Seven of Top Ten Players in World to Compete in Premier Charleston Event

For Immediate Release, February 2007
http://www.familycirclecup.com
TOP 10 STARS NICOLE VAIDISOVA AND JELENA JANKOVIC ENTER 2007 FAMILY CIRCLE CUP


Seven of the Top Ten Players in the World to Compete in Premier Charleston Event


CHARLESTON, SC (February 5, 2007) The 2007 Family Circle Cup continues to attract the top ranked players on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour as World No. 9 Nicole Vaidisova and World No. 10 Jelena Jankovic have officially entered the Charleston event. With the addition of these two premier players, this year’s Family Circle Cup player field now boasts seven of the top ten players in the world including No. 1 Maria Sharapova, No. 2 Justine Henin, No. 3 Amélie Mauresmo, No. 5 Svetlana Kuznetsova, and No. 6 Martina Hingis. Celebrating over three decades in women’s professional tennis, the Family Circle Cup is scheduled for April 7th - 15th, 2007 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, South Carolina.


“Nicole and Jelena are two players who represent the youthful and talented depth that exists at the top level of women’s professional tennis today,” commented Robin Reynolds, Family Circle Cup Tournament Director. “They are the driving force behind the next generation of stars, and we’re very glad to have them back in Charleston competing against the other top players in the world.”



Nicole Vaidisova’s Family Circle Cup debut in 2005 was a memorable one. She came into the tournament ranked No. 47 in the world. She upset the No. 3 seed Anastasia Myskina en route to the quarterfinal round, marking her career-first Top 10 victory. At only seventeen years old with over $1.5 million in career earnings, Nicole has already claimed six Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles titles, and finished the 2006 season ranked as the World No. 10 player after peaking at No. 9 in August of that year. Nicole was born in Germany where she resided until traveling to Florida to train at the Bollettieri Academy, and currently resides in Prague, Czech Republic.



Jelena Jankovic is making her fourth consecutive appearance at the Family Circle Cup, and at only 21 years old has earned over $1.7 million in career winnings. She has already claimed two Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles titles, and finished her 2006 breakthrough season ranked as the World No. 12 player. In 2006, she posted her best Grand Slam result to date by advancing to the semifinals of the US Open, as well as capturing her career first doubles title at Birmingham. After claiming Auckland at the beginning of 2007, she rose to a career high World No. 10 on January 27th, and has propelled herself to a 13-3 record this season. Jelena was born in Serbia and currently resides in Bradenton, Florida.



The 2007 Family Circle Cup will be held April 7th – 15th at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, South Carolina. The Family Circle Tennis Center is a public facility owned by the City of Charleston and operated by Family Circle Magazine that hosts a variety of events including concerts, festivals, tennis events and other special activities throughout the year. With over 21 million readers, Family Circle is one of the most widely read monthly magazines in America and is one of 14 leading subscription magazines owned by Meredith Corporation. The Tennis Center features a 10,200 seat stadium, a Grand Lawn, 17 tennis courts, all lighted for night play, a racquet club featuring a full service pro shop and locker room facilities and a full service event management staff capable of handling all aspects of an event including ticketing, operations, sales, advertising, marketing, public relations, and food & beverage. Family Circle Cup tickets are available now via phone, on-line, or at Ticketmaster outlets. For tickets or more information on the Family Circle Cup or Tennis Center please call (843) 856-7900 or visit us online at www.familycirclecup.com.