New City, New York, 7/18/07 – The prestigious Dellwood Country Club in New City, NY was the setting once again for The Kennedy Funding Invitational annual tennis tournament to support the fight against breast cancer. Co-Directors James Miller, Mitch Klein, and Kevin Wolfer founded the event in 2006, and this year’s tournament drew even greater numbers, with the gala dinner taking place on Sunday, July 15th. A total of over $500,000 will be donated to the breast care centers at Englewood Hospital in New Jersey and Nyack Hospital in New York.
Pete Sampras, the legendary and former Men’s #1 player, came to New City to play an exhibition match against Justin Gimelstob, his hitting partner in Los Angeles. Tickets were sold at $100 for the event. Organizers continued the fundraising efforts right to the end - while the players were warming up, tournament co-director Mitch Klein auctioned off a picture with Sampras for $2,600 and Gimelstob's racket for $900.
"I'm happy to be a part of it. I'm happy to help," said Sampras, who is on the board of the Revlon/UCLA Breast Center and has lost two aunts to the disease. "Breast cancer is something that's been a part of my family. It's a tough disease, and I'm just happy to help out a little bit and play a little tennis."
His appearance capped an event that drew six players ranked in the top 100 and issued $250,000 in prize money over the tournament’s five-day span.
"This was way past my wildest dreams," co-director James Miller said. "From a charity contribution, the tennis tournament, everything. The amazing thing is, at all times people just keep saying what can't be done, and I've never let it stop me. I am beyond blown away right now."
After playing a set against Todd Martin for a Hall of Fame exhibition in Newport, R.I., Saturday morning, Sampras flew into Westchester County Airport and Gimelstob picked him up and drove him to Dellwood. It was only in the locker room before the match that he found out he would be competing on clay.
"He’s beaten me on every other surface. He should have a chance to do it on clay," said Gimelstob, easily the most quotable person on tour with his frequent dialogue during the match.
Sampras said it was the first time in his career that he had played on two surfaces in one day, and he didn't look comfortable until the end. In the first game of the second set, Sampras started out with two double faults, then hit two aces, then double-faulted again before finally winning the game with an ace.
Sampras has played events for World TeamTennis and Jim Courier's senior tour and will face Roger Federer in an exhibition November in Hong Kong, leading to speculation he is planning a comeback.
"When I was ready to retire, it was emotional. I had nothing left in my heart to keep going," said Sampras, who didn't play for three years after his retirement. "After that decompression, I missed the sport a little bit. I feel like I was getting a bit restless just playing golf and staying home a lot. I decided to really open myself up and play more exhibitions. That's what I'm looking for - nothing stressful. I can dictate my schedule, where before tennis really dictated my life. It's a good place to be."
In the Men’s tournament, Detroit native Michael Russell, ranked 69th in the world, won the $40,000 championship by defeating NCAA champion and Virginia senior Somdev Devvarman 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. Russell needed over 8 1/2 hours on the clay courts over the past three days to win his three three-set matches.
"For both of us, it was real difficult to put a ball away," said Russell, who will donate part of his winnings to the tournament's designated charities, the breast care centers at Englewood and Nyack hospitals.
In the Women’s tournament, it was the Russians making their mark. Yaroslava Shvedova, a Moscow native ranked 87th in the world, won the first women's event, earning $20,000 with a 6-4, 6-4 win over American Laura Granville. Both players came into the tournament on hot streaks.
Granville, ranked 54th, made the fourth round at Wimbledon earlier this month by beating Martina Hingis, and Shvedova had won her first WTA tournament in February and beat a top 20 opponent for the first time in March.
"I hope it's a good start to my new life," said Shvedova, 19, who dumped her old coaches and is now traveling with her father, Vacheslav.
Shvedova struggled in the first two rounds this week after going from the grass of Wimbledon to the clay at Dellwood. But after putting more topspin on her shots and getting used to the slower conditions and longer points, Shvedova was in fine form in the final.
"Today I wanted to show my best tennis," Shvedova said.
Granville, a 26-year-old Chicago native, earned $10,000 as the runner-up, donating $1,500 back to the charity.
Co-Directors James Miller, Mitch Klein, and Kevin Wolfer expect The Kennedy Funding Invitational to grow larger and more successful each year. “Sampras’ match this year was phenomenal,” said Miller. “And for 2008, what could be better than having him play against his old nemesis, Andre Agassi?” The three Co-Directors indicated that they wouldn’t rule out the possibility.
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For more information about The Kennedy Funding Invitational, please call (917) 607-6477, or visit www.thekennedyfundinginvitational.com.
For more information regarding Englewood Hospital and Medical Center Foundation, please call 201-894-3725, or visit www.englewoodhospital.com.
For more information on Nyack Hospital, please call 845-348-2000, or visit www.nyackhospital.org. |
