Promus U.S. Open Logo

1999 Promus Hotel Corporation
4th U.S. OPEN

The Racquet Club of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee: December 1-5

preview

For other preview information, click on the logo above to go to www.promususopen.com !

PREVIEW | Dailies + | Drawsheets | Visuals | Finals & Finishers

MEDIA ADVISORY! ... Call 719/635-5396, ext. 126 (pre-event) for more details about this event from Christie Hyde, USRA Media/Public Relations Coordinator. For website questions or concerns, contact Linda Mojer, USRA Assoc. Executive Director/Communications & Editor/RACQUETBALL.

To confirm your entry and ticket purchases ...

check out the participant list
[look for updates through the deadline!]

Starting times ...

... will be available by telephone only, by calling 901-765-4411 -- after 5:00 pm (central time) on Monday, November 30.

Racquet Club of Memphis to Host 4th Annual Event

The city of Memphis will again host the Promus U.S. OPEN Racquetball Championships, the sport’s largest and most prestigious tournament. The event will be held at The Racquet Club of Memphis for the fourth-consecutive year, beginning on Wednesday, Dec. 1 and running through Sunday, Dec. 5. The U.S. Racquetball Association event is racquetball’s only “Grand Slam” tourney.

All of the top players in the world have committed to return for this year’s ESPN2 televised Promus U.S. OPEN. Among those making the trip will be defending-champions Sudsy Monchik (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Jackie Paraiso (El Cajon, Calif.), current world-champion Christie Van Hees (Vancouver, B.C., Canada), and 1999 Pan American Games gold-medalist Adam Karp (Stockton, Calif.) and Cheryl Gudinas (Chicago). Memphis’ own Andy Roberts is anxious to play in his favorite tournament of the season.

“Memphis has the finest facilities in the country,” said Roberts, who competed in the finals of the U.S. National Doubles Championships with Karp earlier this month. “The local host sites enable the promoters to create an atmosphere that no other site could produce. We have very special people in the business who are willing to make the financial contributions to make this event happen.”

With the additional help of co-sponsors such as Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, Wilsonart, Kroger, Nabisco, Argenbright Security Inc., and GTE Wireless, the Promus U.S. OPEN has put up a prize money purse of more than $45,000, the largest on both the men’s International Racquetball Tour (IRT) and the Women’s International Racquetball Tour (WIRT).

Perhaps the most innovative sports advancement in recent years, the world’s first truly “made-for-TV” portable stadium racquetball court will be in full service. The court was designed and built by The Court Company of Memphis, owned by 1974 National Intercollegiate Singles Champion Randy Stafford (University of Tennessee). All professional matches from the quarterfinals on will be played on the portable court, with a seating capacity over 1,100. Although the court has previously only been used at the Promus U.S. Open, it made its international debut at this summer’s Pan Am Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Along with the professionals, 550 amateurs will compete for skill and age titles for all levels. Play will be split among three venues, The Racquet Club of Memphis, Wimbleton Sportsplex and the University of Memphis. Doubles competition will also debut at this year’s tournament. Tickets can be purchased by calling (800)234-5396.

Photos and video tape from the 1998 Promus U.S. OPEN are available upon request. For more information, please contact Christie Hyde, USRA Media & Public Relations Coordinator, at (719) 635-5396 ext. 126 or e-mail to: CHyde@USRA.org.

Good for Everyone!

Entering its fourth year, the Promus U.S. OPEN Racquetball Championships is continuing to serve up positive benefits for the Memphis community. The event runs Dec. 1-5 at three locations: The Racquet Club of Memphis (main location), Wimbleton Sportsplex and the University of Memphis.

Helping the Children of St. Jude - Presented by the U.S. Racquetball Association, the U.S. Olympic Committee’s national governing body for the sport of racquetball, the Promus U.S. OPEN’s four-year total is expected to surpass $53,000 in donations for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. All proceeds from the Nov. 30 Pro-Am Doubles event at The Racquet Club of Memphis will be donated to St. Jude. Along with a camera crew from ESPN2, several of the world’s top pros will visit with the children of St. Jude.

Helping the Children of Memphis - Over $10,000 worth of tickets will be given to students from area public schools to attend the Promus U.S. OPEN. In addition, students will be involved in private “question and answer” sessions with the world’s top pro players.

Economic Impact - The Promus U.S. OPEN attracts an estimated 3,000 fans and players from around the world to Memphis. Over the duration of a five-day stay, the economic impact was conservatively calculated at more than $2.85 million.

Giving Back to the University - The Promus U.S. Open is working in a cooperative effort with the University of Memphis to allow students studying public relations and sports management the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with a major professional sporting event.

Memphis on ESPN2 - A lengthy video segment on the terrific aspects of living in Memphis will be aired along with the Promus U.S. OPEN on ESPN2. Memphis-area citizens can join the action of the Promus U.S. OPEN by purchasing tickets at The Racquet Club of Memphis or Wimbleton Sportsplex, or they may be ordered directly by phone at 1-800-234-5396. All Memphis citizens will be guaranteed tickets if purchased by Friday, Nov. 5.

Memphis Rich in Racquetball Heritage

No city in the world has contributed more to the sport of racquetball than Memphis. From the success of the University of Memphis team to the powerful local talent, Memphis has given racquetball a foundation on which to build a strong future.

The Memphis Tigers, coached by Larry Liles, have won 13 U.S. National Intercollegiate Championships team titles — nine consecutive from 1977-85. To put the Tigers’ phenomenal run into perspective, college basketball’s UCLA dynasty of the late 60’s and early 70’s amassed 10 national titles. On an individual basis, University of Memphis players have captured over 40 national crowns.

Before moving to Colorado Springs, Colo., where it is headquartered today, the United States Racquetball Association (formerly known as the American Amateur Racquetball Association) called Memphis its home. The association resided in Memphis during the sport’s developmental stages from 1976 to ‘82.

As a “pioneer” racquetball city, Memphis has played host to a men’s pro tour stop for all of the past 23 seasons. Now as the home of the Promus U.S. OPEN Racquetball Championships, which is the largest prize money purse of any stop for both the men’s International Racquetball Tour (IRT) and the Women’s International Racquetball Tour (WIRT), Memphis has again pushed the sport ahead.

Known around the pro circuit as the “King of Racquetball,” it only seems appropriate that Andy Roberts, of nearby Collierville, Tenn., has the opportunity to play in front of his family and friends at the Promus U.S. OPEN. Roberts was the runner-up to Sudsy Monchik (Staten Island, N.Y.) for the inaugural 1996 title. The former Memphis Tiger finished the 1997-98 IRT season ranked fourth in the world, and recently regained a slot on the U.S. National Racquetball Team with his second-place finish with Adam Karp (Stockton, Calif.) earlier this month at the U.S. National Doubles Championships in Baltimore, Md.

Tickets Going Fast

Officials with the United States Racquetball Association (USRA) were in town today to announce that Memphis would again host the Promus U.S. OPEN Racquetball Championships. The event will be held at The Racquet Club of Memphis for the fourth-straight year, beginning Wednesday, Dec. 1 and running through Sunday, Dec. 5. The USRA event is racquetball’s only “Grand Slam” tourney.

“Last year’s event sold out so quickly that many Memphis area fans were unable to buy tickets,” Tournament Director Doug Ganim stated. “This year, we are guaranteeing Memphis fans tickets.”

For Memphis residents to be guaranteed tickets to the event, they must be purchased by Friday, Nov. 5. Ticket prices range from $9 for a single session seat to $75 for an All Sessions Package. Ticket applications can be picked up at The Racquet Club of Memphis or Wimbleton Sportsplex, or they may be ordered directly by phone at 1-800-234-5396.

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