Post by tall_one on Nov 2, 2004 1:22:00 GMT
Coria, Henman, Safin Fill Out Masters Cup Field
The playing field is set for the $4.45 million Tennis Masters Cup Houston after it was announced today that Guillermo Coria, Marat Safin and Tim Henman had clinched the final playing berths. They will join Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, Carlos Moya and Gaston Gaudio in the prestigious eight-player circuit finale.
The field was finalized Monday following the withdrawals of Andre Agassi and David Nalbandian from the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris – the final ATP tournament before the circuit finale, to be played November 13-21 at the Westside Tennis Club in Houston, Texas.
Coria, who is fifth in the INDESIT ATP 2004 Race, is returning to Houston for the second consecutive year. In 2003 he and David Nalbandian became the first Argentines in 20 years to qualify for the circuit finale. Coria won titles this year at ATP Masters Monte Carlo and in Buenos Aires. He also reached finals at ATP Masters Series tournaments in Miami and Hamburg, Roland Garros and ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
Sixth-placed Safin has qualified for the circuit finale for the third time in five years. In 2000 he reached the semifinals of Tennis Masters Cup Lisbon and came within one match of clinching the year-end World No. 1 ranking. He also qualified for Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai in 2002. The Russian has enjoyed an outstanding comeback season this year after injury restricted him to just 23 matches in 2003, when he finished 66 th in the INDESIT ATP Race. Safin began 2004 by reaching the final of the Australian Open. Later in the season he won the inaugural China Open in Beijing and Masters Series Madrid.
Seventh-placed Henman contested the ATP Tour World Championships in 1997-98 but has not qualified for a circuit finale since. The Briton, who will bring his exciting serve/volley game to Houston, has not won a title in 2004 yet is poised for his best year-end finish at age 30. Henman reached the final of the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, semifinals at Roland Garros and the US Open and the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
Three spots remain up for grabs for Tennis Masters Cup Doubles at this week's BNP Paribas Masters. For the second consecutive year Tennis Masters Cup Doubles will be played concurrently with Tennis Masters Cup Houston.
The playing field is set for the $4.45 million Tennis Masters Cup Houston after it was announced today that Guillermo Coria, Marat Safin and Tim Henman had clinched the final playing berths. They will join Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, Carlos Moya and Gaston Gaudio in the prestigious eight-player circuit finale.
The field was finalized Monday following the withdrawals of Andre Agassi and David Nalbandian from the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris – the final ATP tournament before the circuit finale, to be played November 13-21 at the Westside Tennis Club in Houston, Texas.
Coria, who is fifth in the INDESIT ATP 2004 Race, is returning to Houston for the second consecutive year. In 2003 he and David Nalbandian became the first Argentines in 20 years to qualify for the circuit finale. Coria won titles this year at ATP Masters Monte Carlo and in Buenos Aires. He also reached finals at ATP Masters Series tournaments in Miami and Hamburg, Roland Garros and ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
Sixth-placed Safin has qualified for the circuit finale for the third time in five years. In 2000 he reached the semifinals of Tennis Masters Cup Lisbon and came within one match of clinching the year-end World No. 1 ranking. He also qualified for Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai in 2002. The Russian has enjoyed an outstanding comeback season this year after injury restricted him to just 23 matches in 2003, when he finished 66 th in the INDESIT ATP Race. Safin began 2004 by reaching the final of the Australian Open. Later in the season he won the inaugural China Open in Beijing and Masters Series Madrid.
Seventh-placed Henman contested the ATP Tour World Championships in 1997-98 but has not qualified for a circuit finale since. The Briton, who will bring his exciting serve/volley game to Houston, has not won a title in 2004 yet is poised for his best year-end finish at age 30. Henman reached the final of the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, semifinals at Roland Garros and the US Open and the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
Three spots remain up for grabs for Tennis Masters Cup Doubles at this week's BNP Paribas Masters. For the second consecutive year Tennis Masters Cup Doubles will be played concurrently with Tennis Masters Cup Houston.
at Andy's shoes