It will be a tennis clash of the titans at the UBC Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre May 2, 2015.
John McEnroe will play Pete Sampras in the first ever PowerShares Series tennis circuit event to be held in Canada.
“This going to be a great night of tennis for Vancouver fans and we are very proud PowerShares chose UBC to host it,” said Kavie Toor, Director of Facilities Business Development for UBC Athletics and Recreation. “The event really speaks to UBC’s reputation as a leading destination for professional tennis tournaments.”
The Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre was the venue for the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group semifinals in 2013 and will welcome the Davis Cup back to Vancouver for first-round games between Canada and Japan March 6-8, 2015.
Other players in the one-night PowerShares tournament include Michael Chang and Mark Philippoussis. The four players will square off in one-set singles semifinals with the winners of those games taking to the court in a final pro-set championship match.
Tickets go on sale December 8 though Ticketmaster. Prices start at $36. VIP packages are also available.
Background
John McEnroe – McEnroe won 17 Grand Slam titles – 7 in singles (3 Wimbledon, 4 U.S. Open; 10 in doubles (5 Wimbledon, 4 U.S. Open, 1 French Open). Well known for his colourful language and challenges to officials
Pete Sampras – 14 Grand Slam titles during his 15-year career. Winning 7 Wimbledon titles, 5 U.S. Open titles and 2 Australian Open titles. Pete turned professional at age 17 and won the title at the U.S. Open at age 19, making him the youngest male to ever win the event.
Michael Chang – American tennis pro with 34 career titles – all in singles. He is the youngest French Open and Grand Slam winner ever.
Mark Philippoussis – Australian – made the 2003 Wimbledon final, losing to Roger Federer 6-7, 2-6, 6-7 [2]. Has 14 Career Titles; 11 in singles, 3 in doubles to his name.
PowerShares is presented by Inside Out Sports + Entertainment, a New York City-based independent producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the PowerShares Series, a collection of tournaments featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including “Legendary Night” exhibitions, charity events and corporate outings. Since inception, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment has raised over $4 million for charity.