FAYEZ SAROFIM & CO. U.S. MEN S CLAY COURT CHAMPIONSHIP: PREVIEW & DAY 1 MEDIA NOTES Monday, April 4, 2016 River Oaks Country Club, Houston, Texas, United States April 4 10, 2016 Draw: S-28, D-16 Prize Money: $577,860 Surface: Clay ATP Info: Tournament Info: ATP PR & Marketing: http://www.mensclaycourt.com/ Joshua Rey: jrey@atpworldtour.com @ATPWorldTour @mensclaycourt Press Room: +1 713-874-6356 facebook.com/atpworldtour facebook.com/mensclaycourt FAYEZ SAROFIM & CO. U.S. MEN S CLAY COURT CHAMPIONSHIP TALKING POINTS FAYEZ SAROFIM & CO. U.S. MEN S CLAY COURT CHAMPIONSHIP: This year's event will mark the 82 nd tournament hosted at River Oaks Country Club. The last four winners are in the 28-player field, with reigning champion Jack Sock, 2014 titlist Fernando Verdasco, 2013 champ John Isner, who is the top seed for the second time in three years, and 2012 titleholder Juan Monaco. The other seeds are: No. 2 Benoit Paire, No. 3 Feliciano Lopez, No. 4 Sock, No. 5/two-time finalist Sam Querrey, No. 6 Steve Johnson, No. 7 Marcos Baghdatis and No. 8 Denis Kudla. Overall, there are seven players in the Top 50 Emirates ATP Rankings in the draw. DAY 1 PREVIEW: There are five matches (3 singles, 2 doubles) scheduled on opening day at the U.S. Men s Clay Court Championship. In the first singles match on Center Court Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic, the first player to win a clay court title in 2016 by defending his unbeaten record in Quito (d. Bellucci in final, 10-0 career), meets 19-year-old Hyeon Chung, playing the fifth main-draw clay court match of his ATP World Tour career. Then No. 8-seeded American Denis Kudla goes in search of his first Tour-level clay-court match win (0-3) against German qualifier Mischa Zverev. Kudla comes into the match with a 2-1 head-to-head record at the Challenger level, but all three encounters have gone three sets. In the last match of the day, Gerald Melzer meets 2012 champion Juan Monaco. The Austrian is playing his first ATP World Tour match of the season having claimed three Challenger titles already in 2016, while Monaco hasn t lost in the 1R here since his debut in 2006 (l. 1R to Fish). ISNER TOP SEED: U.S. No. 1 John Isner is four match wins away from reaching 300 in his career (296-183). The 30-year-old American comes in with an 8-6 match record on the season. He helped the U.S. to the Davis Cup quarter-finals (vs. Croatia) with a pair of wins in Australia. Each of his last four losses have come in a third-set tie-break; he is 9-9 in tie-breaks on the season. Isner is making his ninth straight appearance in Houston (11-7 record) and he won his first clay court title in 2013 (d. Almagro). The last two years he lost in his opening match (after bye to D. Brown, Gabashvili). Last season Isner finished a year-end best No. 11 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. CHAMP SOCK RETURNS: Last year Jack Sock defeated countryman Sam Querrey 76(9) 76(2) to earn his maiden ATP World Tour singles crown. It was the first all-american final in Houston since 2003 (Agassi d. Roddick). Sock came in unseeded and ranked No. 46 before winning 10 straight sets (lost the opening set 1R to Souza). Sock went on to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros (l. to Nadal), his best career Grand Slam singles result. He finished a year-end best No. 26. This season he reached the Auckland final (ret. vs. Bautista Agut) and afterwards reached a career-high No. 22 on January 18. NEXT GENERATION TO WATCH: There are three members of the ATP World Tour s Next Generation in the main draw: last year s ATP Most Improved Player of the Year, 19-year-old Hyeon Chung of Korea along with 18-year-old wild cards Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe. Paul won the Roland Garros boys title last year and was runner-up at the US Open boys tournament. He is up to a career-high ranking of No. 200 (from No. 215) after qualifying at the Miami Open.Tiafoe reached a career-high No. 167 Mar. 21. SPANIARDS RETURN: Madrid natives Feliciano Lopez and Fermando Verdasco are both playing in Houston for the fourth time. Lopez has a 4-3 record, reaching the SF in his 2012 debut while Verdasco won the title two years ago and SF last year. Verdasco has an 8-2 record at River Oaks Country Club. QUERREY STARTS STRONG: No. 3 American and 2010 & last year s runner-up Sam Querrey is off to a 12-6 start this season, having captured his eighth career ATP World Tour title in Delray Beach (d. Ram) in February. Querrey has an 11-6 career record in Houston and along with his two runner-up finishes, he advanced to the semi-finals in 2014.
Page 2 of 7 BRYANS BACK IN HOUSTON: Five-time U.S. Clay Courts champions Bob and Mike Bryan, who have finished No. 1 on the ATP World Tour in 10 of the last 13 years, are making their 12th appearance in Houston. They have won five titles (2007, 09-10-11, '14) in their last seven visits (did not play 2008, 2012) and have compiled a 24-2 mark since 2007. Their best result in 2016 is a runner-up finish in Delray Beach. Their last title came at ATP Masters 1000 Montreal last August. TITLE WATCH: Four former champions Jack Sock (2015), Fernando Verdasco (2014), John Isner (2013) and Juan Monaco (2012) take their place in this week s draw. Since the event relocated to Houston in 2001, Americans have won eight of the past 15 titles. Andy Roddick is the only multiple champion in this span (2001-02, 2005), and the last player to defend the title. Roddick reached five consecutive finals between 2001 and 2005. SINGLES HONOR ROLL (since 2006): BOLD - Players in singles draw YEAR WINNER FINALIST SCORE 2015 Jack Sock Sam Querrey 7-6(9), 7-6(2) 2014 Fernando Verdasco Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 7-6(4) 2013 John Isner Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 7-5 2012 Juan Monaco John Isner 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 2011 Ryan Sweeting Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-6(3) 2010 Juan Ignacio Chela Sam Querrey 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 2009 Lleyton Hewitt Wayne Odesnik 6-2, 7-5 2008 Marcel Granollers James Blake 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 2007 Ivo Karlovic Mariano Zabaleta 6-4, 6-1 2006 Mardy Fish Jurgen Melzer 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 DOUBLES WATCH: No 1 seeds the Bryan brothers are five-time champions in Houston, having reached six of the last nine finals. Germany s Philipp Petzschner and Alexander Peya of Austria, the No. 2 seeds, are making their team debut in Houston, as are Eric Butorac and partner Scott Lipsky, who reached the 2015 final (w/huey). Sam Querrey and Steve Johnson are the No. 4 seeds; Querrey has reached the final on two previous occasions, losing (w/ Isner) to the Bryans in 2011 before winning (w/blake) over Huey and Inglot in 2012. It is 10 years since Julian Knowle reached the final (w/melzer, l. to Kohlmann/Waske); the Austrian is back with Slovak Igor Zelenay. DOUBLES HONOR ROLL (since 2006): BOLD - Players in doubles draw YEAR CHAMPION RUNNER-UP 2015 Ricardas Berankis / Teymuraz Gabashvili Treat Huey / Scott Lipsky 2014 Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan David Marrero / Fernando Verdasco 2013 Jamie Murray / John Peers Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan 2012 James Blake / Sam Querrey Treat Huey / Dominic Inglot 2011 Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan John Isner / Sam Querrey 2010 Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan Stephen Huss / Wesley Moodie 2009 Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan Jesse Levine / Ryan Sweeting 2008 Ernests Gulbis / Rainer Schuettler Pablo Cuevas / Marcel Granollers 2007 Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan Mark Knowles / Daniel Nestor 2006 Michael Kohlmann / Alexander Waske Julian Knowle / Jurgen Melzer
Page 3 of 7 SEEDS TO WATCH THIS WEEK SINGLES: SEED PLAYER RECORD BEST FINISH 1. John Isner (USA) 11-7 Winner 2013 2. Benoit Paire (FRA) 0-0 DEBUT 3. Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 4-3 SF 2012 4. Jack Sock (USA) 8-2 Winner 2015 5. Sam Querrey (USA) 11-6 F 2010, 15 6. Steve Johnson (USA) 2-3 R16 2014-15 7. Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 1-2 R16 2006 8. Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) 3-3 QF 2013 WILDCARDS (3): Tommy Paul (USA) Tim Smyczek (USA) Frances Tiafoe (USA) QUALIFIERS (4): Matthew Barton (AUS) Carlos Berlocq (ARG) Nicolas Kicker (ARG) Mischa Zverev (GER) YOUNGEST: Frances Tiafoe (USA) 18 years, 2 months OLDEST: Michael Berrer (GER) 35 years, 9 months TOP COUNTRY BREAKDOWN: USA (9), Argentina, Germany (4 each) Countries in total: 13 PROTECTED RANKING: Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) DOUBLES: SEED PLAYERS BEST FINISH 1. Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan Winner 2007, 2009-11, 2014 2. Philipp Petzschner / Alexander Peya DEBUT 3. Eric Butorac / Scott Lipsky DEBUT 4. Steve Johnson / Sam Querrey R16 2014 EMIRATES ATP RANKING POINTS AND PRIZE MONEY W F SF QF R16 R28 SINGLES RANKING POINTS 250 150 90 45 20 0 SINGLES PRIZE MONEY ($) 91,630 48,260 26,140 14,890 8,775 5,200 DOUBLES RANKING POINTS 250 150 90 45 0 DOUBLES PRIZE MONEY ($) 27,840 14,630 7,930 4,540 2,660
Page 4 of 7 DAY 1 FEDEX ATP HEAD 2 HEADS In Order of Play CENTER COURT N. Monroe (USA) / N. Skupski (GBR) vs [WC] R. Opelka (USA) / T. Paul (USA) (playing together for first time) (played in four Futures and two Challengers) * Monroe, 33, is making his third appearance (2013-14) in Houston and looking for first win (0-2) Comes in career-high No. 48 this week after reaching QFs (w/isner) at Miami Open (l. to Huey/Mirnyi) Has a 3-4 career record in ATP World Tour doubles finals, with all three titles coming in Sweden (2013-14 Bastad, 2015 Stockholm) Has a 4-8 record this season and best result is SF in Quito (w/krajicek) Played four years at Univ. of North Carolina before turning pro in 2004 * Skupski, 26, is making his second appearance in Houston and two years ago lost in 1R (to Ebden/Groth) Comes in No. 84 in Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings after reaching career-high No. 69 on Mar. 31, 2014 Has played mostly on Challenger level in his career and best ATP World Tour result was runner-up in Moscow in 2013 (w/brother Ken) in tour debut Has a 10-18 career record on ATP World Tour This season won titles in February at Bergamo and Cherbourg Challengers, both w/brother * Opelka, 18, has teamed with Paul in four Futures events in 2014, reaching SFs in Mexico #8 They also played in Charlottesville (1R) and Knoxville (QF) Challengers last year Won last year s Wimbledon boys title (d. Fritz in SF, Ymer in F) and runner-up in doubles (w/santillan) Also QF at Roland Garros boys event (l. to Mmoh) Has been on the comeback trail after suffering a right foot stress fracture last November In February, lost in 2R at U.S. Futures #7 and 1R two weeks later at U.S. #9 Played in singles qualifying over the weekend and lost in final round to Aussie Matthew Barton 76 61 * Paul, 18, is a main draw wild card and he makes his singles debut on Tuesday vs. No. 8 seed Paolo Lorenzi Last year won Roland Garros boys title (d. Fritz) and reached final at US Open boys event (l. to Fritz) In January, won back-to-back U.S. Futures #3 & #4 on clay in Florida Looking for first career ATP World Tour main draw singles win after losing in 1R in Memphis (l. to Becker), Acapulco as a qualifier (l. to Marchenko) and ATP Masters 1000 Miami as a qualifier (l. to Smyczek) Comes in ranked a career-high No. 200 this week (from 215) and part of ATP World Tour Next Generation group of players (ages 18-21) in the Top 200 Emirates ATP Rankings Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) vs Hyeon Chung (KOR) Estrella Burgos 2016 FastFacts: Winner: Quito (d Bellucci) YTD W-L: 6-5 (5-0 on clay) YTD Titles: 1 / Career Titles: 2 Date of Birth: August 2, 1980 Emirates ATP Ranking: 69 Houston W-L (Best Result-Year): 0-1 (1R 2015) The 35-year-old is making his second tournament appearance and is in search of his first win after losing 1R in 2015 (l. to Groth) Captured 2nd ATP World Tour title at Quito, defending title with 46 76(5) 62 win over Bellucci Undefeated on clay at ATP World Tour level in 2016 (5-0; also QF Bucaramanga CH, l. to Bourgue, 2R Santo Domingo CH, l. to Kovalik overall clay win-loss for 2016: 8-2) Improved to 10-0 in Quito during career (20-34 at other tour-level events excluding Davis Cup) Only other win of season came in Acapulco 1R (d. L. Gomez, l. to Fritz)
Page 5 of 7 Chung 2016 FastFacts: YTD W-L: 5-8 (0-0 on clay) Date of Birth: May 19, 1996 Emirates ATP Ranking: 71 Houston W-L (Best Result-Year): 1-1 (2R 2015) The 19-year-old is making his second tournament appearance after reaching 2R as a qualifier in 2015 (d. Arguello, l. to Verdasco) First clay court match of 2016 and 12 th main-draw clay match of his career 2-2 on ATP World Tour (19-20 overall), 5-2 on Challenger Tour (50-21 overall) Earned biggest win of career by ranking over No. 34 Garcia-Lopez in Rotterdam 1R (l. to Troicki 2R) Also advanced to 2R at Brisbane (d. Groth, l. to Cilic) and Dubai (d. Seppi, l. to Bautista Agut) Swept 6 sets to defeat Venus and Statham in Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group I (KOR d. NZL 3-1) Fell to eventual champion Djokovic in 1R of Australian Open debut Qualified, earned 1st 2 ATP doubles wins of career at Dubai w/vesely, falling to Lopez/Lopez in SF Denis Kudla (USA) vs [Q] Mischa Zverev (GER) First ATP Meeting Other meetings: 12 Dallas CH (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Denis Kudla 6-3 5-7 6-2 12 Sarasota CH (U.S.A.) Clay R32 Denis Kudla 3-6 6-2 6-2 16 Irving CH (U.S.A.) Hard R32 Mischa Zverev 6-3 3-6 6-3 Kudla FastFacts: 2016 Highlights: YTD W-L: 5-7 (0-0 on clay) Date of Birth: August 17, 1992 Emirates ATP Ranking: 59 Houston W-L (Best Result-Year): 0-1 (1R 2014) The 23-year-old is making his second main-draw appearance (0-1 record). Lost 1R in 2014 (l. to Johnson); fell in qualifying 2011, 15 Looking for first ATP World Tour clay court match win (0-3 career) Advanced to 2R at Brisbane, Australian Open, Memphis, ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells and ATP Masters 1000 Miami Achieved career-high No. 59 in Emirates ATP Rankings on February 8 Fell to del Potro 61 64 in Delray Beach 1R Argentine s 1st match since 2015 ATP Masters 1000 Miami Zverev 2016 FastFacts: YTD W-L: 1-1 (0-0 on clay) Date of Birth: August 22, 1987 Emirates ATP Ranking: 164 Houston W-L (Best Result-Year): 0-2 (1R 2010-11) The 27-year-old qualifier is makesmhis third main-draw appearance after 1R exits in 2010 (l. to Massu) and 2011 (l. to Kunitsyn) Fell in qualifying 2012-15 (last year to Chung in final round) Playing second main-draw event of the year qualified and reached 2R at Marseille, retiring vs. Goffin due to neck injury Led Fritz 4-0 in 3rd before falling in final round of Australian Open qualifying In lone doubles event of season, advanced to Montpellier final w/a. Zverev (d. Bhupathi/Marray, l. to Pavic/Venus) Younger brother, Alexander, 18, who reached the 4R at ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells (l. to Nadal), is ranked No. 54 after reaching a career-high No. 52 on Mar. 21
Page 6 of 7 Gerald Melzer (AUT) vs Juan Monaco (ARG) Melzer 2016 FastFacts: YTD W-L: 0-1 (0-0 on clay) Date of Birth: July 13, 1990 Emirates ATP Ranking: 117 Houston W-L (Best Result-Year): 0-1 (1R 2013) The 25-year-old left-handed Austrian is playing here for the second time after reaching the main draw through qualifying on his 2013 debut (l. 1R to Lorenzi) First ATP World Tour match of 2016; has compiled an 18-3 record on Challenger circuit so far this season, and lost to Sousa in Davis Cup Europe/Africa Zone Group I (AUT d. POR 4-1) Has played six Challenger events, winning two titles on clay (Mendoza ARG, d. Michon; Bucaramanga COL, d. Lorenzi) and one on hard courts (Morelos MEX, d. Gonzalez) On Challenger Tour, has registered a 13-3 clay court record this season Monaco 2016 FastFacts: YTD W-L: 2-4 (1-2 on clay) YTD Titles: 0 / Career Titles: 8 Date of Birth: March 29, 1984 Emirates ATP Ranking: 148 Houston W-L (Best Result-Year): 9-4 (Winner 2012) The 32-year-old former champion (2012, d. Isner) is making his sixth main-draw appearance. Also reached SF in 2013 (l. to Isner) and QF in 2007 (l. to Blake). Reached 2R on last appearance in 2014 (l. to Young) Earned second win of season at ATP Masters 1000 Miami 1R (d. Dodig, l. to Simon in 2R). Prior to posted only clay court win of 2016 in Buenos Aires 1R (d. Cecchinato, l. to No. 5 Nadal in 2R) Retired from Rio de Janeiro 1R vs. Gimeno-Traver due to right shoulder injury Withdrew from Australian Open due to right wrist injury OTHER FIRST ROUND FEDEX ATP HEAD 2 HEADS In Draw Order [WC] Tommy Paul (USA) vs [8] Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) [WC] Frances Tiafoe (USA) vs [Q] Matthew Barton (AUS) Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs [Q] Carlos Berlocq (ARG) Series Tied 1-1 12 Auckland (New Zealand) Hard R16 Fernando Verdasco 7-5 7-6(3) 13 Båstad (Sweden) Clay F Carlos Berlocq 7-5 6-1 Diego Schwartzman (ARG) vs [7] Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) [6] Steve Johnson (USA) vs Donald Young (USA) Johnson Leads 2-0 12 Atlanta (U.S.A.) Hard R32 Steve Johnson 6-3 3-6 6-3 15 Houston (U.S.A.) Clay R32 Steve Johnson 7-5 6-4 Other meeting: 13 Aptos CH (U.S.A.) Hard R32 Donald Young 2-6 6-3 7-6(3) [Q] Nicolas Kicker (ARG) vs [WC] Tim Smyczek (USA) Lukas Lacko (SVK) vs [PR] Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) Tursunov Leads 1-0 14 Dubai (U.A.E.) Hard R32 Dmitry Tursunov 7-5 6-1
Page 7 of 7 [5] Sam Querrey (USA) vs Dustin Brown (GER) Series Tied 2-2 10 Newport (U.S.A.) Grass R16 Dustin Brown 6-4 6-3 11 Delray Beach (U.S.A.) Hard R32 Sam Querrey 6-3 5-7 6-3 14 Houston (U.S.A.) Clay QF Sam Querrey 6-3 6-7(8) 6-3 15 Newport (U.S.A.) Grass R16 Dustin Brown 6-2 4-6 6-4 Benjamin Becker (GER) vs Michael Berrer (GER) Becker Leads 1-0 15 Atlanta (U.S.A.) Hard R32 Benjamin Becker 7-5 ret Other meetings: 13 Ortisei CH (Italy) Hard R16 Benjamin Becker 6-4 4-6 6-4 14 Heilbronn CH (Germany) Hard R16 Michael Berrer 6-4 6-1