Caroline Wozniacki will be looking to three-peat in New Haven in August.
On the women’s side, Melanie Oudin, who had a nice run in last year’s US Open, has committed to New Haven. The then-relatively unknown 18- year old became the Cinderella story of the Open with her stunning run to the quarterfinals upsetting Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva in tough three set matches. Currently the third ranked American woman at World No. 40, Oudin has reached the semifinals at Paris, and the quarterfinals at Memphis, Ponte Vedra Beach and Charleston in WTA events this year.
Oudin’s American male compatriots are extremely familiar to Connecticut tennis fans. Sam Querrey, 23 years-old and currently ranked No. 19 in the world, has had a strong 2010 season, winning titles at Memphis, Belgrade, and in London. In 2009 Querrey had the best season of his career highlighted by a strong summer hardcourt season that included a victory in Los Angeles and finals appearances at Newport, Indianapolis and at the Pilot Pen, where he captured the 2009 US Open Series title.
defeidning French Open champ Francesca Schavone will be shooting for her first New Haven title.
In addition to the up-and-comers—a signature of the Pilot Pen field over the years—veterans like No. 14 Marion Bartoli and No. 25 Daniela Hantuchova will be making their sixth and ninth appearances in New Haven and rising stars Petra Kvitova (World No. 29) and Tsvetana Pironkova (World No. 35), who both reached the semifinals at Wimbledon just a few weeks ago, add to the depth of the tournament. Not to mention two-time defending champion Caroline Wozniacki, the fourth ranked women’s player in the world, who earlier committed to New Haven in an effort to join Venus Williams as the only players to win three straight championships. (Williams won four straight years in New Haven: 1999-2002.)
Mardy Fish's fans will be rockin' the 'Fish Tank.'
The full fields for the Pilot Pen are set, with exception of wildcards, which can be awarded up until August 19, and qualifier spots. The tournament has four men’s and women’s main draw wildcards to distribute and there are four spots in both main draws for advancing qualifiers. The tournament offers a combined $1.35 million purse ($750,000 men; $600,000 women).
The Pilot Pen Tennis Championship is a US Open Series event and one of the rare non-Grand Slam events to feature both men’s and women’s brackets. This year’s tournament will be held Aug. 20-28 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale. For more information, call 888-99-PILOT or visit www.pilotpentennis.com.
