Yevgeny Kafelnikov, one day after being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, will showcase his skills against the likes of Jim Courier, Mats Wilander and Todd Martin.
NEWPORT — The day after he is inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Yevgeny Kafelnikov will once again grab his racket and take to the famed grass courts at the Newport Casino.
The former world No. 1 will join fellow Hall of Famers Mats Wilander and Jim Courier, as well as Todd Martin, the CEO of the Hall of Fame, for the Invesco Legends Newport event on July 21. The one-day tournament is held in conjunction with the Hall of Fame Open, which is scheduled for July 14-21, as well as the annual induction ceremony on July 20.
The four players were competing on the ATP World Tour during the 1980s and 1990s, but when they go head-to-head in Newport, they’ll give a nod to the game’s past and use steel and wooden rackets.
“Everything the International Tennis Hall of Fame does is meant to shine a light on tennis’ great history,” Martin said Wednesday in a press release. “By equipping ourselves with gear similar to what is showcased in our museum, we will indeed be doing so and will demonstrate just how much the sport has evolved these past four decades.
“Not to mention, it will be a lot of fun for us.”
Kafelnikov won Grand Slam singles titles at the French Open (1996) and the Australian Open (1999) and will be enshrined alongside Mary Pierce and Li Na. Wilander was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002, three years before Courier.
“It’s always a treat to welcome Hall of Famers back to Newport, and this group will surely deliver a great Sunday morning tournament for the fans,” Martin said.
Newport is one stop on the Invesco Series QQQ, the North American tennis circuit for champion players over the age of 30. The event will feature two one-set semifinal singles matches and a one-set final-round singles match.
“I am of course really looking forward to the induction ceremony and celebrations that weekend, and it will be a lot of fun to get back on court and play a match or two with Jim, Mats, and Todd,” Kafelnikov said in the release. “All these years later, I do still love to compete and to play in a stadium. It will be a great cap to a special weekend to play with these guys again.”
Tickets for Invesco Legends Newport are on sale now on halloffameopen.com. Tickets range from $109-$164 and include access to the legends match, as well as the singles and doubles final of the Hall of Fame Open, which will be held later in the day.
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