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September
27, 2006
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DEFENDING CHAMPION TOMMY HAAS JOINS
DELRAY BEACH DRAW
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Delray
Beach, FL—U.S.
Open quarterfinalist Tommy Haas will attempt to
become the second player in Delray Beach International
Tennis Championships history to successfully defend his
title when he returns for the 2007 event Jan. 27 – Feb. 4 at
the Delray Beach Stadium & Tennis Center.
Haas, who defeated 2005
champion Xavier Malisse 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5) in February
to win the first of his three ATP titles in 2006, joins
fellow U.S. Open quarterfinalist James Blake in
committing to play in the 15th annual Delray
Beach event. The entire 32-man draw will be announced in
December.
With Blake currently ranked
No. 9 and Haas at No. 14, tournament director Mark Baron has a draw that could include a pair of world Top 10
players—a first for Delray Beach.
“With James and Tommy
already committed to returning and potentially both being in
the Top 10, we’re looking forward to what could be our best
draw ever,” said Baron. “That possibility has us very
excited as we continue to build on the successes of our last
tournament.”
The 2006 Delray Beach ITC
drew a record 51,247 fans, with top-seeded Andre Agassi highlighting arguably the most memorable draw in its
history.
The German-born Haas is
concluding a 2006 season in which he has put together a
43-16 singles record and the fifth Top 20 ranking of his
career. He has 10 ATP titles and a career-best world ranking
of No. 2 that came in 2002 before a shoulder injury
sidelined him for the next year and a half. His trek back to
the Top 20 has been inspirational to many players.
“I’m very much looking
forward to returning to Delray Beach,” said Haas, who has
trained fulltime at the Bollettieri Academy in Bradenton
since he was 13 years old. “In a lot of ways winning Delray
Beach was key to the successes I’ve enjoyed in 2006.”
Ticket
packages for the 2007 Delray Beach ITC to watch Haas, Blake
and their fellow ATP stars are on sale and can be purchased
by calling 561-330-6000 or on-line at
www.YellowTennisBall.com. The Reserved Series
package for all tournament sessions is $250 while the
Weekender package—including the quarterfinals, semifinals
and finals—is only $200. Box series packages range from $980
for two seats to $2,200 for four seats and include premier
parking passes.
About the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships: The Delray Beach International Tennis Championships is a
$418,000 ATP Tour Event which takes place January
29-February 4, 2007 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center &
Stadium in Delray Beach, FL. Now in its 15th tournament
year, the Delray Beach ITC is one of a few privately owned
tournaments in the world and attracts thousands of visitors
and a roster of some of the world’s most talented tennis
players to South Florida. It is the first of 14 ATP
tournaments scheduled in the United States for 2007. For
more information on the Delray Beach ITC or to purchase
tickets, call 561-330-6000 or visit
www.YellowTennisBall.com.
About ATP: With 64 tournaments in 31 countries in 2006, the ATP
showcases the finest athletes competing in the world's most
exciting venues. From Australia to Europe and the Americas
to Asia, the season-long INDESIT ATP Race and Stanford ATP
Doubles Race unites players, teams and tournaments in a
quest for success. For more information, please visit
www.ATPtennis.com
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