TAYLOR DENT WILL RETURN TO DEFEND NEWPORT TITLE
www.tennisfame.com 15 May, 2003
NEWPORT, RI -- The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced today that Taylor Dent, the 2002 Miller Lite Hall of Fame singles champion, will return to Newport July 7-13 to defend his title.
Taylor Dent of Huntington Beach, California is currently No. 44 in the 2003 ATP Champions Race and is the USA's No. 6 player. Already this year he won his second career title in Mark Philippoussis and Jan-Michael Gambill before defeating Andy Roddick (currently No. 7 ATP Memphis, posting wins over Champions Race) in the final. He also reached the semifinal in Scottsdale, bowing to eventual champion Lleyton Hewitt.
2002 was a breakthrough year for the 22-year-old Dent. His year-end ATP Champions Race ranking jumped to No. 56 (from No. 106 in 2001) and he finished in the Top 60 for the first time in his career. He won his first-ever ATP title in Newport, and in Grand Slam events he reached the third round of the Australian Open and the third round at Wimbledon. In 2001, Dent won 10 singles matches and captured the Challenger title at Surbiton. He reached the quarterfinal in Los Angeles and the second round at Wimbledon, where he was defeated by Lleyton Hewitt in a five-set thriller. In this match, Dent registered the fastest serve of the year at 144 mph.
Known for his incredibly powerful and fast serve, this will be Dent's third consecutive year playing in Newport. Last year he defeated fellow American James Blake in a challenging three-set final.
Son of former Australian tennis great Phil Dent, Taylor and his father made history after his win in Newport by becoming the first father-son duo to win ATP titles in the Open Era.
The Miller Lite Hall of Fame Tennis Championships played for the Van Alen Cup is the only ATP Event held on grass in the North America. Tickets for the July 7-13 Championships can be ordered online at www.tennisfame.com. Individual tickets range from $15.00 to $50.00 depending on day and location. Tickets can also be ordered by calling 401-849-6053.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame will also hold its annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, July 12th, prior to the Miller Lite Hall of Fame Tennis Championships semifinal matches. The Class of 2003 will be represented by Boris Becker, Françoise Dürr, Nancy Richey and Brian Tobin.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of tennis and its champions. For information on the International Tennis Hall of Fame and its programs, call 401-849-3990 or visit our web site at www.tennisfame.com.
