Grant Connell © Tennis Canada

Tennis Canada Names Grant Connell Tournament Director, Rogers Cup Toronto

Native Canadian & Former International Tennis Star to Join Rogers Cup Team

October 12, 2005 - Toronto ? Tennis Canada announced today that Grant Connell, a former World No. 1 Doubles player and winner of more than 20 ATP tour events, has accepted the position of Tournament Director, Rogers Cup presented by American Express.

As Tournament Director, Connell will provide leadership for all tour, player, and media relations activities for both the men's and women's Rogers Cup tournaments held in Toronto. Connell will also liaise with the ATP and Sony Ericsson WTA Tours on behalf of Tennis Canada. Tournament ticket sales, marketing, sponsorships and operations will be managed by existing Tennis Canada staff. Grant will report to newly appointed Tennis Canada Chief Operating Officer, Derek Strang.

?Grant Connell's experience as a professional tennis player, and more recently in the world of business, brings significant credibility to the position of Tournament Director for our flagship Toronto event,? said Michael S. Downey, President and CEO, Tennis Canada.

Connell, currently a member of the Tennis Canada Board of Directors, will assume the position immediately, allowing outgoing Tournament Director Stacey Allaster to help with Grant's transition. Stacey begins her assignment as President, Sony Ericsson WTA Tour on January 1, 2006.

?The announcement of Grant Connell as Tournament Director is great news for the Rogers Cup,? said Allaster. ?Grant is a great addition to the strong team that Tennis Canada has assembled over the past several years.?

Connell was ranked as high as World No. 1 in doubles and starred on several Canadian Davis Cup teams. Over a long and successful career Connell captured 22 ATP Tour titles and several Davis Cup victories, was a three-time finalist at Wimbledon and competed in two Olympics. Connell retired in 1997 and was soon inducted in the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame. Grant has also served as Executive Director for Tennis B.C.

?My goal is to complement the outstanding work already being done by the team at Tennis Canada,? said Connell. ?I'm excited about offering the Rogers Cup team a player's perspective. Professional tournaments are the engines that fuel tennis development, so I look forward to using this position to make an impact on tennis at every level.?

About Tennis Canada
Founded in 1890, Tennis Canada is a non-profit, national sport association responsible for the development of tennis across the country. It is one of the oldest national sport associations in Canada. Tennis Canada owns and operates two of the premier events on the ATP and WTA Tour, Rogers Cup men's and women's events that rotate annually between Rexall Centre and Uniprix Stadium in Toronto and Montreal. Tennis Canada is a member of the International Tennis Federation, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and the International Wheelchair Tennis Association, and serves to administer, sponsor and select the teams for Davis Cup, Fed Cup, the Olympic Games and all wheelchair, junior and senior national teams. Fore more information, visit Tennis Canada's official website at www.tenniscanada.com

MORE NEWS +