AMERICAN PLAYERS MEET THE CHALLENGE ON THE USTA PRO CIRCUIT

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1 JANUARY 2015 CATCH A RISING STAR...TODAY! AMERICAN PLAYERS MEET THE CHALLENGE ON THE USTA PRO CIRCUIT Fifteen-year-old Catherine Bellis (second from right) followed up her headline-making 2014 US Open performance by capturing two consecutive USTA Pro Circuit events in October. That same month, Stefan Kozlov (inset,right) made news of his own in by becoming the youngest American in 28 years to reach a Challenger final, falling to Sam Querrey (inset, left). I N S I D E : WOODIE WALKER IS HONORED AT THE US OPEN Longtime USTA Pro Circuit Supervisor Woodie Walker was presented with an honorary award at the 2014 US Open after announcing this would be her last year to serve in an official capacity. USTA PRO CIRCUIT NETS TOP 10 PLAY ON SPORTSCENTER An incredible around-the-net-post shot in a doubles match during the 2014 Knoxville Challenger made it to No. 5 on ESPN SportsCenter s Top 10 Plays of the Day. NOTABLE RECORDS AND RESULTS ON THE USTA PRO CIRCUIT There were a number of noteworthy accomplishments on the USTA Pro Circuit in 2014 among both the men and the women. Throughout 2014, the USTA Pro Circuit helped America s junior stars, college standouts and other aspiring pros take the next step in making a successful transition to the sport s highest levels. A total of 87 Pro Circuit events were held in 2014, and more than half of the winners were U.S. players. American men won 26 of the 48 singles titles the most of any country while American women captured 20 singles crowns at 39 events also the most titles of any nation. Sam Querrey and Madison Brengle earned the most ranking points among American players competing on the USTA Pro Circuit, which saw several young U.S. players enjoy breakthrough performances in the second half of Fifteen-year-old Catherine Bellis, who concluded the year atop the ITF Junior World Rankings, won consecutive Pro Circuit events for her first pro singles titles. Mitchell Frank and Michael Mmoh were first-time Pro Circuit singles titlists on the men s side, while 16-year-old Stefan Kozlov became the youngest American to reach a Challenger final since Andre Agassi in Also among the second half highlights were the staging of Wild Card Challenges for the US Open and for the first time the Australian Open. With the Har-Tru USTA Pro Circuit Wild Card Challenge awarding French Open wild cards in the spring, three Grand Slam tournaments now grant men s and women s main draw wild cards to U.S. players based on their performances at select USTA Pro Circuit events.

2 F I R S T S E R V E S Erin Mazurek Named Memphis Open Tournament Director In October, the USTA named Erin Mazurek the Tournament Director of the Memphis Open in Memphis, Tenn. The first female tournament director in the event s history, she previously served as Tournament Director of the Dow Corning Tennis Classic, the $100,000 women s USTA Pro Circuit event in Midland, Mich. Mazurek worked most recently as Director of Private Event Sales with the NHL's Detroit Red Wings and Olympia Entertainment. The Memphis Open, known formerly as the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships, dates back to 1976, making it one of the longest-running American tournaments on the ATP World Tour. The tournament is the only indoor ATP event played in the United States. The 2015 Memphis Open, an ATP 250 event, will be played February 7-15 at the Racquet Club of Memphis. Box seat and ticket packages for the 2015 Memphis Open went on sale to the general public on December 1. Tickets for individual daily sessions went on sale January 5. For ticket information, contact the Memphis Open ticket office at or MemphisOpenTickets@usta.com. The USTA Pro Circuit congratulates Mazurek in her new position and extends best wishes to her for a successful tournament in Erin Mazurek Erin Maher Erin Maher Joins USTA Pro Circuit Staff The USTA Pro Circuit is happy to welcome Erin Maher, a North White Plains, N.Y., native, as an Administrative Assistant, Pro Circuit. Maher joined the USTA staff in August and knows the sport very well, having played collegiate tennis for St. Thomas Aquinas College in Rockland County, N.Y. She is excited to be working with us in her new position. With approximately 90 tournaments hosted annually throughout the country and prize money ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, the USTA Pro Circuit is the pathway to the US Open and tour-level competition for aspiring tennis players and a frequent battleground for established professionals. The USTA launched its Pro Circuit in 1979 to provide players with the opportunity to gain professional ranking points, and it has since grown to become the largest developmental tennis circuit in the world, offering nearly $3 million in prize money. Last year, more than 1,000 men and women from more than 70 countries competed in cities nationwide. Eugenie Bouchard, John Isner, Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori, Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki are among today s top players who began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit.

3 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 3 F I R S T S E R V E S Woodie Walker Is Honored at the US Open Woodie Walker, a USTA Pro Circuit Supervisor for 16 years and the acknowledged leader of the American tennis officiating community for the last 30 years, was presented with an honorary award at the US Open Officials General Meeting in August at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Walker had announced earlier in 2014 that it would be her last year to serve in an official capacity. To mark the occasion of her retirement, H.O. Zimman, Inc., the publisher of the US Open tournament program, prepared a custom poster with miniature program covers for each of the 46 US Open Tennis Championships with which Walker has been affiliated. The plaque was inscribed with: Woodie Walker: 46 Years of Greatness and Grace at the US Open The USTA Pro Circuit sends its best wishes to Walker, whose impact on the US Open, the USTA Pro Circuit and American officiating will be felt for years to come. Thank you, Woodie! Staff Wears Different Hats at US Open There were some role changes at the 2014 US Open for the USTA Pro Circuit staff. Here are their assignments: Brian Earley Staff Member Brian Earley Keith Crossland Missy Malool Bunny Williams David Littlefield Mike Loo Dessie Samuels Peter Kasavage Billie Lipp Danielle Gooding Idelle Pierre-Louis Louise Maher Luke Rassow-Kantor Erin Maher Assignment Tournament Referee Assistant Referee, Scheduling Lead Review Official, Hawkeye Deputy Referee, Louis Armstrong and Grandstand Referee, US Open Juniors Deputy Referee, Tournament Operations Deputy Referee Team Leader, Command Center Deputy Referee, Command Center Deputy Referee, Command Center Player Registration Supervisor Player Registration Player Registration Player Registration Player Registration Left to right: Danielle Gooding, Idelle Pierre-Louis, Erin Maher, Louise Maher, Luke Rassow-Kantor

4 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 4 USTA PRO CIRCUIT TOURNAMENT NEWS MEN USTA PRO CIRCUIT EVENTS PROUDLY WELCOME NEW SPONSORS The Texas Tamale Company became the title sponsor of the USTA Pro Circuit $15,000 Futures tournament that was played October 4-12 at the George R. Brown Tennis Center on the campus of Rice University in Houston. The men s event unveiled a new logo for the 2014 tournament and is now known as the Texas Tamale Company Houston Cup. American Adam El Mihdawy captured the 2014 singles championship, while Brazil s Henrique Cunha and Dimitar Kutrovsky of Bulgaria won the doubles title. For more information on the Texas Tamale Company, go to The USTA Pro Circuit men s Challenger in Dallas, the largest indoor professional tennis tournament in the Southwest, signed RBC Wealth Management as its new title sponsor for The $100,000 tournament is now branded as the RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas. The 2015 event will be played from January 31 through February 7 at the T Bar M Racquet Club. For more information on RBC Wealth Management, one of the world s top 10 largest wealth managers, go to The Pro Circuit tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, welcomed Holt FIAT as the event s new title sponsor. The Holt FIAT Women s $10K, one of four USTA Pro Circuit women s tournaments contested in Texas in 2014, took place July 26 Aug. 3 at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center in Fort Worth. Germany s Tatjana Maria won the 2014 singles championship. American Hayley Carter teamed with Stefanie Tan of Singapore to win the doubles title. Holt FIAT of Fort Worth offers a variety of new and used FIAT cars in the Fort Worth, Dallas, White Settlement, Weatherford and Benbrook, Texas, area. For more information, visit: KNOXVILLE 2014 CHALLENGER DOUBLES ACTION FEATURED ON ESPN An incredible around-the-net-post shot in a doubles match during the 2014 Knoxville Challenger made it to No. 5 on ESPN SportsCenter s Top 10 Plays of the Day in November. Wild-card entrants Hunter Reese and Mikelis Libietis, who are seniors at the University of Tennessee and are the reigning NCAA doubles champions, squared off against American Alex Kuznetsov and Edward Corrie of Great Britain in the semifinals of the $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit men s event at the Goodfriend Indoor Tennis Center. At 1-1 in the second set, with all four players at net, Kuznetsov hit a sharply angled backhand. Reese raced to the sideline and hit a perfectly executed down-the-line backhand winner between the net post and the umpire s chair to the delight of the crowd at the University of Tennessee indoor facility. The spectacular shot even drew applause and handshakes from Kuznetsov and Corrie. Reese and Libietis won the semifinal match, 6-4, 6-2, and went on to defeat unseeded Gastao Elias of Portugal and Great Britain s Sean Thornley in the final, 6-3, 6-4, to win the championship. To watch the amazing doubles shot, go to SportsCenter on ESPN featured an amazing shot by Hunter Reese (far left) on its Top 10 Plays of the Day.

5 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 5 USTA PRO CIRCUIT TOURNAMENT NEWS MEN KASTLES OWNER PARTICIPATES IN LEXINGTON CHALLENGER PRO-AM Mark Ein, owner and founder of the Washington Kastles of World TeamTennis, took time to play in the Pro-Am tournament at the Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships Presented by Lexus in Lexington, Ky. The Pro-Am event took place during the USTA Pro Circuit Challenger on July 20, with the Pro-Am final played on July 21. Ein, an investor, entrepreneur and philanthropist, currently serves on the USTA Board of Directors as a Director at Large. Other special events held during the Lexington tournament included Kids Day, Big Blue Night, Ladies Night presented by Shelia Bayes Fine Jewelers, Buffalo Trace Men s Night and Volleys & Vineyards Wine Tasting. Mark Ein The 2014 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships Presented by Lexus, a combined men s and women s event, was played July at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex on the University of Kentucky campus. LOCAL CHILDREN HAVE FUN TIME AT GODFREY MEN S FUTURES TENNIS CARNIVAL Local children had a fun time at a Tennis Carnival hosted by the Lewis and Clark Pro Tennis Classic in July during the $10,000 USTA Pro Circuit Men s Futures tournament at the Andy Simpson Tennis Complex at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, Ill. The Tennis Carnival participants were transported via bus from the Boys & Girls Club, YWCA and the Alton/ Godfrey community. During the Tennis Carnival, which used 10 and Under Tennis, all attendees were given a can of tennis balls, lunch and a goody bag. The Lewis and Clark Pro Tennis Classic, held July 18-27, was one of five USTA Pro Circuit men s events held in the state of Illinois in It also marked the 17th consecutive year the outdoor hard court tournament was played in Godfrey.

6 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 6 USTA PRO CIRCUIT TOURNAMENT NEWS MEN A A PET-FRIENDLY TOURNAMENT The Futures of Mansfield Men s $15,000, which was played October at Walnut Creek Country Club in Mansfield, Texas, may have been the year s most pet-friendly tennis event on the USTA Pro Circuit, with several pet-related special events taking place. The tournament organized a Pet Food Drive, with club members and spectators bringing pet food that was donated to the Mansfield Animal Shelter. The Pet Food Drive was held from the end of September through the final day of the tournament. In addition, the Mansfield Animal Shelter brought to the tournament on the day of the semifinals a trailer of dogs that were up for adoption. Fans were welcome to look at and take out the dogs and play with them. The Animal Shelter staff was very appreciative of the event and said it was some of the best exposure they had received during the year. Patriot Paws, a service that trains and provides service dogs at no cost to disabled American Veterans and others with mobility disabilities, set up a table during the tournament. Mansfield Mayor David Cook helped collect funds for Patriot Paws. In addition, the tournament received a visit from Bandit of the Mansfield Police K-9 Unit. TULSA AND BUFFALO EVENTS RETURN TO USTA PRO CIRCUIT Two new tournaments, a hard court event and a clay court tournament, joined the USTA Pro Circuit men s calendar in June as the $15,000 Tulsa Pro Championships and the Sargent & Collins, LLP Men s $10,000 Futures crowned their respective singles and doubles champions during the same week. The Tulsa Pro Championships were played June on the hard courts of the Philcrest Hills Tennis Club in Tulsa, Okla. The tournament returned to Tulsa after a two-year absence from the USTA Pro Circuit. The city previously hosted a men s USTA Pro Circuit Challenger from 1988 to 2002 and from 2005 to The men s $15,000 Futures event in Tulsa kicked off the summer hard court season on the USTA Pro Circuit. Seventh-seeded Jared Donaldson captured the singles championship with a thrilling 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over fellow American and top-seed Jarmere Jenkins. Americans Dennis Novikov and Eric Quigley teamed to win the doubles title. Also on June 14-22, the Sargent & Collins, LLP Men s $10,000 Futures was played in Buffalo, N.Y., on the clay courts of the Miller Tennis Center. The city previously hosted a USTA Pro Circuit women s event from 2011 to The Buffalo tournament was the first of three consecutive $10,000 clay court Futures events on the USTA Pro Circuit during June. Ashley Hewitt of Great Britain was the 2014 singles champion. Americans Jean-Yves Aubone and Connor Smith combined to win the doubles title. Jared Donaldson (right) defeated Jarmere Jenkins to capture the USTA Pro Circuit s first hard court tournament of the summer season, in Tulsa, Okla.

7 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 7 USTA PRO CIRCUIT TOURNAMENT NEWS WOMEN CARSON STEPS UP TO HOST YAKIMA WOMEN S CHALLENGER The Yakima Tennis Club in Yakima, Wash., was preparing to host a $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit women s event during the week of July 14. However, a fire in mid-may destroyed the clubhouse and impacted some of the adjoining tennis courts. Fortunately there were no injuries. As a result of the fire, the club, which has a long history in the Yakima community, was unable to host the 2014 USTA Pro Circuit Challenger. In six weeks, members of the Player Development staff at the USTA Training Centers in Carson, Calif., Boca Raton, Fla., and New York worked to put together the USTA Player Development Women s $50,000 Classic. The tournament was held July at the StubHub Center in Carson, marking the sixth time a USTA Pro Circuit event has been played in Carson. The city previously hosted a women s event from 2007 to A fire at the Yakima Tennis Club in Yakima, Wash., caused a $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit women s event to be moved to Carson, Calif. The USTA Player Development Women s $50,000 Classic was one of three consecutive women s hard court tournaments that made up the women s USTA Pro Circuit US Open Wild Card Challenge, which awarded a main draw wild card into the 2014 US Open. COLEMAN VISION TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS AWARDS WINNERS UNIQUE TROPHIES Over the years, USTA Pro Circuit tournaments have awarded their champions many different kinds of trophies, some unique to the area where the event is played. Such was the case when the Coleman Vision Tennis Championships, played in mid-september at the Tanoan Country Club in Albuquerque, N.M., presented its winners with beautiful polished stone trophies produced from a local stone quarry. The tournament marked the 17th consecutive year the $75,000 USTA Challenger was played in Albuquerque. It remains the only USTA Pro Circuit women s event held in New Mexico. Top-seeded Anna Tatishvili defeated fellow American Irina Falconi, 6-2, 6-4, to win the singles title at the 2014 Coleman Vision Tennis Championships. In an All-American doubles final, Jan Abaza and Melanie Oudin overcame Allie Will and Nicole Melichar, 6-2, 6-3.

8 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 8 USTA PRO CIRCUIT TOURNAMENT NEWS WOMEN ROAD SIGNS SHOW THE WAY TO USTA PRO CIRCUIT CHALLENGERS This past summer, two USTA Pro Circuit Challengers used different kinds of road signage to help fans find their way to the tournaments. The Levene Gouldin & Thompson Tennis Challenger, a men s $50,000 event played at Recreation Park in Binghamton, N.Y., in mid-july, used electronic signage on a local highway to guide fans to the tournament site. A highway billboard publicized the $25K Hunt Companies Women s Pro Tennis Classic in the Lone Star State. The Challenger was played in early June at the Tennis West Sports & Racquet Club in El Paso, Texas. FOSSILS GROUP GIVES ROCK HILL ROCKS OPEN A HELPING HAND There is a special group of people who help Tournament Director Kim Ozmon during the Rock Hill Rocks Open, which was played October 5-12 at the Rock Hill Tennis Center in Rock Hill, S.C. Fossils in LOVE are senior tennis players who play at the Rock Hill Tennis Center. More importantly, they also serve as volunteers during the $25,000 USTA Pro Circuit women s tournament at the club. Many members of the group not only put in countless hours during the event, they also help Ozmon year round with various events and projects. In fact, Ozmon says she would not be able to operate the tennis facility without their help. In 2014, the leader of Fossils in LOVE gave everyone a challenge to raise $750 for a worthy cause. The group surpassed its initial goal and raised $1,000. Special events during the 2014 Rock Hill Rocks Open, which completed its sixth straight year, included a Rockin Jr. Kickoff, a free Youth Tennis Clinic & Pizza Party, an Adult Pro-Am and a Sponsor Luncheon with a featured match.

9 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 9 USTA PRO CIRCUIT TOURNAMENT NEWS WOMEN USTA PRO CIRCUIT CONTINUES TENNIS TRADITION IN LAS VEGAS The Red Rock Pro Open in Las Vegas, Nev., made its debut on the USTA Pro Circuit in The $50,000 women s outdoor hard court event was played September at the Red Rock Country Club. The $50,000 tournament is the only USTA Pro Circuit women s event held in Nevada, and it was the first event at that prize money level. The USTA Pro Circuit has held an event in Las Vegas every year since We re excited to bring professional tennis back to Red Rock Country Club, said Tournament Director Mike Copenhaver. The Red Rock Pro Open offered tennis fans live streaming and commentators for stadium court matches through the USTA Pro Circuit website, as well as electronic scoreboards on stadium court. Among the many highlights during the tournament was a visit by former player, current coach and ESPN tennis analyst Darren Cahill, who served as a guest commentator. Tournament player Montserrat Gonzalez of Paraguay also did a studio interview on ESPN Deportes 1460 AM in Las Vegas. Montserrat Gonzalez SACRAMENTO WOMEN S CHALLENGER HOSTS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS DAY The FSP Gold River Women s Challenger, which was played July 7-12 at the Gold River Racquet Club in Gold River, Calif., designated July 11 as Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Northern California tennis fans attending the semifinals of the $50,000 outdoor hard court tournament showed their support for the mission to find a cure for breast cancer. Dr. Ernie Bodai, who led the effort to develop the official research stamp for breast cancer awareness, joined in the festivities and spoke to fans in attendance. For more information on Dr. Bodai and the Breast Cancer Research Stamp, go to: The FSP Gold River Women s Challenger returned to Sacramento for the third consecutive year. The Sacramento Challenger was also one of three USTA Pro Circuit women s events held in California in 2014.

10 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 10 USTA PRO CIRCUIT TOURNAMENT NEWS WOMEN KENTUCKY BANK TO CONTINUE TITLE SPONSORSHIP IN 2015 Kentucky Bank, which came on as a new sponsor in 2014, will continue its title sponsorship for the 2015 Kentucky Bank Championships Presented by Lexus, which is played at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky. The 2014 tournament, which took place July 19-27, featured men s and women s events and offered a total of $100,000 in prize money ($50,000 for men and $50,000 for women). The outdoor hard court tournament is the only USTA Pro Circuit event held in Kentucky. The 2014 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships received such positive support from the community this year that we are proud to continue as the title sponsor for the 2015 tennis championships, said Kentucky Bank President and CEO Louis Prichard. Kentucky Bank, headquartered in Paris, Kentucky, is a locally owned and publicly traded financial institution, with 15 branches located in 11 Kentucky communities. For more information on Kentucky Bank, go to: LANDISVILLE WOMEN S EVENT SPORTS UMPIRE CHAIR SPONSOR The $25,000 Koser Jewelers Tennis Challenge, played August 4-10 at the Hempfield Recreation Center in Landisville, Pa., had its very own Umpire Chair Sponsor. Emerald, an asset management firm that provides research-based portfolio management, was the official Umpire Chair Sponsor for Pennsylvania s only women s USTA Pro Circuit event. AUSTIN $10,000 WOMEN S EVENT BENEFITS BONESHAKER PROJECT The $10,000 Boneshaker Women s Pro Open of Austin, which was played in 2014 on July at the Polo Tennis & Fitness Club in Austin, Texas, benefitted a very worthy cause the Boneshaker Project. The Austin-based non-profit organization inspires kids to lead healthy and active lifestyles. In Austin alone, more than 20 percent of all kids across all grade levels are considered overweight, and almost 50 percent of minority children are not getting the recommended amounts of physical activity. The Boneshaker Project works directly in the community to empower kids to feel physically strong from a young age. Through expert coach mentorship and online engagement, they encourage kids to do what moves you, feel confident and enjoy healthy lifestyles. Their message to kids is simple and easy to follow: Go outside! Run on a playground, ride a bike, grab a racquet, shake your bones to feel healthy and active. For additional information on the Boneshaker Project, please go to:

11 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 11 USTA PRO CIRCUIT PLAYER NEWS WAVE OF YOUNG AMERICANS POST WINNING RESULTS ON MEN S PRO CIRCUIT It was another thrilling year on the Men s USTA Pro Circuit as young Americans traveled around the country, gaining tournament experience and, in some cases, winning their first professional tennis title. Eighteen-year-old Jared Donaldson defeated fellow American Jarmere Jenkins, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, to win the $15,000 Tulsa Pro Championships in June. Donaldson followed up his performance in Tulsa by winning the $15,000 Oklahoma City Open the very next week with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Andrew Harris of Australia in the final. Jared Donaldson Mitchell Frank, an All-American at the University of Virginia, won his first USTA Pro Circuit singles title when he captured the $10,000 Tulsa Pro Classic in July with an impressive 6-2, 6-1 victory over top-seeded Liam Broady of Great Britain. In August, Frank was victorious once again, as he claimed the $10,000 Edwardsville Futures, defeating top-seeded Yuki Bhambri of India, 7-6 (5), 6-2, in the final. In July, Daniel Nguyen, a former college standout at USC, won the $10,000 Lewis and Clark Pro Tennis Classic in Godfrey, Ill., with a thrilling 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(2) win over Mitchell Frank in the championship. Nguyen and Frank, who had faced each other in college, showed great sportsmanship and warmly congratulated each other at the end of the match. Bjorn Fratangelo, a former French Open boys singles champion, won the $10,000 USTA/Ursula Beck Pro Tennis Classic, which was played July 25-Aug. 3 in Decatur, Ill. The 21-year-old Fratangelo defeated Liam Broady, 6-4, 6-0. In September, Americans dominated the Costa Mesa Pro Classic in Costa Mesa, Calif., as the $10,000 Men s Futures event featured All-American singles and doubles finals. Second-seeded Jarmere Jenkins got past fifth-seed Dennis Novikov, 6-4, 6-4, in the singles final. Unseeded Jeremy Nicholas and Junior Ore teamed to win the doubles championship with a 4-6, 6-4, [10-8] victory over third-seeded Mackenzie McDonald and Martin Redlicki. Former University of Illinois star Dennis Nevolo won the first USTA Pro Circuit Bjorn Fratangelo (left) and Liam Broady singles title of his career in September as he defeated Salvatore Caruso of Italy, 6-4, 6-2, in the final of The Claremont, a $10,000 men s Futures event in Claremont, Calif. Nevolo also claimed the doubles crown, teaming with Jeff Dadamo for the win against fellow Americans Deiton Baughman and Reilly Opelka. The 24-year-old Nevolo then won his second USTA Pro Circuit singles title in a month, capturing the $10,000 Irvine Futures in late September. The victory was not easy; he lost a marathon first-set tiebreaker before defeating Alex Sarkissian, a former All-American at Pepperdine University and 2014 NCAA singles finalist, 6-7(17), 7-5, 6-3. Jarmere Jenkins (fifth from left) and Dennis Novikov (fifth from right)

12 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 12 USTA PRO CIRCUIT PLAYER NEWS Sam Querrey SAM QUERREY SWEEPS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA EVENTS Veteran Sam Querrey, who ended 2014 ranked No. 35 in the world, returned to the USTA Pro Circuit in winning fashion this past fall as he captured three consecutive singles titles in Northern California. The U.S. Davis Cup star began his winning streak in late September at the $50,000 Napa Valley Challenger, defeating fellow American Tim Smyczek, 6-3, 6-1, in the final. The following week, Querrey won the $100,000 Sacramento Pro Circuit Challenger with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over 16-year-old Stefan Kozlov, an up-and-coming American who gained valuable experience on the USTA Pro Circuit in In October, Querrey completed his Northern California trifecta with a 6-4, 6-2 win over John Millman of Australia in the final of the $100,000 First Republic Bank Tiburon Challenger. COLLEGIATE PLAYERS WIN USTA PRO CIRCUIT DOUBLES TITLES The Knoxville 2014 Challenger, which was played in early November at the Goodfriend Indoor Tennis Center at the University of Tennessee, awarded a doubles wild card to Mikelis Libietis and Hunter Reese, who play for UT. Libietis and Reese, the 2014 NCAA doubles champions, went on to win the tournament, defeating Gastao Elias of Portugal and Sean Thornley of Great Britain, 6-3, 6-4, in the final. One week later at the JSM Challenger of Champaign-Urbana, Ill., Ross Guignon and Tim Kopinski, who play for the University of Illinois, entered the doubles draw as a wild card team. With the USTA Pro Circuit event being played at the Atkins Tennis Center on the University of Illinois campus, Guignon and Kopinski felt right at home as they won the doubles title, edging Canadians Frank Dancevic and Adi Shamasdin, 7-6(2), 6-2 in the final. WILL SPENCER WINS FIRST PRO TITLE IN NICEVILLE This past November, 25-year-old Will Spencer had a title run he ll never forget. The former All-American at the University of Georgia needed to win a pretournament wild card event just to secure a wild card into the main draw of the $10,000 Bluewater Bay Pro Circuit Championships at the Bluewater Bay Tennis Center in Niceville, Fla. In his first-round main draw match, Spencer kept fans on the edge of their seats as he ousted secondseeded Peter Heller of Germany, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5. After winning his next three matches in straight sets, Spencer outlasted seventh-seeded Peter Nagy of Hungary, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, in the final to win his first professional tennis title. FORMER AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINALIST WINS TWO USTA PRO CIRCUIT TITLES Marcos Baghdatis Former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis, coming back from a shoulder injury, won two USTA Pro Circuit singles titles in The 29-year-old Baghdatis, who has been ranked as high as No. 8 in the world, captured the $100,000 Odlum Brown Vanopen in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, in late July with a 7-6(6), 6-3 victory over Farrukh Dustov of Uzbekistan. Then, in early August, Baghdatis won his second USTA Pro Circuit singles crown in two weeks as he defeated Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan, 7-6(7), 6-4, to win the $100,000 Comerica Bank Challenger in Aptos, Calif.

13 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 13 USTA PRO CIRCUIT PLAYER NEWS YOUNG AMERICANS MAKE BIG STRIDES ON WOMEN S USTA PRO CIRCUIT It was quite a second half of the year for 15-year-old Catherine Bellis of Atherton, Calif. After winning the USTA Girls 18 Nationals in San Diego in early August, the young American shocked the tennis world when she upset 12th-seeded Dominika Cibulkova in the first round of the US Open, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. Then, in October, Bellis won her first USTA Pro Circuit singles title, defeating fellow American Lauren Embree, 6-4, 6-0, in the final of the $25,000 Rock Hill Rocks Open in Rock Hill, S.C. The very next week, Bellis captured her second consecutive Pro Circuit singles title, winning the $25,000 McLeod for Health Florence Open in Florence, S.C., with an impressive 6-2, 6-1 victory over sixth-seeded Ysaline Bonaventure of Belgium in the championship. Bellis ended 2014 as the world s top-ranked junior girl. Nicole Gibbs (right) and Melanie Oudin Nicole Gibbs, a two-time NCAA singles champion for Stanford University, got past fellow American Melanie Oudin, 6-4, 6-4, in July to win the USTA Player Development Women s $50,000 Classic in Carson, Calif. The Southern California title helped Gibbs win this year s USTA Pro Circuit US Open Wild Card Challenge. American women took center stage at the Women s Hospital Classic, which was played July at the Wesselman Park Tennis Center in Evansville, Ind. An All-American singles and doubles final highlighted the $10,000 USTA Pro Circuit event. Seventh-seeded Tornado Black defeated top-seeded Caitlin Whoriskey, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, to win the singles championship. In the doubles final, which featured two unseeded American teams, Brooke Austin and Natalie Pluskota defeated Catherine Harrison and Mary Westherholt, 6-4, 3-6, [11-9]. Tornado Black In late July, 15-year-old American Kelly Chen had a dream week as she qualified for the singles main draw of the $10,000 Boneshaker Women s Pro Open of Austin at the Polo Tennis & Fitness Club in Austin, Texas. After reaching the main draw, she reeled in five consecutive victories to win the tournament. In the final, Chen defeated fellow American Mary Weatherholt, 6-3, 7-6(7). Hayley Carter, an All-American at the University of North Carolina, advanced to the singles final and won the doubles title in early August at the Holt FIAT Women's $10K in Fort Worth, Texas. She fell to Tatjana Maria of Germany, 6-1, 6-1, in the singles championship, but came back to team with Stefanie Tan of Singapore for a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Americans Catherine Harrison and Mary Weatherholt in the doubles final. Collegiate player Jennifer Brady swept the singles and doubles titles in September at the $25,000 Ascension Project Women s Challenger in Redding, Calif. The 19-year-old Brady, who plays for UCLA, defeated fellow American Lauren Embree, 6-2, 6-1, in the singles final at Sun Oaks Tennis & Fitness. Brady then teamed with Embree for a 6-3, 6-2 victory over American twin sisters Alexandra and Kat Facey. For Ingrid Neel, the $10,000 Amelia Island Women s Championships at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation in late September may have been better than a Sweet 16 party. After qualifying for the singles main draw, the 16-year-old Neel, from Rochester, Minn., upset top-seeded Nathalia Rossi of Brazil, 6-2, 6-4, in the first round. The young phenom wasn t finished, as she won three more matches to reach the final, in which her opponent, Edina Gallovits-Hall of Romania, retired at 4-4 in the first set. The victory in Amelia Island marks the first professional title for the talented teenager. Ingrid Neel Hayley Carter Jennifer Brady

14 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 14 USTA PRO CIRCUIT PLAYER NEWS Nicole Vaidisova FORMER TOP 10 PLAYER NICOLE VAIDISOVA STARTS COMEBACK ON USTA PRO CIRCUIT Nicole Vaidisova, once ranked No. 7 in the world, found the USTA Pro Circuit to be the ideal place to begin her comeback to the game after four-and-a-half years away from the women s tour. Making her return to professional tennis in the fall, Vaidisova, a two-time Grand Slam tournament semifinalist (2006 French Open, 2007 Australian Open) and two-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist, competed in four USTA Pro Circuit $50,000 events: the Coleman Vision Tennis Championships in Albuquerque, N.M., September 14 21; the Red Rock Pro Open in Las Vegas, Nev., September 21 28; the Tennis Classic of Macon in Macon, Ga., October 19-26; and the John Newcombe Women s Pro Challenge in New Braunfels, Texas, October 26 November 2. Her best result was a quarterfinal showing in Las Vegas. Nicole Gibbs NICOLE GIBBS AND WAYNE ODESNIK EARN US OPEN WILD CARDS Just a year into her pro career, after capturing two consecutive NCAA singles crowns for Stanford University, Nicole Gibbs won the women s USTA Pro Circuit US Open Wild Card Challenge. She compiled a 128-point total to take place first in the Wild Card Challenge after winning the $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Carson, Calif., and reaching the final of the $50,000 tournament in Lexington, Ky. At the US Open, the 21-year-old from Santa Monica, Calif., in her third US Open main draw appearance, reached the third round before losing to Italy s Flavia Pennetta. Wayne Odesnik, a former Top 100 player from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., returned to the US Open main draw for the first time since 2009 after earning a wild card by winning the men s USTA Pro Circuit US Open Wild Card Challenge. He finished the Wild Card Challenge with 77 points after reaching the final of the $50,000 Challenger in Binghamton, N.Y., and the semifinals of the $50,000 Challenger in Lexington, Ky., in back-to-back weeks. At the 2014 US Open, Odesnik fell to eventual finalist Kei Nishikori of Japan in the first round. The women s USTA Pro Circuit US Open Wild Card Challenge consisted of three $50,000 women s tournaments: Sacramento, Calif.; Carson, Calif.; and Lexington, Ky. The women s wild card was awarded from the best combined results in two of the three tournaments. Wayne Odesnik For the men, there were four events: $50,000 Challengers in Lexington and in Binghamton, N.Y., as well as $100,000 Challengers in Vancouver, B.C., and Aptos, Calif. The men s wild card was awarded from the best combined results in two of the four USTA Pro Circuit events.

15 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 15 USTA PRO CIRCUIT PLAYER NEWS AUSTRALIAN OPEN WILD CARDS AWARDED TO DENIS KUDLA AND IRINA FALCONI Irina Falconi and Denis Kudla finished atop the USTA Pro Circuit Australian Open Wild Card Challenge to earn wild cards to compete in the 2015 Australian Open main draw. Kudla won the men s Australian Open Wild Card Challenge by reaching the semifinals of the $50,000 Challenger in Charlottesville, Va., and the quarterfinals at both the $50,000 Challenger in Knoxville, Tenn., and the $50,000 Challenger in Champaign, Ill., for a total of 44 points. The 22-year-old, who finished 2014 ranked No. 121 in the world, also qualified for the main draw of the Australian Open in 2012 and Earning the Australian Open wild card represents a comeback of sorts for Kudla. After winning his opening match at 2014 Wimbledon and then losing to Kei Nishikori in the second round, he was diagnosed with mononucleosis. Denis Kudla Former Georgia Tech standout Falconi clinched the USTA s women s Australian Open wild card with 109 points, winning the $50,000 event in New Braunfels, Texas, and reaching the semifinals of the $50,000 event in Macon, Ga. A $50,000 event in Captiva Island, Fla., was also a part of the women s Wild Card Challenge. A 24-year-old residing in West Palm Beach, Fla., Falconi is currently ranked No. 111 in the world and will be making her fourth Australian Open main draw appearance. Irina Falconi

16 AROUND THE CIRCUIT page 16 USTA PRO CIRCUIT PLAYER NEWS NOTABLE 2014 RECORDS & RESULTS U.S. men and U.S. women won more than half of the singles titles. They also captured the most singles titles of any country. American men won 26 singles titles, while American women claimed 20 singles titles. Sam Querrey was the 2014 men s prize money leader, with $36,000 in earnings after winning three consecutive Challengers last fall (Napa, Sacramento, Tiburon), the most singles titles of any man. Five of the top 10 men on the prize money list in 2014 were Americans. Madison Brengle was the women s prize money leader, with more than $31,000 in earnings and is now ranked sixth all-time in prize money in a single season. The top 7 women on the prize money list in 2014 were Americans. Katerina Stewart won the most singles titles of any woman this season with three championships (Orlando, Bethany Beach, Charlotte). Madison Brengle Sam Querrey won the title in Sacramento while ranked No. 47 in the world, the highest-ranked men's singles champion in USTA Pro Circuit history. Sixteen-year-old Stefan Kozlov reached the final of the Sacramento Challenger (losing to Querrey), becoming the youngest American to reach a Challenger final since Andre Agassi in American Michael Mmoh was the youngest men s singles champion of 2014 at 16 years, 9 months, 16 days, after winning the singles title in Brownsville, Texas. He became the fifth-youngest singles champion in USTA Pro Circuit history. He was ranked No in the world the week he won Brownsville, making him the lowestranked singles champion of American Kelly Chen was the youngest women s singles champion at 15 years, 2 months, 18 days when she claimed the Austin title, making her the youngest champion since Nicole Vaidisova in Edina Gallovits-Hall was the oldest singles champion of 2014 at 29 years, 10 months, 30 days, when she won Captiva Island. She is tied with Kristina Brandi for the most career USTA Pro Circuit singles titles, with 13. Kelly Chen Michael Mmoh Stefan Kozlov