Taylor Fritz, an 18-year-old American standout who has been sky-rocketing through the Emirates ATP Rankings this season and is currently ranked world No. 69, has committed to the player field of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. Rhode Island native Jared Donaldson, also a rising star on the ATP World Tour and currently ranked inside the world top-150 will return to Newport for the second straight year. Additionally, a wild card for the Qualifying Draw has been granted to another rising star young American – eighteen-year-old Reilly Opelka, the 2015 Wimbledon Boys Champion, who, at 6’11”, brings a powerful game.
The tournament, which is the first stop of the U.S. summer season for pro tennis, will be hosted on the historic grass courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, July 10 – 17. Additional players will be announced in the coming weeks.
“The U.S. is enjoying a resurgence in men’s tennis and that will be on full display in Newport this summer. Taylor Fritz is on a meteoric rise that is unmatched, and reminiscent of Andy Roddick’s climb. Jared Donaldson continues to move up the steep ladder of professional tennis and is the second highest ranked American teen. At 6’11”, Reilly Opelka is a special talent capable of making an incredible impact at any moment,” commented Todd Martin, Tournament Director of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships and CEO of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Topping off the ATP action, on Sunday, July 17, the event offers a unique opportunity to see tennis legends back in action at PowerShares Legends Newport, a special one-day tournament. Former world No. 1 Marat Safin has been added to the PowerShares player field, which will also feature Andy Roddick, James Blake, and a fourth player to be named. It’s a particularly special weekend for Safin to compete, as the two-time Grand Slam tournament champion will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on the day prior – making him the first Russian to ever be inducted.
Martin commented, “We have a unique experience at the Hall of Fame. Fans have the opportunity to see some of our sport’s biggest legends back in action again, while also watching the next generation work towards building their resumes – striving to one day become Hall of Famers themselves.”
Tickets for the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, as well as the PowerShares event and the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony are on sale now on www.HallofFameTennisChampionships.com .