FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 24, 2014

AUSTRALIAN RISING STARS AND TO PLAY AT ODLUM BROWN VANOPEN PRESENTED BY MIELE

Vancouver, BC - Organizers of the Odlum Brown VanOpen Presented By Miele are pleased to announce that Australian players Thanasi Kokkinakis and Jordan Thompson have confirmed their entry into the $200,000 event.

Kokkinakis is a two-time junior singles finalist. As a 17-year-old, he made it to the junior finals of the 2013 US Open and the 2013 . With partner , the Adelaide native won the 2013 Wimbledon Junior Doubles championship. He was awarded a into the main draw at this past January’s Australian Open and made it to the second round by knocking off former World No. 52 . He then faced World No. 1 and top seed and fell in three sets.

Afterwards, Nadal had this to say of his young opponent, “I really think he has fantastic potential, with a great serve and a fantastic forehand. I was very impressed and I wish him all the best for the future."

Kokkinakis won his first ever singles title two weeks ago at the $15,000 Saskatoon Futures event with a victory over South African .

Thompson, a 20-year-old from , is a five-time finalist on the ITF Futures Tour and a two- time winner. In January at the 2014 AAMI Classic, he faced former World No. 7 in the first round and almost caused a huge upset when he served for the match at 5-3 in the third set. Thompson also had two match points on Gasquet's serve in the next game, but lost the final set in a tiebreak. He ended up finishing seventh after upsetting World No. 42 Juan Monaco for his first career win over a top 50 player.

Also, Odlum Brown VanOpen Presented By Miele organizers would like to announce that wild card entry Vera Zvonareva of Russia has withdrawn due to an injury suffered earlier this week.

“I started feeling some pain during a match I was playing in World Team . And it happened pretty quick, the next day I couldn't move my arm, so I had to get another MRI. As a result, I have to take some time off as my shoulder is too inflamed,” explained Zvonareva.

“We are disappointed that Vera is unable to attend this year’s tournament. We were hoping that she would be able to use her play here in Vancouver as a springboard to strong results in the future and a continued stretch of good health,” said Tournament Chairman Floyd Hill. “Unfortunately, injuries are part of the sport and we certainly hope that Vera is feeling a hundred percent soon. We wish her the best as she battles back from injury to reach the heights she did just a few years ago.”

For her part, Zvonareva is also disappointed that she’s unable to make the trip to Vancouver.

“I heard from fellow players that the Odlum Brown VanOpen is a great tournament with great facilities and nice and cozy atmosphere. I was really looking forward to it,” she added. “I visited Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Olympics and have absolutely great memories. I really wanted to come back during the summer time to experience the atmosphere of Vancouver once again.”

Tickets to the Odlum Brown VanOpen Presented By Miele are on sale now, starting as low as $17. Admission is free on Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 27. http://www.vanopen.com https://twitter.com/VanOpen Odlum Brown VanOpen on Facebook https://twitter.com/USTAProCircuit

2014 marks the 13th year of the $200,000 Odlum Brown VanOpen Presented By Miele, a dual sanctioned USTA Pro Circuit and Tennis Canada event. The event has an equal balance of prize money for both men and women and provides players with the opportunity to gain valuable world-ranking points on both the respective ATP and WTA Tours. Between the men’s and women’s events, it annually attracts 140 international and professional players to Vancouver from over 40 countries. Maria Sharapova, , Marion Bartoli, Eugenie Bouchard, Jelena Dokic, , Nicole Vaidisova, and are among today’s top stars who began their careers at the Odlum Brown VanOpen Presented By Miele and on the USTA Pro Circuit.

- 30 -

Floyd Hill Underwriter and Tournament Chair (604) 844-5378 (604) 250-4404 (cell) [email protected]

Ryan Clark Tournament Director (778) 238-7904 [email protected]

Brian Wiebe Tournament Press Aide (604) 916-8448 [email protected]