Field Features Four Of Top Eight Ranked Players In The World; Two-Time Defending Champion Caroline Wozniacki To Play On Tuesday Night
French Open finalist and World No. 5 Samantha Stosur has been granted a wildcard into Pilot Pen Tennis at Yale, an Olympus US Open Series event on the ATP World Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, to be held August 20-28 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, it was announced today by Anne Worcester, tournament director.
The Australian star is having the best year of her career in singles, winning a title at Charleston, reaching the finals of the French Open and at Stuttgart and reaching the semifinals of three other events. She has climbed to a career high ranking of No. 5 in singles, but she has previously been the World No. 1 ranked doubles player. Earlier in her career Stosur and American Lisa Raymond captured numerous doubles titles, including two Grand Slams at the US and French Opens. After a viral illness cost her part of the 2007 and 2008 seasons, she came back to the Tour with a renewed focus on her singles game. In 2009 she rose into the top 20 of the world rankings by reaching the semifinals of the French Open and capturing her first tour title in Osaka, Japan. This will be her sixth trip to New Haven, with her best results coming in 2005 when she won the doubles title (w/ Raymond) and in 2006 when she reached the semifinals in singles.
“Adding Samantha Stosur to the women’s player field gives the Pilot Pen four of the top eight women in the world, with one remaining women’s wildcard yet to award,” said Worcester. “Sam’s story is quite interesting as she was essentially a doubles specialist, then suddenly found her singles game and rocketed up in the rankings. Fans will love her very stylish game and her phenomenal athleticism. A Grand Slam victory could be in her near future.”
In addition, two-time defending Pilot Pen champion and World No. 3 Caroline Wozniacki will make her 2010 tournament debut during the night session on Tuesday, August 24. In attendance will be the entire Yale football team and Coach Williams cheering her on. Last year Wozniacki visited one of their practices during a rain delay and this year the team is returning the favor by coming to her first match. The team will also be honored by the tournament during the match.
The Pilot Pen still has three men’s and one women’s main draw wildcards to distribute and there are four spots in both main draws for advancing qualifiers.
For tickets, how to become a volunteer, or more information about the tournament, please call the Pilot Pen Tennis Box Office, 888/99-PILOT, 203/776-7331, or log on to www.pilotpentennis.com.
About Pilot Pen Tennis at Yale
Pilot Pen Tennis at Yale, an Olympus US Open Series event on the ATP World Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, will be held August 20-28, 2010 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale and feature a number of international tennis stars. The 2009 Pilot Pen, whose champions are Caroline Wozniacki and Fernando Verdasco, drew nearly 80,000 spectators and was televised nationally for 16 hours on ESPN2 and CBS Sports. An economic impact study conducted in 2008 showed that the event generated an estimated total gross economic impact on the New Haven regional economy of more than $26 million.
About the Olympus US Open Series
The Olympus US Open Series brings together the 10 summer tournaments in North America, three television networks, tennis’ sanctioning bodies and top corporate sponsors during the summer tennis season. In 2009 the Series continued its enhancements to the sport, including more national TV hours, live back-to-back Finals every weekend, bonus prize money at the US Open, and a significant national marketing campaign.
Submitted by Pilot Pen Tennis
