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May/17

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2017 Newport Player List

newportIvo Karlovic, John Isner, Sam Querrey, Rajeev Ram commit to player field of
Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open

New England’s only ATP World Tour stop will be hosted on the historic grass courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, July 16 – 23
Tickets for the tournament and the annual International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony are on sale now on HallofFameOpen.com

NEWPORT, R.I., May 11, 2017 – Defending Champion Ivo Karlovic, two-time champions John Isner and Rajeev Ram, and Sam Querrey, who was a finalist in 2009, are the first four players to commit to the player field for the 2017 Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open. The four players have a strong history at Newport’s annual ATP World Tour stop, having collectively appeared in six of the eight finals since 2009, and winning 5 singles titles among them in that time.

The annual event, which draws top tennis players from around the world to compete on the historic grass courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, will be hosted July 16 – 23, immediately following Wimbledon. This year marks a new era in the event’s 40+ year history, as it will be the first of a multi-year title sponsorship by Dell Technologies. A unique hallmark of the tournament is that it is hosted in conjunction with the annual International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which will see former world No. 1’s Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters among those going into the Hall of Fame this year.

“We have a really exciting week and a unique lineup of events for tennis fans to look forward to this summer,” commented Tournament Director and ITHF CEO Todd Martin. “Americans John Isner, Rajeev Ram, and Sam Querrey consistently deliver exciting grass court tennis for the fans at our event, and it will be great to have them all back in the mix this year. In addition, they all came up through the ranks when incoming Hall of Famer Andy Roddick was a top player, and quite likely an inspiration to them, so it will be great to have them all in Newport for this special week.

He continued, “We are also looking forward to welcoming back our defending champion Ivo Karlovic, who has had tremendous success in Newport in recent years and has become quite a fan favorite for our tournament. All is shaping up well for a fantastic week at the inaugural Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open.”

Ivo Karlovic, who hails from Croatia, is currently ranked world No. 22 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. He holds the all-time record for career aces in ATP World Tour history, at 11,856 and climbing. Last year, Karlovic captured the Newport title over Gilles Muller in a thrilling comeback, erasing three championship points while being down a set. This will mark Karlovic’s fifth consecutive appearance in Newport (7 years overall), where he has made three consecutive finals and reached the quarterfinals in 2013.

This summer will be the eighth appearance for John Isner at the Hall of Fame tournament, where he won the title in 2011 and 2012, and was a semifinalist in 2013. Isner has been a leading American player in recent years and is currently ranked world No. 23 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. This season on tour, Isner has reached the quarterfinals in New Zealand, the round of 64 at the Australian Open and the Round of 32 at the BNP Paribas Open.

Rajeev Ram returns to Newport for his 10th appearance, this time as an Olympic medalist, having won the Silver Medal in Mixed Doubles with partner Venus Williams last summer in Rio de Janeiro. Ram’s Newport singles record is an impressive 17-6 with two singles titles, as well as a doubles title in his name. In 2017, Ram has built upon his doubles resume, claiming victories at the BNP Paribas Open and Delray Beach Open with Raven Klaasen.

Current world No. 28 Sam Querrey won his ninth ATP World Tour title this year with his victory at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco. This summer will be Querrey’s fourth appearance in Newport, where he was a finalist in 2009.

Tickets for all sessions of the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open are on sale now on HallofFameOpen.com. Special events throughout the week include junior tennis clinics, the Alex and Ani Ladies Day Runway Show, AARP Day, the ITHF Class of 2017 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on July 22, and PowerShares Legends Newport, a one-day tournament featuring Andy Roddick, James Blake, Mardy Fish, and Jim Courier on July 23.

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About the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open
Hosted on the historic grass courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open is the only ATP World Tour event played in the Northeast and the only pro tournament played on grass courts in North and South America. The Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open is made possible through the support of major sponsors including Dell Technologies, Rolex, Chubb Personal Insurance, Fidelity Investments, Alex and Ani, Carolyn’s Sakonnet Vineyard, and Emirates. The 2017 tournament will be held July 16 – 23, 2017. In addition to exciting pro tennis, a highlight of the week will be the International Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Enshrinement Ceremony on July 22. For additional information, visit www.halloffameopen.com

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13 comments

  • Ryan Balon · May 14, 2017 at 10:35 am

    Scoop

    I told Dan earlier yesterday that I’ve been hitting weekly and will be ready for you both when it comes to baseline games to 10 over the course of the hall of fame week

    Be prepared!

  • Dan Markowitz · May 14, 2017 at 6:28 pm

    Balon, I am going into intensive training and hiring all of Novak Djokovic’s fired team to train me for thos 10-point baseline games. Excuse me, I have to go into my hyperbaric chamber.

  • Scoop Malinowski · May 14, 2017 at 10:19 pm

    Ryan Balon issuing warnings on the friendly pages of Tennis-prose – war has been declared! I will re-read Brad Gilbert’s Winning Ugly and study Marcelo Rios and Lleyton Hewitt videos on You Tube to get ready to fend off the ferocious challenge The Balon Bomber 🙂

  • Scoop Malinowski · May 14, 2017 at 10:33 pm

    Dan will you hire Spadea and Fritz Buehning to round out your dream team of coaches? I think you should spare no expense because The Balon Bomber sounds like he means business – I may have to hire Harry Cicma for the Rhode Island high school scouting reports on how to beat Balon –

  • Dan Markowitz · May 14, 2017 at 10:56 pm

    Definitely get me Cicma’s number. I’m calling my old college player who I coached at Pace, Chuck Ruggierio, to get a better scouting report on Balon. I might have to go up to Newport this weekend to play on those courts behind the CVS, even though I like the ones at Salve Regina College too, to get the lay of the courts again. Spadea and Fritz B are going to carry my racquet bag onto the courts while I am feted by a harem in a hammock onto the the courts.

  • Scoop Malinowski · May 15, 2017 at 8:09 am

    Dan the oxidation and year of sea salt could have slowed the courts a fraction so do do some testing of the court speed so that we can factor it into our strategies of how to solve the Balon Bomber. Cicma wants $100 an hour to consult on how to play the Balon Bomber but I upped it to $200 because of the importance of the matter. Spadea and Fritz texted me that we have to use the drop shot to take the Balon Bomber out of his comfort zone.

  • Ryan Balon · May 15, 2017 at 12:12 pm

    Gentleman look forward to the challenge along with the always entertaining Hall of Fame Championships.

    Hopefully we are able to play more than just once this year as I have renewed my love for playing after taking a few years off.

    Scoop if you could get Harry it would be an all out battle amongst the four of us.

    Enjoy Rome this week – looking forward to what should be a great French Open in the coming weeks.

    Keep training!

  • Ryan Balon · May 15, 2017 at 2:56 pm

    Fed decides not to play the French.

    Overall I think this is a smart move and will prepare him to make a serious run at the All England Club.

  • Scoop Malinowski · May 15, 2017 at 4:05 pm

    Fed statement says he is trying to play on the tour “for many years to come.” Connors record for total titles won is now on thin ice.

  • Scoop Malinowski · May 15, 2017 at 8:04 pm

    Balon Bomber; Harry Cicma is too good for this level though I was able to hold my own with Hammering Harry last week and even won all the baseline games and one tiebreaker – Played as well as I ever have that day – so let that be a warning to you I am playing Harry Cicma level tennis right now! Now don’t cancel your Newport plans now Balon Bomber 🙂

  • Scoop Malinowski · May 15, 2017 at 8:06 pm

    Fed said he will try to play on the ATP Tour “for many years to come” which I interpret as playing into his 40s as I have said all along RF is going to try to extend his career as long as possible – It’s too bad he’s skipping Paris because he has a darn good shot to win it – Fed is the no 1 favorite right now for Wimbledon –

  • Ryan Balon · May 15, 2017 at 8:45 pm

    Scoop,

    No disrespect to Harry but very unlikely his level is higher than ours….. But I’ll take your opinion for what it is…..

    Time will tell but I have a feeling it might get very competitive behind the infamous CVS on Bellevue during tennis week

    Excited to see my man Pablo Cuevas lighting it up during this clay court season- love his backhand and overall movement on the court

  • Scoop Malinowski · May 15, 2017 at 9:04 pm

    Harry is playing very very well the last few years. Super super intense, moves very well, relentless power hitting both wings and he doesn’t miss unless I hit great shots. I earned everything with fine play. Harry has a Big serve and strong volleys and overheads. A different level than what you and Dan were doing last year. He is playing well enough to have won two rounds of a qualis event in December in Puerto Rico in doubles with partner Evan King who is about 300 in the world and they got to the QF. Believe me he is playing super tennis and I took my share of beatings last year but been playing a lot this year with quality players and I was able to finally have a good day though he has been rusty from not playing as much over the winter. Were you able to hang in there on Harry’s level back in the junior days?

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