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TOURNAMENT NOTES

as of January 21, 2015

THE ROYAL LAHAINA CHALLENGER MAUI, HAWAII • JANUARY 25 – FEBRUARY 1

USTA PRO CIRCUIT RETURNS TO MAUI AS FIRST CHALLENGER OF 2015 TOURNAMENT INFORMATION The Royal Lahaina Challenger brings the USTA Pro Circuit to Maui for the third

Site: The Royal Lahaina Resort – Maui, Hawaii consecutive year. Maui hosted an event USTA from 1984 to 1987 and in 1993 and 2006. Websites: www.royallahainachallenger.com Honolulu hosted a USTA Pro Circuit men’s procircuit.usta.com Challenger from 2003 to 2012. It is the Facebook: 2015 Royal Lahaina Challenger only USTA Pro Circuit event held in Hawaii, and it is the first $50,000 Challenger of the Twitter: @RLChallenger 2015 season. Qualifying Draw Begins: Sunday, Jan. 25 This tournament will be streamed live on Main Draw Begins: Tuesday, Jan. 27 www.procircuit.usta.com. Main Draw: 32 Singles / 16 Doubles Notable players competing in the main draw Surface: Hard / Outdoor include: Prize Money: $50,000 Maui’s defending singles champion Bradley Tournament Director: Klahn, who peaked at No. 63 in the world Ron Romano, (808) 277-0089 last March after winning in Maui, as well [email protected] as in a Challenger in following the Maui’s defending singles champion Bradley Tournament Press Contact: . Klahn earned a main draw Klahn peaked at No. 63 in the world last March Ryan Trujillo, (808) 585-9525 into the 2013 US Open based on and has played in each of the four events. Klahn also won the 2010 NCAA men’s [email protected] his summer hard-court results on the USTA Pro Circuit, which included a victory at the singles title for Stanford University. USTA Communications Contact: $100,000 Challenger in Aptos, Calif., and a Amanda Korba, (914) 697-2219, [email protected] runner-up finish at the $50,000 Challenger collegiate All-American in 2010, 2011 and in Binghamton, N.Y. He also competed in PRIZE MONEY / POINTS 2012. Following his pro debut in 2012, he the US Open main draw in 2014. Klahn received a wild card into qualifying at the Prize Money Ranking Points SINGLES: won the 2010 NCAA men’s singles title 2012 US Open and subsequently won three Winner $7,200 80 for Stanford University, and he was a matches to advance to the main draw, where Runner-up $4,240 48 he upset Top 50 player Jurgen Melzer in Semifinalist $2,510 29 the first round. In doing so, Klahn became Quarterfinalist $1,460 15 the first men’s qualifying wild card to win Round of 16 $860 7 a round at the US Open. In 2013, he led Round of 32 $520 -- the USTA Pro Circuit in prize money after reaching five USTA Pro Circuit singles finals DOUBLES: Prize Money (per team) and winning two singles titles. In the off-

Winner $3,100 Patrick Scala/Getty Images season, Klahn trained with the USTA Player Runner-up $1,800 Development program at the USTA Training Semifinalist $1,080 Center in Boca Raton, Fla. Quarterfinalist $640 Round of 16 $360 Maui’s defending doubles champion , who competed in the Australian Open main draw for the third time in the last four years in 2015, after clinching the USTA Pro Circuit Australian Open Wild Card Challenge last fall. Kudla lost to No. 12 seed Feliciano

Maui’s defending doubles champion Denis Kudla comes to Maui after competing in the Australian Open main draw for the third time in the last four years, having clinched the USTA Pro Circuit Australian Open Wild Card Challenge last fall.

*Player field subject to change TOURNAMENT NOTES

Lopez in the first round in a five-set match that lasted nearly three- champion and No. 5 seed Juan Martin del Potro in the opening and-a-half hours. Kudla earned the wild-card round. In 2014, Williams qualified for and reached the quarterfinals berth by reaching the semifinals of the $50,000 Challenger in of the ATP event in Delray Beach, Fla., losing to , in Charlottesville, Va., and the quarterfinals of Challengers in Knoxville, his best result of the year. Williams won three matches to qualify Tenn., and Champaign, Ill. Kudla also qualified for the main draw of for the main draw of the 2012 US Open for his first Grand Slam the Australian Open in 2012 and 2014. He broke into the Top 100 appearance and, in the process, became one of just 13 qualifying in 2013 after advancing to the second round of Wimbledon—his wild cards to reach the main draw in recorded US Open history. first Grand Slam win. Also in 2013, Kudla qualified for the French At the 2012 US Open, he faced prior to Roddick’s Open, reached the second round of the US Open and advanced to retirement announcement. In addition, Williams earned a wild card the quarterfinals of the ATP Wimbledon warm-up event at Queens into the main draw by winning the USTA Club—his best ATP result. In 2014, he qualified for the Australian Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs, and he qualified for the 2013 Open and won his opening-round match at Wimbledon (before losing . Also in 2013, he reached the semifinals at the ATP to in the second round). Kudla holds six USTA Pro clay-court event in Houston for his best ATP result. Williams turned Circuit singles titles and four doubles titles. He was ranked No. 3 in pro in 2011 following his sophomore year at the University of the world junior rankings and reached the boys’ singles final at the Tennessee, where he reached the singles final at the 2011 NCAA 2010 US Open, where he lost to in three sets. Kudla was Championships. He comes from a family: His grandfather away from the game from mid-July 2014 to late September due to is Mike DePalmer Sr., a co-founder of the Tennis mononucleosis. He was born in the Ukraine and came to the U.S. Academy, and his mother, Michelle DePalmer-Williams, is a former with his parents on his first birthday. Kudla trains with the USTA pro and 16s champion. Williams is coached by his Player Development program and did his off-season training with cousin, Christopher Williams. fellow pros , and at the USTA Training Center – West in Carson, Calif. , who peaked at No. 158 in the world last August after a strong summer, during which he competed on the USTA Pro , who earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team for the Circuit and overseas, reaching the singles semifinals or better at 2012 Games in London and has been a member of the U.S. Davis five events and qualifying for the Emirates Airline US Open Series Cup team. He also has enjoyed success on the ATP World Tour, event in Cincinnati. Buchanan also won three ITF Circuit events last reaching three semifinals in 2012 to peak at No. 43 in the world. fall—one in Ecuador and two in Bolivia. As a college player for Ohio (At the time, he and of Australia were the only players State University, Buchanan won the NCAA doubles championship aged 20 or younger in the Top 100.) In 2013, Harrison reached the in 2012 with Blaz Rola, earning a wild card into the main draw of semifinals of the Emirates Airline US Open Series event in Atlanta, the US Open men’s doubles event that year. In singles, Buchanan advanced to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open tune-up event reached the final of the 2009 junior US Open. He also earned a wild in Sydney and reached the second round of the Australian Open card into the men’s singles main draw of that year’s US Open—his and the French Open (losing to John Isner in five sets in Paris). In only Grand Slam main-draw appearance—as the USTA Boys’ 18s 2014, Harrison reached the second round at the ATP Master Series champion, losing in the first round to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Buchanan events in Indian Wells and Miami, and he competed in the main has won three USTA Pro Circuit singles titles in his career. He draw at three of the four Grand Slam tournaments (the US Open, competed Australian Open qualifying this year for the first time, the Australian Open and, as a qualifier, Wimbledon). He has played reaching the final round. He has been training at the USTA Training in the US Open main draw each of the last five years. In 2010, he Center – West at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., working with qualified and upset No. 15 seed Ivan Ljubicic in the opening round, USTA collegiate coach Stephen Amritraj. and in 2012, he also advanced to the second round, losing to US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro. , who made his Grand Slam tournament debut after receiving a wild card into the 2014 US Open, where he faced 2006 singles champion , who comes to Maui after eventual quarterfinalist Gael Monfils in the first round. Donaldson qualifying for the Australian Open, where he lost in the first round won back-to-back USTA Pro Circuit singles titles at $15,000 Futures to No. 20 seed . Russell is the men’s all-time leader in events in Tulsa, Okla., and Oklahoma City last summer—the first USTA Pro Circuit singles titles with 24, winning his most recent title USTA Pro Circuit singles titles of his career. For the first half of at the end of 2013 at the $75,000 Challenger in Charlottesville, Va. 2014, he competed overseas in ITF Circuit events in Turkey, where With his victory in Charlottesville, Russell became the oldest USTA he won his first singles title and reached one additional final and two Pro Circuit singles champion at the age of 35 years, 6 months and 2 semifinals. As a junior player, Donaldson has competed in the days. Russell upset then-No. 9 en route to the semifinals US Open boys’ event, and he represented the in Junior of the ATP World Tour event in Houston in April 2012 and, in (16 and under). He is coached by former Top 30 player summer 2013, he reached the semifinals of the ATP grass-court and has trained with in Dubai. event in Newport, R.I.—his career-best ATP results. He also reached the semifinals of the ATP event in Memphis in 2014 as a qualifier, , who completed his college tennis career in 2013 losing to eventual champion Kei Nishikori, and has consistently at the University of Virginia, where he nearly won the NCAA “triple competed in all four Grand Slam events. In 2001, Russell achieved crown” that year. He led the Cavaliers to the NCAA team title— his best Grand Slam tournament result by reaching the fourth round Virginia’s first ever—won the NCAA doubles championship with of the French Open, where he held a match point aganist defending teammate Mac Styslinger and also reached the NCAA singles final. and eventual champion before bowing in five sets. Jenkins was named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s National Player of the Year for 2013 and ended the season as college tennis’ , who qualified for the main draw of the 2014 No. 1-ranked singles player. Also in 2013, he reached the final Australian Open and took the first set off of 2009 US Open round of qualifying at the 2013 US Open and won his first career

*Player field subject to change TOURNAMENT NOTES

USTA Pro Circuit title at the $10,000 Futures in Rochester, N.Y. In Challenge, which awards a US Open wild card based on USTA Pro September 2014, Jenkins won the second USTA Pro Circuit singles Circuit results. He earned the wild-card berth by reaching the final title of his career at the $10,000 Futures in Costa Mesa, Calif. He of the $50,000 Challenger in Binghamton, N.Y., and the semifinals then competed in Australia for the remainder of the year, where he of the $50,000 Challenger in Lexington, Ky. Odesnik has won 10 won three ITF Circuit singles crowns and two doubles titles, to break USTA Pro Circuit singles titles thus far in his career. Prior to his into the Top 200 for the first time in his career. Jenkins is one of nine suspension, he reached the third round at the children, several of whom are adopted from various backgrounds. His and was a finalist at the ATP event in Houston in 2009. He has family was even featured once on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Several competed in the US Open main draw on six occasions, reaching the of Jenkins’ siblings have played tennis competitively, and two of his second round in 2007 and 2008. brothers, Jackie Jr. (Northwestern) and Jermaine (Clemson), played NCAA Division I college tennis. He did his off-season training at the , 16, who is the No. 2-ranked junior in the world. USTA Training Center in Boca Raton, Fla. Kozlov reached the junior boys’ final at both Wimbledon and the Australian Open in 2014, as well as the quarterfinals at the US Open , who in 2011 became the first American since and French Open juniors. In the Wimbledon final, he fell to 2014 John McEnroe in 1977 to win the French Open boys’ singles title. USTA Boys’ 18s champion in the first all-American Fratangelo had a strong season in 2013, winning the USTA Pro Wimbledon boys’ final since 1977. Also last year, Kozlov won the Circuit Futures in Weston, Fla., and competing in qualifying for the prestigious Orange Bowl singles and doubles titles. Kozlov, who has US Open. In 2014, he won the second USTA Pro Circuit singles title since turned pro, made his ATP main draw debut in 2013 at the of his career at the $10,000 Futures in Tampa, Fla., and he also Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, R.I. Last fall, he won both the singles and doubles titles at an ITF Circuit event in reached the final of the $100,000 USTA Pro Circuit Challenger in in early July. Last September, he won back-to-back finals at ITF Sacramento, Calif., losing to current world No. 35 Sam Querrey. By Circuit events in Canada. reaching the Sacramento final at age 16, he became the youngest American to reach a Challenger final since in 1986. , who was the 2012 USTA Boys’ 18s national Kozlov trains both with his father, Andrei, at his tennis academy in champion in singles and doubles. Those victories earned him wild- Pembroke Pines, Fla., and with USTA Player Development at the card entries into each main draw at the 2012 US Open, where he USTA Training Center Headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla., under coach became just the second USTA Boys’ 18s champ in 15 years (the Nicolas Todero. Kozlov has also practiced, on occasion, with Novak other being Jack Sock) to advance to the second round in singles Djokovic and other top pros while they prepared for the US Open. after defeating ’s in the first round. Novikov completed his sophomore year at UCLA in 2013 and turned pro that , who won his first USTA Pro Circuit title earlier summer. He won his first career USTA Pro Circuit title soon after, this month at the $15,000 Futures in Los Angeles. Krueger was the at the $10,000 Futures in Amelia Island, Fla. Novikov had a strong top-ranked American junior boy in 2012, peaking at a career-high 2014, winning three USTA Pro Circuit doubles titles (for five doubles No. 5 in the world junior rankings. He advanced to the boys’ singles titles overall) and claiming four ITF Circuit singles crowns, in Mexico semifinals at the French Open and Wimbledon in 2012 and turned and Canada. Born in , Novikov moved with his family to the pro that July. Krueger captured his first pro singles title in 2013 U.S. as a 1-year-old and, from an active sports background, chose while competing overseas at an ITF Circuit clay-court event in the tennis over hockey, swimming and gymnastics. Netherlands. He spent the last quarter of 2014 competing in Canada and Australia, winning a doubles title in Australia and reaching the , who was a former standout college player for USC. singles quarterfinals or better at six events. Nguyen won three USTA Pro Circuit and ITF Circuit singles titles in 2014, including the $10,000 USTA Pro Circuit Futures in Godfrey, Former world No. 64 , who has played in just two Ill. He holds six singles titles overall. In doubles, he captured the tournaments since March 2013 because of injury. Sweeting, who is $10,000 Futures in Rochester, N.Y., in 2014, and he holds five married to Big Bang Theory actress Kaley Cuoco, won the ATP’s U.S. USTA Pro Circuit and ITF Circuit doubles titles overall. Nguyen Men’s Championship in Houston in 2011 and holds three competed in the main draw of the men’s doubles event at the 2009 singles titles and three doubles titles on the USTA Pro Circuit. US Open, where he reached the second round. Notable players competing in qualifying include: , a veteran of the pro tour for more than 10 years, who returned to competition in January 2011 following a year- Former University of Virginia standout , who reached long suspension as dictated by the Tennis Anti-Doping Program, the singles semifinals at the 2011 NCAA Championships and won which is administered by the ITF. He got his career back on track the 2010 NCAA doubles title with Drew Courtney. Shabaz captured by rejoining the USTA Pro Circuit and climbing more than 1,200 his first USTA Pro Circuit singles title at the $10,000 Futures in spots in the ATP rankings to finish 2011 just outside the Top 100. Pittsburgh in July 2013 and, two weeks later, won the title at the Odesnik continued to build on that success in 2012, qualifying for $10,000 Futures in Godfrey, Ill. He spent summer 2014 competing Wimbledon and competing on the USTA Pro Circuit and overseas. in Mexico and Ecuador. As a junior player, Shabaz won the In 2013, he again qualified for Wimbledon and reached the final Wimbledon doubles title in 2005 (with ). of the $100,000 USTA Pro Circuit Challenger in Sarasota, Fla. In 2014, Odesnik made his first main draw appearance at the US Open Former University of Michigan standout , who won since 2009 by winning the US Open USTA Pro Circuit Wild Card his second professional title in 2013 at the $10,000 Futures in

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Edwardsville, Ill. In 2014, he won his second USTA Pro Circuit Jeff Dadamo, who earned a wild card into the 2013 US Open doubles title at the $10,000 Futures in Weston, Fla. Jung spent Qualifying Tournament by winning the US Open National Playoffs most of last spring and summer competing overseas in ITF Circuit men’s title (out of 649 men who competed). He returned to the events in Korea and China. At Michigan, he received All-Big Ten US Open National Playoffs – Championships in 2014 after winning honors in 2010 and 2011 and played in the NCAA Championships the USTA sectional qualifying tournament in June. Dadamo twice. He ranks fourth all-time in Wolverines’ history with 88 career has won three USTA Pro Circuit doubles titles and one singles title doubles wins. during his career. He graduated in 2011 from Texas A&M, where he won the NCAA men’s doubles title with .

MAUI PAST WINNERS Singles Doubles Year Winner Runner-Up Year Winner 2014 (USA) Tsung-Hua Yang (TPE) 2014 Denis Kudla (USA) – (JPN) 2013 (JPN) (GER) 2013 Hsin-Han Lee (TPE) – Hsien-Yin Peng (TPE) 2007-12 Tournament not held 2007-12 Tournament not held 2006 Michael Russell (USA) (USA) 2006 (USA) – Brian Wilson (USA) 1994-2005 Tournament not held 1994-2005 Tournament not held Nov. 1993 John Carlsson (SWE) Michael Joyce (USA) Nov. 1993 Donny Isak (USA) – Kent Seton (USA) Oct. 1993 Michael Joyce (USA) Wade McGuire (USA) Oct. 1993 Chet Crile (USA) – Will Forsyth (USA) 1988-92 Tournament not held 1988-92 Tournament not held 1987 Wayne Hearn (USA) Doug Burke (JAM) 1987 (TPE) – Larry Scott (USA) 1986 (USA) Howard Herr (RSA) 1986 (USA) – Jim Pugh (USA) 1985 Thomas Hogstedt (SWE) Craig Campbell (RSA) 1985 Craig Campbell (RSA) – Jim Pugh (USA) 1984 Chris Dunk (USA) Terry Ward (USA) 1984 Luviu Mancas (ROU) – Eric Riley (USA) TOURNAMENT NOTES

USTA PRO CIRCUIT YOUTH TENNIS With approximately 90 tournaments hosted annually throughout the country and prize money ranging The USTA is making it easier and more fun for kids to get into from $10,000 to $100,000, the USTA Pro Circuit is the pathway to the US Open and tour-level competition for aspiring tennis players and a frequent battleground for established professionals. The USTA launched the game—and stay in the game. Kids are learning to play its Pro Circuit in 1979 to provide players with the opportunity to gain professional ranking points, and faster than ever before through the USTA’s youth initiative, it has since grown to become the largest developmental tennis circuit in the world, offering nearly which is geared toward getting more kids to participate in $3 million in prize money. Last year, more than 1,000 men and women from more than 70 countries competed in cities nationwide. , , John Isner, , Kei tennis using modified equipment and courts tailored to a child’s Nishikori, Sam Querrey, and are among today’s top stars who size. For more information, visit YouthTennis.com. began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit.

More recently, the USTA Pro Circuit helped further the careers of two young NJTL Americans—Stefan Kozlov and . Runner-up in 2014 at the junior Amber Alva Founded in 1969 by , along with Charlie Pasarell championships of the Australian Open and and Sheridan Snyder, the USTA/National & Wimbledon, Kozlov reached the final of the Learning (NJTL) network is a nationwide group of more than Sacramento Challenger last October at age 16, becoming the youngest American to 625 non-profit youth development organizations that provide reach a Challenger final since Andre Agassi free or low-cost tennis, education and life skills programming in 1986. That result vaulted Kozlov to to more than 350,000 children each year. Celebrating its No. 443 in the world, making him the 45th anniversary this year, NJTL is one of the USTA’s largest youngest player in the ATP World Tour community-based offerings. Top 500. He concluded 2014 by sweeping Stefan Kozlov the singles and doubles titles at the prestigious Orange Bowl Junior Tennis Championships, locking down a No. 3 US OPEN NATIONAL PLAYOFFS junior world ranking. Gibbs, in her first full season as a professional after capturing The USTA launched the US Open back-to-back NCAA singles championships National Playoffs in 2010, making in 2012 and 2013, won the women’s USTA the US Open “open” to anyone Pro Circuit US Open Wild Card Challenge in 2014. After claiming the title at the $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Carson, Calif., Gibbs clinched the age 14+ and of all skill levels. US Open wild card by advancing to the final of the $50,000 tournament in Lexington, Ky., her last USTA Last year, more than 1,200 Pro Circuit event of the season. Gibbs went on to reach the third round at the US Open, scoring a pair of players competed in 13 Sectional Top 50 victories along the way. Two weeks after the US Open, as a qualifier at Seoul, she reached her first Qualifying Tournaments nationwide WTA quarterfinal, which boosted her into the WTA Top 100 for the first time. Gibbs earned the second-most for a 2014 US Open Qualifying WTA ranking points of any American playing the USTA Pro Circuit in 2014. Tournament wild card. A mixed doubles element also was held, with the winning team earning a main draw mixed doubles wild PLAYER DEVELOPMENT card. A pair of former college All-Americans won the singles playoffs. Caitlin Whoriskey of East Sandwich, Mass., won the 2014 The USTA Player Development program identifies and develops the next generation of American champions US Open National Playoffs women’s title and of by surrounding the top junior players and young pros with the resources, facilities and coaching they need Charlottesville, Va., won the men’s wild card. Jacqueline Cako and to reach their maximum potential. The Player Development program is based at the USTA Training Center Joel Kielbowicz won mixed doubles. The schedule for the 2015 Headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla., and also utilizes Training Centers in Carson, Calif., and Flushing, N.Y., as US Open National Playoffs will be released in coming weeks. For well as a series of Certified Regional Training Centers located throughout the continental United States. more information, visit www.usopen.org/NationalPlayoffs