Two "firsts" mark this year's Pilot Pen International Tennis Tournament: It is the first year number one-ranked Pete Sampras will make an appearance in New Haven, and it's the first year women's tennis will be part of the Pilot Pen competition.
The world-class men's and women's competition will be held at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, 45 Yale Ave., Aug. 15-29. Coinciding with the tournament will be the New Haven Advocate Summertime Street Festival, which takes place on Chapel Street Aug. 20-23. Yale is a sponsor of both the tournament and the festival. In prior years the events have attracted thousands to the Elm City.
The tennis tournament consists of the Pilot Pen International Men's Championships, an ATP Tour Championship Series event, and the Pilot Pen International Women's Championships, a USTA event. Top-ranked athletes will compete for a combined purse of $1.32 million.
Sampras, who has earned over $30 million during the course of his career, has been ranked number one for five consecutive years. The 26-year-old has won 50 tournaments, more than anyone else this decade. He holds
11 Grand Slam titles, just one short of the record 12 held by Roy Emerson.
Other Pilot Pen tournament contenders include Jim Courier, Petr Korda, Patrick Rafter, Malivai Washington and defending title-holder Yevgeny Kafelnikov. The men's event consists of a 56-player singles draw and 28 doubles teams. The main draw will be held Aug. 17-23; qualifying rounds will take place Aug. 15 and 16.
Women's event. The women's event features a 32-player singles draw and 16 doubles teams. The main draw will be held Aug. 24-29, with qualifying rounds Aug. 22 and 23. Competitors include current champion Lindsay Davenport, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Dominique Van Roost, Anna Kournikova and Anke Huber.
Formerly known as the U.S. Women's Hardcourt Championships, the women's event is now being played under the Pilot Pen banner.
"We are very proud of this USTA national championship and our role in promoting women's tennis," says Harry Marmion, USTA president. "We are enthusiastic about the support this tournament is receiving from the State of Connecticut and the City of New Haven."
Pilot Pen International Tennis chair Butch Buchholz adds: "I believe the region will embrace a women's tournament in New Haven, and we are honored that the USTA has selected us to stage this important event."
Men's and women's finals will be broadcast live on CBS Sports 1-3 p.m. Aug. 23 and 29, respectively. Early round matches will be televised on ESPN and ESPN2. Other, foreign-based networks will televise the tournament to points around the globe, including Australia, Japan, South Africa, Argentina, France, the Middle East, Switzerland and Russia.
AYA-sponsored programs. As in previous years, the Association of Yale Alumni (AYA) is offering box seats to Yale affiliates. Several options are available for both individuals and departments. Option 1 (Monday and Tuesday) is $75; Option 2 (Wednesday and Thursday), $175; Option 3 (finals weekend -- Friday, Saturday and Sunday), $375; and Option 4 (full tournament), $625. A hospitality tent will be available exclusively to program participants. Located on the grounds of the tennis center and open throughout the day, the air-conditioned tent offers closed-circuit viewing of matches in progress and full bar service. The AYA also will offer a singular tennis clinic. Checks should be made payable to the Association of Yale Alumni and should be mailed to P.O. Box 209010, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-9010. For more information about the AYA program, call Paul Mester at 432-1936 or Sheila Cook at 432-1939.
Individual and box seats also may be reserved by calling 776-7331 or toll free 1-888-99-PILOT.
Street festival. During the New Haven Advocate Summertime Street Festival, Thursday-Sunday,
Aug. 20-23, Chapel Street between College and Park streets will be closed to motor traffic. Activities will take place 5-11 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2-10 p.m. on Sunday. Featured each day will be locally based musicians, dancers, comedians, street performers and other artists, as well as food vendors. The eight winners of the "Grand Band Slam," the New Haven Advocate's music readers' poll, will perform on three stages Friday evening beginning at 7 p.m. Sunday has been designated "Family Day." A new attraction this year is "Big Giant Games," also on Sunday.
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