 23 January 2016. EPA/TRACEY NEARMY AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Querrey, Johnson & Baghdatis Added to Field For April Event at River Oaks

Kids Day Registration Now Open

Three more stars of the ATP World Tour have made commitments to participate in the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship at River Oaks Country Club.

Sam Querrey, the 2015 runner-up, Steve Johnson and Marcos Baghdatis will join a singles field that already includes John Isner, Feliciano Lopez, Kevin Anderson and Benoit Paire. Twin brothers Bob and Mike Bryan, five-time tournament champions, have already committed in doubles.

The 2016 tournament will be held April 4-10, but the festivities will begin with a Kids Day event on Saturday, April 2, featuring an interactive tennis experience for youth ages 5-10. Registration for Kids Day opens on Monday, Feb. 1.

“We held our first Kids Day in 2015, and it was a great success,” said Tournament Director Bronwyn Greer. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for young tennis players to get some hands-on experience while also getting a chance to get a close up look at these ATP stars as they prepare for the tournament.”

The Kids Day event will be held prior to the first round of qualifying. Many of the players who have already committed to the tournament will also be on the grounds practicing on that day.

Sam Querrey of the US hits a return shot to John Isner of the US during their first round match at the Western & Southern Open at the Linder Family Tennis Center in Mason, near Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 18 August 2015. EPA/TANNEN MAURY

Querrey returns to River Oaks where he has twice reached the final – in 2015, losing to Jack Sock, and 2010, losing to Juan Ignacio Chela. He owns 11 career wins in the tournament at River Oaks, tying him with Isner for the most among active players. The Southern California resident has reached 14 career ATP finals, 10 of which have been in the U.S.

Johnson is a former collegiate standout who won back-to-back NCAA singles championships while leading the University of Southern California to four straight team titles. Johnson, who reached his first career ATP final last fall at Vienna, has improved his ranking by 125 positions in the past two seasons.

Baghdatis is a former Australian Open finalist who enjoyed a resurgence in 2015 and returned to the Top 50 of the Emirates ATP Rankings. The native of Cyprus enters this season on the verge of history in Davis Cup play, where his 32-match winning streak is one shy of the record set by Bjorn Borg.

The initial entry list of 19 players will be released in late February. A combination of qualifiers, wild cards and special exempts will be used to fill out the 28-player field.

Tickets for individual sessions as well as the Champs Pass, which includes tickets to the final three days of the tournament, are on sale now. More information can be found at www.usmensclaycourt.com.

Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship at River Oaks Country Club

River Oaks Country Club will be hosting a professional tournament for the 82nd time when the 2016 Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship is held April 4-10. River Oaks first hosted its own tournament, The River Oaks International, in 1931, and its roster of former champions includes Jack Kramer, Tony Trabert, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Ken Rosewall, Ivan Lendl, Guillermo Vilas and James Blake. Houston is the 23rd city to host the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. The tournament came to Houston in 2001, and has been hosted at River Oaks since 2008. Started in 1910 by the USTA, the 2016 tournament will be the 106th competition for the Clay Court Championship. More information is available at www.usmensclaycourt.com