Oudin To Play First-Round Singles Match During Evening Session On Tuesday, February 16

Memphis, Tenn. (November 11, 2009) — The Cellular South Cup announced today that American Melanie Oudin has entered the 2010 Cellular South Cup, the premier women’s professional tennis tournament in the Mid-South. Oudin joins three-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova (RUS) as the first two entrants into the 2010 Cellular South Cup singles field of players.

The Cellular South Cup will be played February 14-20, 2010 at The Racquet Club of Memphis. Oudin will play her first-round singles match on Tuesday, February 16 during the evening session. Ticket packages and group tickets to the 2010 Cellular South Cup are on-sale now and are available by calling (901) 765-4401 or via email at ticketsales(at)racquetclubofmemphis(dot)com. Individual session tickets will go on sale in January 2010. Additional information about the Cellular South Cup can be found on the tournament website at www.memphistennis.com.

“We are thrilled to have Melanie Oudin enter the singles field of players at the 2010 Cellular South Cup,” said Tournament Director Peter Lebedevs. “Melanie grabbed the attention of our entire country when she took the US Open by storm – and reached the quarterfinals. She’s now America’s #3 player (behind the Williams Sisters). We look forward to her return to Memphis and her continued success in 2010 here at the Cellular South Cup.”

Oudin, 18, enters to the Cellular South Cup playing the best tennis of her career. A 2009 Wildcard entry into the 2009 Cellular South Cup singles field, Oudin’s 2009 singles record is 39-15. After starting 2009 ranked #209, she is currently ranked #49 in the world. At the 2009 U.S. Open, Oudin captured the attention and hearts of tennis fans around the world when she defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, #4 seed Elena Dementieva, #29 seed Maria Sharapova and #13 seed Nadia Petrova before falling to 2009 Cellular South Cup doubles champion (w/V. Azarenka) and singles finalist Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in the U.S. Open quarterfinals. Oudin, who was born in and resides in Marietta, Georgia, is coached by Brian de Villiers.

“On behalf of Cellular South, I’m delighted to welcome Melanie back to Memphis for the 2010 Cellular South Cup,” said Jim Richmond, Director, Corporate Communications, Cellular South. “It was a pleasure to watch her incredible quarterfinal run in the 2009 U.S. Open, and we hope her visit to Memphis in February is a springboard for even greater success in 2010.”

While it is true that Roger Federer actually won the championship match, beating Roddick 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14, and in turn won his 15th Grand Slam title; Andy played the type of match that tennis pundits and enthusiasts have urged him to play for years.

Without a doubt, the pain of his defeat at Wimbledon will linger, but hopefully Roddick will stay the course and stay in faith as the new Andy is bound to achieve more than the old one.

Venus, the defending champ, lost to her baby sister in straight sets at the All England Club, 7-6, 6-2. Serena served up a storm, hitting aces just when it looked like Venus was making a charge. Serena now has 11 grand slam titles and currently holds 3 of the 4 grand slams. Oddly, Serena Williams will still be ranked number 2 in women’s tennis behind the slamless, Dinara Safina.

Not…:-)! A revamped Andy Roddick squashed British hopes of a homegrown champ in his defeat of Andy Murray in the second of today’s Wimbledon semi-final matches, winning 6-4,4-6,7-6,7-6. Roddick will meet Roger Federer in the Championship match on Sunday. Federer who will be vying for his 15th Grand Slam trophy defeated Germany’s Tommy Haas in straight sets. The last British man to win Wimbledon was Fred Perry in 1938.

Argentine Gisela Dulko beats the 2004 Wimbledon champ in three sets: 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. In previous matches, Sharapovo had put a beat down on the diminutive Dulko. Today Gisela brought her ‘A’ game to the grass courts. Despite a hiccup in the second set, Gisela served the match out and notched her first victory over the Russian.

St Petersburg, Florida, USA (February 20, 2009) – Following a special meeting of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Board conducted earlier today in connection with the decision by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this past week to deny the visa application of Israeli Tour player Shahar Peer, the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour announced that effective immediately it is taking the actions described below.

Commenting on today’s actions, Larry Scott, Chairman & CEO of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour stated: “The actions taken today are intended to redress the wrongs suffered by Shahar Peer, who was victimized by an unjust policy of discrimination by the UAE. These actions are also intended to send a clear message that our Tour will not tolerate discrimination of any kind and that we will never allow this situation to happen again, in UAE or elsewhere. Thanks to the courage of Shahar, and all those individuals and organizations – including her fellow players – that supported her, the UAE has changed their policy and another barrier of discrimination has fallen.”

Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Actions in re Shahar Peer, Anna Lena Groenefeld and Dubai Tournament:

• Shahar Peer Ranking Points - The awarding of 130 ranking points to Shahar Peer – an amount equal to the points that she earned during the same week in 2008 (week of Memphis) that she was unable to defend this past week in Dubai as a result of the denial of her entry visa by UAE. Such points will remain on Ms. Peer’s ranking until such time as she has had an opportunity to earn
  equivalent points at the next tournament offering ranking points equal to the Dubai tournament.

• Shahar Peer Prize Money – The awarding of US$44,250 to Shahar Peer – an amount equal to the average prize money that she earned per tournament (singles and doubles) in 2008, grossed up to take account for the increased prize money on offer at 2009 tournaments.

• Anna Lena Groenefeld Prize Money – The awarding of US$7,950 to Anna Lena Groenefeld, who was to be Shahar Peer’s doubles partner in Dubai and who was unable to compete in doubles with Ms. Peer as a result of the denial of Ms. Peer’s entry visa by UAE. This amount is equal to the average prize money that she earned per tournament in doubles in 2008, grossed up to take account for the increased prize money on offer at 2009 tournaments.

• Dubai Tennis Championships Financial Penalty – The fining of the Dubai tournament US$300,000 for breach of Tour Rules, By-Laws and conditions of membership related to the denial of entry to Shahar Peer. This fine amount represents the highest fine ever levied against a Tour member. Proceeds from the fine shall be used to compensate each of Ms. Peer and Ms. Groenefeld, with the balance to be donated to a charity or charities, to be determined by the Tour in consultation with Ms. Peer.

• Dubai Tennis Championships Financial Performance Guarantee – The posting by the Dubai tournament of a US$2 million financial performance guarantee by July 1, 2009 that the conditions described below will be satisfied.

• Dubai Tennis Championships Conditions for Continued Membership – The establishment of a series of conditions to be met by the Dubai tournament in order to maintain its membership and be included on the Tour’s 2010 calendar, including: (i) confirmation of the written assurances already received that all players who qualify for the tournament shall, regardless of nationality, or any other reason, be allowed to play in the Dubai event and shall be issued entry visas or permits, (ii) proof of approved UAE entry permit to enter the UAE for any Israeli player a minimum of eight (8) weeks prior to the start of the 2010 Dubai tournament, and (iii) guarantee that Ms. Peer shall be offered a wildcard to play the Dubai tournament in 2010 in the event that she does not qualify by ranking.