TOURNAMENT NOTES as of April 23, 2015 SORENSENREALESTATE.COM TENNIS CLASSIC VERO BEACH, FL • APRIL 24 – MAY 3 USTA PRO CIRCUIT RETURNS TO VERO BEACH TOURNAMENT INFORMATION AS TOURNAMENT CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY Site: The Boulevard Village & Tennis Club The SorensenRealEstate.com Tennis Vero Beach, Fla. Classic returns to Vero Beach for the 21st consecutive year and the 25th year overall. Websites: www.verobeachtennisnews.com (The city also hosted USTA Pro Circuit Dave Kenas procircuit.usta.com tournaments from 1979 to 1981 and again in 1983.) It is the first of three consecutive Qualifying Draw Begins: Friday, April 24 clay-court USTA Pro Circuit Futures held in Florida, joining Orange Park and Tampa. In Main Draw Begins: Tuesday, April 28 conjunction with USTA Player Development, Main Draw: 32 Singles / 16 Doubles the USTA Pro Circuit continues to emphasize the importance of increased training for Surface: Clay / Outdoor younger players on clay. Prize Money: $10,000 To follow the tournament, download the USTA Pro Circuit’s new phone app by Tournament Director: searching “procircuit” in the app store. Mike Rahaley, (231) 838-4998 [email protected] Notable players competing in the main draw include: Tournament Press Contact: Marie O’ Brien, (772) 532-1968 Michael Mmoh, who is regarded as one of [email protected] the brightest young American prospects and has drawn comparisons to Gael Monfils for USTA Communications Contact: his athleticism and power. Mmoh finished Amanda Korba, (914) 697-2219 the 2014 junior season by going 19-2 in [email protected] international-level play, winning two ITF junior titles and reaching the Eddie Herr A standout junior player, Michael Mmoh won PRIZE MONEY / POINTS two ITF boys’ titles in 2014 and went final. He also won the prestigious Orange SINGLES: Prize Money Ranking Points undefeated in singles to help lead the U.S. to Bowl doubles title with fellow American the Junior Davis Cup title in Mexico last year. Winner $1,440 17 Stefan Kozlov. Also in 2014, Mmoh went Runner-up $848 9 5-0 in singles to help lead the U.S. to the Semifinalist $502 5 Junior Davis Cup title, the international team event for 16-and-under boys. At the end of Quarterfinalist $292 2 last year, he won his first USTA Pro Circuit Round of 16 $172 1 singles title at the $15,000 Futures in Round of 32 $104 - Brownsville, Texas. Mmoh, currently at DOUBLES: Prize Money (per team) No. 7 in the ITF World Junior Rankings, Winner $620 trains with coach Glenn Weiner in Nick Runner-up $360 University of Virginia Bollettieri’s program at the IMG Academy Semifinalist $216 in Bradenton, Fla. He is the son of former Quarterfinalist $128 Top 150 ATP professional and Nigerian Round of 16 $0 Olympian Tony Mmoh. Former University of Virginia standout Michael Shabaz, who reached the singles semifinals at the 2011 NCAA Former University of Virginia standout Michael Shabaz reached the singles semifinals at the 2011 NCAA Championships and won the 2010 NCAA doubles title. He also owns two USTA Pro Circuit singles titles. *Player field subject to change TOURNAMENT NOTES Championships and won the 2010 NCAA doubles title with Drew July 2012 to January 2014. Last year, he reached four USTA Pro Courtney. Shabaz captured his first USTA Pro Circuit singles title Circuit quarterfinals in his comeback, including in Vero Beach. at the $10,000 Futures in Pittsburgh in July 2013 and, two weeks later, won his second at the $10,000 Futures in Godfrey, Ill. He spent the summer of 2014 competing in Mexico and Ecuador, and this year he qualified for two $15,000 USTA Pro Circuit Futures Many USTA Pro Circuit and ATP World Tour standouts have found events. As a junior player, Shabaz won the Wimbledon doubles title success in Vero Beach. in 2005 (with Jesse Levine). 1999 singles champion Michael Russell is the men’s all-time Five-time University of Florida All-American Greg Ouellette, who leader in USTA Pro Circuit singles titles with 24. He won his most won the bronze medal in doubles at the 2011 Pan Am Games with recent title at the end of 2013 at the $75,000 Challenger in Nicholas Monroe. In 2014, Ouellette won his first USTA Pro Circuit Charlottesville, Va., in the process becoming the oldest USTA Pro title in two years, in doubles at the $10,000 Futures in Irvine, Calif. Circuit singles champion at the age of 35 years, 6 months and 2 Overall, he owns two USTA Pro Circuit singles crowns and five USTA days. Russell has competed in the main draw of 34 Grand Slam Pro Circuit doubles titles. tournaments in his career, most recently as a qualifier at the 2015 Australian Open. He achieved his best Grand Slam tournament result Wil Spencer, who graduated from the University of Georgia in 2012 by reaching the fourth round of the 2001 French Open, where he after also playing two seasons at Texas A&M. Spencer went 104-49 in held match point against defending and eventual champion Gustavo four seasons of college tennis and reached the round of 16 at the Kuerten before bowing in five sets. 2012 NCAA tournament. His final ITA singles ranking was No. 11. Spencer reached the doubles final at the $15,000 Futures in 1995 singles runner-up Tim Henman peaked at No. 4 in the world in Calabasas, Calif., in March. He holds one USTA Pro Circuit doubles 2002. He reached six Grand Slam tournament semifinals, including title, won last year at the $10,000 clay-court Futures in Niceville, Fla. four at Wimbledon. Ty Trombetta, who has been playing on the USTA Pro Circuit and 1998 singles runner-up Nicolas Massu won the singles and doubles ITF Circuit since 2006. He holds one professional title, claiming a gold medals at the 2004 Olympics in Athens—the first gold medals doubles championship in 2010 in Mexico. He did not compete from for Chile in Olympic history. He peaked at No. 9 in the world in 2004. *Player field subject to change TOURNAMENT NOTES VERO BEACH PAST WINNERS Singles Doubles Year Winner Runner-Up Year Winner 2014 Connor Smith (USA) Facundo Mena (ARG) 2014 Jorge Aguilar (CHI) – Daniel Garza (MEX) 2013 Kyle Edmund (GBR) Carsten Ball (AUS) 2013 Vladimir Obradovic (SRB) – Juho Paukku (FIN) 2012 John-Patrick Smith (AUS) Pedro Zerbini (BRA) 2012 John-Patrick Smith (AUS) – Benjamin Rogers (USA) 2011 Daniel Garza (MEX) Mitchell Frank (USA) 2011 Marvin Barker (NZL) – Mark Verryth (AUS) 2010 Karlis Lejnieks (LAT) Matt Reid (AUS) 2010 Gero Kretschmer (GER) – Alex Satschko (GER) 2009 Jonathan Dasnieres de Veigy (FRA) Timothy Neilly (BAH) 2009 Treat Conrad Huey (PHI) – Gregory Ouellette (USA) 2008 Chase Buchanan (USA) Jose De Armas (VEN) 2008 Marcus Fugate (USA) – Lance Vodicka (USA) 2007 Pierrick Ysern (FRA) Vladimir Obradovic (SRB) 2007 Ryler DeHeart (USA) – Christopher Lam (USA) 2006 Ryan Sweeting (USA) Victor Estrella (DOM) 2006 Jonathan Chu (USA) – Izak Van Der Merwe (RSA) 2005 Ryan Newport (USA) Brendan Evans (USA) 2005 Henry Adjei-Darko (GHA) – Francisco Rodriguez (PAR) 2004 Jose De Armas (VEN) Melvyn Op Der Heijde (NED) 2004 Scott Lipsky (USA) – David Martin (USA) 2003 Simon Larose (CAN) Marcio Carlsson (BRA) 2003 Ryan Haviland (USA) – K.J. Hippensteel (USA) 2002 Emin Agaev (AZE) Recardo Schlachter (BRA) 2002 Diego Ayala (USA) – Rafael De Mesa (USA) 2001 Ricardo Mello (BRA) Thomas Dupre (FRA) 2001 Daniel Andersson (SWE) – Ryan Sachire (USA) 2000 Jose De Armas (VEN) Lee Pearson (AUS) 2000 Levar Harper-Griffith (USA) – Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) 1999 Michael Russell (USA) Irakli Labadze (GEO) 1999 Irakli Labadze (GEO) – Lovro Zovko (CRO) 1998 Ronald Agenor (HAI) Nicolas Massu (CHI) 1998 Simon Aspelin (SWE) – Chris Tontz (USA) 1997 Ricardo Mena (PAR) Markus Zillner (GER) 1997 Mark Weaver (USA) – David Witt (USA) 1996 Doug Flach (USA) Sule Ladipo (NGR) 1996 Doug Flach (USA) – David Witt (USA) 1995 Alexander Krell (AUT) Tim Henman (GBR) 1995 Keith Evans (USA) – Andrew Sznajder (CAN) 1984-1994 Tournament not held 1984-1994 1983 Derek Tarr (USA) Rick Fagel (USA) 1983 Gary Donnelly (USA) – Ernie Fernandez (PUR) 1982 Tournament not held 1982 1981 Chris Delaney (USA) Matt McDonald (USA) 1981 Charles Strode (USA) – Joe Globisch (USA) 1980 Howard Schoenfield (USA) Matt Woodbridge (N/A) 1980 John Yuill (RSA) – Van Winitsky (USA) 1979 Van Winitsky (USA) Rick Fagel (USA) 1979 Bill Maze (USA) – Ferdi Taygan (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. Victoria Azarenka, Eugenie Bouchard, John Isner, Andy Murray, Kei tennis using modified equipment and courts tailored to a child’s Nishikori, Sam Querrey, Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki 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 Nicole Gibbs.