flipfanatic
Head Administrator
Global user (premium)
Registered: 02-2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 1289
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
 Mark to play Pro Challenger Event in Tunica (Mississipi) - May 5-14
Pro Challenger Event
Fish to play in Harrah's
By Phil Stukenborg
Contact
April 19, 2006
A year ago it was James Blake who used a tournament victory at the $50,000 Harrah's Entertainment Pro Challenger in Tunica to re-start his tennis career.
Perhaps Mardy Fish, Blake's longtime doubles partner, will follow the same blueprint to resurrect his.
Fish, a silver medalist at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, is among those entered in next month's Pro Challenger, which will be held at Tunica National Golf & Tennis Club for the second straight year. The official player acceptance list for the May 8-13 event was released Tuesday.
Joining Fish in the 32-player field are Justin Gimelstob, winner of 13 ATP Tour doubles titles; Australian Mark Philippoussis, a former top 10 player and winner of 10 ATP Tour events; former NCAA champion Amer Delic and former Southeastern Conference standouts Bobby Reynolds (Vanderbilt) and Jesse Witten (Kentucky).
"We've got some good names again," said tournament director Keith Evans, who attended Germantown High and Ole Miss and is a former ATP Tour player.
Philippoussis, who has reached the finals of the U.S. Open and Wimbledon, was scheduled to play in last year's Pro Challenger, but withdrew.
Blake began a gradual climb in the world rankings after winning last year's Pro Challenger, a minor USTA professional event played on Tunica National's indoor clay courts. Ranked in the low 200s when he entered the Tunica event, Blake began an ascent that has landed him in the top 10 for the first time in his career. He is ranked a career-high No. 7 this week.
Fish, 24, has gotten a bit of a head start as he attempts a similar run in 2006. Two weeks ago he won a Pro Challenger event in Tallahassee. Last week he won his second career ATP Tour title, beating Jurgen Melzer for the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships in Houston.
The Houston win advanced Fish, a former top 20 player, from 212 to 121 in the world rankings. If the top-ranked players don't pull out, Gimelstob (97th in the world) would be the top seed, followed by Bobby Reynolds (115th) and Fish.
Evans said once a player has entered a Challenger-level tournament, he isn't allowed to withdraw unless he is injured or receives a wild card into an ATP Tour event.
Blake beat Brian Baker in straight sets to win last year's title and followed with a win at a Challenger event in Forest Hills, N.Y. In late summer, he reached the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open, his best Grand Slam result.
"He won in Tunica, then he went to Forest Hills and won there and those wins jump-started him," Evans said. "Now he's top 10 in the world."
Note: Evans said the tournament is seeking ball boys (and girls) for the event. Those interested should call Evans at (662) 357-0777
___________________________________________
GO MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
Val
Last edited by flipfanatic, 19/Apr/06, 21:21
---
“It’s in my heart to give it one more go” - Mark
|
|
19/Apr/06, 21:18
|
Link to this post
|
Jill b
Administrator
Global user
Registered: 02-2006
Posts: 934
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Mark to play Pro Challenger Event in Tunica (Mississipi) - May 5-14
wow great news val!
Mark is definately making some good decisions with his schedule. He needs to play as much as he can before the grass season.
GO MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
|
19/Apr/06, 21:37
|
Link to this post
Send Email to Jill b
Send PM to Jill b
|
JTP
Registered user
Global user
Registered: 03-2006
Posts: 16
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
 Re: Mark to play Pro Challenger Event in Tunica (Mississipi) - May 5-14
I hope Mark can make it this year. Since I should be in town, I will try to make it down there for a match or two. It will be good to see Mark on court again.
|
|
20/Apr/06, 9:20
|
Link to this post
Send Email to JTP
Send PM to JTP
|
Nina44
Registered user
Global user
Registered: 04-2006
Posts: 51
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Mark to play Pro Challenger Event in Tunica (Mississipi) - May 5-14
Good luck MARK !!!
|
|
28/Apr/06, 23:51
|
Link to this post
Send Email to Nina44
Send PM to Nina44
|
dbc
Registered user
Global user
Registered: 02-2006
Posts: 104
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Mark to play Pro Challenger Event in Tunica (Mississipi) - May 5-14
Hope this means he's over the injury he got a couple of weeks back.
Best of luck to him & hope he makes it to the last 4 at least.
|
|
2/May/06, 7:09
|
Link to this post
Send Email to dbc
Send PM to dbc
|
Jill b
Administrator
Global user
Registered: 02-2006
Posts: 934
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Mark to play Pro Challenger Event in Tunica (Mississipi) - May 5-14
HARRAH'S TOURNEY
Americans Mardy Fish and Justin Gimelstob and Australian Mark Philippoussis, a 2003 Wimbledon finalist, highlight the field for the Harrah's Entertainment $50,000 Pro Tennis Challenger that starts with Saturday's qualifying round at the Tunica National Golf and Tennis Club.
Gimelstob is ranked No. 97 and is expected to be the No. 1 seed when the main draw begins Monday.
James Blake, the 2005 Harrah's winner, used the indoor clay tournament as a springboard to a successful comeback season, reaching the second round of the French Open and the quarters of the U.S. Open.
"This field is probably even better than last year," said Tunica National tennis pro Keith Evans. "It's the only men's tournament in the United States that is going on this week. It's indoor on clay and two weeks before the French Open, so we get a lot of those good players because that don't want to go to Europe this week and have to stay for three straight weeks. It's a great time of the year for us."
|
|
3/May/06, 22:49
|
Link to this post
Send Email to Jill b
Send PM to Jill b
|
dbc
Registered user
Global user
Registered: 02-2006
Posts: 104
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Mark to play Pro Challenger Event in Tunica (Mississipi) - May 5-14
Gimelstob is playing in Europe this week, so I'm surprised to read he'll be back in the States next week.Would have thought he'd be in Rome, but obviously not.
Really hope Mark doesn't draw one of the top players in the 1st round at least.
|
|
4/May/06, 21:42
|
Link to this post
Send Email to dbc
Send PM to dbc
|
anne2u
Moderator
Global user
Registered: 02-2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 251
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Mark to play Pro Challenger Event in Tunica (Mississipi) - May 5-14
Fingers crossed for a good draw for Mark and a fair go at the tourny.
Go Mark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anne.
|
|
4/May/06, 22:58
|
Link to this post
Send Email to anne2u
Send PM to anne2u
|
Jill b
Administrator
Global user
Registered: 02-2006
Posts: 934
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Mark to play Pro Challenger Event in Tunica (Mississipi) - May 5-14
Its been posted on the menstennis forum mark is out of the tunica challenger... i hope this isnt true, but Fee usually has the correct info 
I was really hoping mark would be fit to compete next week... ++++++++++++++++++mark+++++++++++++++++
|
|
5/May/06, 14:20
|
Link to this post
Send Email to Jill b
Send PM to Jill b
|
flipfanatic
Head Administrator
Global user (premium)
Registered: 02-2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 1289
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Mark to play Pro Challenger Event in Tunica (Mississipi) - May 5-14
I don't want Mark to come back too soon, so whatever is best but I hope he ok too!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Val
---
“It’s in my heart to give it one more go” - Mark
|
|
6/May/06, 8:09
|
Link to this post
|
