| The Championships At The Palisades - Event RECAP |
The Outback Champions Series touched down in Charlotte N. C. and the switch from last year’s clay to this year’s hard courts proved to be a pleasant surprise for both Aaron Krickstein and Todd Martin as they opened play at the 2008 Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades Wednesday night with victories at the Tim Wilkison Signature Tennis and Sports Complex. Krickstein surprised 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia 7-5, 6-7 (5), 10-7 (Champions Tie-Breaker), while Martin defeated Karel Novacek of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-2 in opening round-robin matches
Thursday night, Jim Courier wasted no time in winning his opening round-robin match at the $150,000 Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades, needing less than an hour – after a 30-minute rain delay to defeat fellow American Jimmy Arias 6-2, 6-1. Courier prevailed through wet conditions and played power tennis, never allowing Arias to get a foothold into the match. In Thursday’s other match, Wayne Ferreira of South Africa defeated Thomas Enqvist of Sweden 6-4, 6-3. Ferreira spoiled the Outback Champions Series debut of Enqvist, the 1999 Australian Open finalist and a late replacement for the injured Mark Philippoussis in the Charlotte field.
Jim Courier and Wayne Ferreira each registered victories Friday to post 2-0 round-robin records, leaving both players one match victory from advancing into the event’s championship match. In the first match played in the afternoon, Ferreira defeated Karel Novacek of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-1, while Courier, in the final match of the day, defeated fellow American Aaron Krickstein 6-2, 6-3. The continuous rains in Charlotte led to the cancellation of the Friday afternoon and evening sessions at The Palisades. In order to keep the tournament on track for a Sunday finish, all of Friday's matches were played indoors. The other two matches played Friday where both decided in Champions Tie-Breakers – 10-point tie-breakers played in lieu of a third set. Thomas Enqvist of Sweden defeated Todd Martin 6-4, 5-7, 10-8 (Champions Tie-Breaker), while Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia defeated Jimmy Arias 3-6, 6-3, 10-7 (Champions Tie-Breaker).
On Saturday, Todd Martin advanced to the final of the $150,000 Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades after defeating Wayne Ferreira, 7-5, 7-6 (2). Martin would face Jim Courier, who closed out a perfect 3-0 round-robin record by defeating Goran Ivanisevic, 6-4, 6-1 on Saturday. The final will be re-match of the 2006 final in Charlotte – won by Courier - and will mark Martin’s third straight appearance in the event’s final.
Upon reaching the final, Jim Courier defeated Todd Martin 6-2, 3-6, 10-5 (Champions Tie-Breaker) to win the singles title at the Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades Sunday. Courier’s win earned him a first-prize paycheck of $54,000 for winning all three of his round-robin matches and the final against Martin. Courier also captured his fifth career title on the Outback Champions Series and his second title of the year, his first coming in Grand Cayman where he defeated Wayne Ferreira in two tie breaks, 7-6 (3) 7-6(1).This also marks his second title in Charlotte to go with his victory in the inaugural event back in 2006.
McEnroe's serve in the fifth and seventh games of the second set to win the second set and force the 10-point "Champions Tie-breaker" played in lieu of a third set. Cash jumped off to a 5-0 lead in the deciding tie-breaker and held on for the 10-7 victory
Playing on his favorite surface, Pat Cash won the singles title at the Hall of Fame Champions Cup Sunday defeating Jim Courier 6-3, 6-4 in the singles final, spoiling Courier’s 38th birthday. With the victory, Cash earned $54,000 and his first tournament victory on the Outback Champions Series.
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