LONDON (May 19, 2016) - IMG today announced that World No.6 Kei Nishikori, World No.10 Milos Raonic and World No.23 Feliciano Lopez have joined the player field at the 2016 edition of the Tennis Classic at Hurlingham, taking place at The Hurlingham Club in London from June 21-24, 2016. They join current ATP stars Tomáš Berdych, Richard Gasquet and Jack Sock, as well as the legends field consisting of Greg Rusedski, Mark Philippoussis, Thomas Enqvist, Fabrice Santoro, Sebastien Grosjean and Mansour Bahrami.
A member of the ATP’s Top 10 for the third season in a row, Japan’s Nishikori owns eleven career singles titles and is the 2014 US Open finalist. He is the only male Japanese tennis player ever to be ranked inside the Top 10 and is the only Asian male to reach a Grand Slam final. Nishikori enjoyed a career-high ranking of World No.4 in 2015.
‘’I am a big fan of the Tennis Classic at Hurlingham and I love the atmosphere and the beautiful grass courts. Playing at Hurlingham helps me with my Wimbledon preparation and I enjoy playing in front of the British fans,’’ said Nishikori.
Canada’s Raonic has enjoyed a career-high ranking of World No.4 and is the most successful tennis player in Canada’s history. He has won eight singles titles and reached two Grand Slam semifinals – at the 2014 Wimbledon Championships and the 2016 Australian Open.
Over the last five years, Nishikori and Raonic have enjoyed one of the best rivalries on tour. They have met seven times, with Nishikori leading the head-to-head 5–2. Their fourth round match at the 2014 US Open is tied for the all-time latest finish in New York, with Nishikori prevailing in five sets lasting four hours and 19 minutes. Their most recent meeting was in the 2016 Davis Cup where Nishikori won another epic five-set match.
Spain’s Lopez is a two-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist and reached a career-high ranking of World No.12 in March 2015. In addition to four ATP titles, he has won the Davis Cup for Spain four times.
‘‘Kei and Milos are two of the most exciting players on the ATP Tour who have enjoyed a great rivalry over the last few years. Feliciano has played at Hurlingham numerous times and is a crowd favourite. It’s fantastic that they’ve joined the player field at the Tennis Classic at Hurlingham and will ensure that the 2016 edition of the event is the best one yet,’’ said Tournament Chairman Jan Felgate.
2016 will mark the 23rd staging of the event which over the years has become one of the world’s most star-studded tennis exhibitions, tying together premier hospitality with a stellar player line-up that has boasted tennis’ biggest stars of the past, present and future. Over the years, some of the sport’s best players have competed at the event, including Grand Slam champions Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka, Marin Cilic, as well as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, David Ferrer, and rising stars Grigor Dimitrov and Nick Kyrgios. The Tennis Classic at Hurlingham will announce further additions to the player line up, including current ATP stars, over the next few weeks.
Owned and managed by IMG, the Tennis Classic at Hurlingham takes place at the height of the tennis season, the week prior to Wimbledon. Set in the tranquil 42-acre grounds of The Hurlingham Club, it’s become one of the most intimate tennis events in the social calendar, showcasing some of the current stars of today, playing in a series of singles exhibition matches as they finalise their preparations ahead of Wimbledon, as well as a number of tennis legends. In addition to Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal, such legends of the sport as Tim Henman, Pat Cash and Goran Ivanisevic have participated in the event.
Hospitality tickets are on sale now.
Listings:
Event: The Tennis Classic at Hurlingham
Location: The Hurlingham Club, Ranelagh Gardens, London, SW6 3PR
Dates: Tuesday, June 21 - Friday, June 24, 2016
Packages: Available from £195 per person (inc. VAT)
Booking information: 020 8233 5854 / hurlinghamtennisclassic@img.com
Website: www.hurlinghamtennisclassic.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tennis-classic-at-Hurlingham
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tennis_Classic
Press Contact:
Harriet Young, IMG
+44 (0) 20 8233 5155
Harriet.young@img.com
About IMG
IMG is a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion, operating in more than 25 countries. The company represents and manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is one of the largest independent producers and distributors of sports media. IMG also specializes in sports training; league development; and marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, a leading global entertainment agency.