Anna Kournikova - Getty Images

The Legends are Coming

August 11, 2007 - What better way to kick off one of the world’s most illustrious tennis tournaments than to welcome four of the greatest players the sport has ever seen to the Rexall Centre.

John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Anna Kournikova and Carling Bassett-Seguso will take Toronto by storm on Monday August 13 for Tennis Legends presented by Acura in an exhibition that is sure to make for a memorable Opening Night at the Rogers Cup
presented by American Express. The evening’s festivities will feature a one-on-one competitive match between McEnroe and Courier as well as a mixed doubles match including all four participants. Players will be wearing microphones on court to provide fans with a unique, up-close and personal tennis experience. The Legends will also attend meet-and-greet parties and will take part in Pro-Am competitions throughout the afternoon.

Throughout his illustrious and well-documented career, McEnroe captured 17 Grand Slam titles, five Davis Cup championships and finished as the No. 1 player on the ATP Tour four different times, becoming the youngest man to ever achieve a No. 1 ranking. In total, he amassed 155 career titles which included four victories in Canada (two singles, two doubles). McEnroe played north of the border 16 consecutive times (1977-92).

Courier dominated tennis in the 1990’s, highlighted by his first Grand Slam in 1991 when he defeated Andre Agassi in the first all-American final at Roland Garros since 1954. Courier went on to claim a total of four Grand Slam titles, was a member of two Davis Cup winning teams and was named ATP Tour player of the year in 1992. Courier was recognized for his outstanding career in 2005 when he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

“I’m excited to come back to Toronto for the Tennis Legends presented by Acura,” said Courier. “John, Anna, Carling and I will bring a different brand of tennis to the Rogers Cup presented by American Express. We always have fun with these types of exhibitions. This will not be your typical tennis match.”

Kournikova, arguably the most talked about female athlete of all time, Kournikova was labeled a tennis prodigy when she began playing in junior tournaments at age 8, but the blonde bombshell quickly became more famous for her off-court celebrity status and for being a media magnet than for her athletic abilities. The Russian retired from professional tennis in 2003 as the result of various nagging injuries that prevented her from playing at the highest level. Once the top-ranked doubles player in the world, Kournikova has two Grand Slam doubles titles to her credit winning the Australian Open in 1999 and 2002 with Martina Hingis. She also made her mark in singles, peaking at No. 8 on the rankings. In 1997, Kournikova became the second player in the Open Era after Chris Evert to reach the semifinals in her Wimbledon debut.

I’m really looking forward to playing in Tennis Legends,” Kournikova expressed. “We always have so much fun and I always love coming back to Canada, especially Toronto. It’s such a modern and urban city.”

Perhaps the most successful female tennis player in Canadian history, Bassett-Seguso remains the highest ranked female Canadian all time in professional tennis when she skyrocketed to No. 8 during the 1985 season. She was named WTA Most Impressive Newcomer in 1983, the same season she advanced to the quarter-final of the Australian Open and claimed her first top-level title in Pennsylvania. Always a feisty opponent, Bassett-Seguso extended Chris Evert to 7-5 in the third set of the 1983 tour championship, advanced to the quarter-final of the 1984 French Open and the semifinal of the U.S. Open in the same year, again falling to Evert. ‘Darling Carling’ was named Canada’s Female Athlete of the Year twice (1983, 1985) and entered the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 as the first female tennis player inducted.

The Legends are sure to set off a few fireworks with their worldly fame and considerable tennis talents. With a pair of former No. 1’s, a Russian superstar, and a homegrown legend in the mix, fans will certainly be treated to plenty of sights and sounds as Tennis Legends action gets underway on Monday night.

MORE NEWS +