SAP OPEN AT HP PAVILLION
World Class Tennis in San Jose

This February, HP Pavilion will become the center of attention once again for tennis fans worldwide as the SAP Open, Northern California's premier men's professional tennis tournament, returns to San Jose. And with it will return some of the hottest tennis stars on the worldwide ATP Circuit.

The 2009 SAP Open, to be played Feb. 9-15, will bring a field of 32 international singles players competing for more than $50,000 of the total purse, 35 valuable circuit points and perhaps most important, the title of 2009 SAP Open champion. In addition, another 16 teams will compete for the 2009 SAP Open Doubles title, which includes a purse of more than $16,000 and 35 points to each of the winning-team members.

Each year at the SAP Open, many of the world's top players come to San Jose. In its 120-year history, the tournament has been won by virtually every tennis superstar, including Arthur Ashe, John McEnroe, Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, Stefan Edberg, Ivan Lendl, Michael Chang, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and, more recently, Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Murray and 2008 SAP Open winner Andy Roddick. Already scheduled to return in 2009 are three-time SAP Open champion Roddick and doubles partners the Bryan Brothers. The SAP Open is one of 70 tournaments in 32 countries on the worldwide ATP circuit.

More than 68,000 Bay Area tennis fans attended the 2008 SAP Open Finals, watching top-seeded American sensation Roddick win his third SAP Open title and the 24th singles title of his career by defeating Czech No. 4 seed Radek Stepanek in only one hour and 20 minutes, delighting the crowd.

"I served well," said Roddick. "He didn't really give me many chances, so luckily a break of serve in each set was good. You survive a couple of tough ones, you give yourself a chance to play well. I did that this week, and was able to bring my best stuff out in the semis and the finals."

Roddick was playing in his first ATP final since clinching the Washington title in August 2007. The former world No. 1 now has a 24-13 record in ATP finals. Fourteen of his career titles have come on hard court, five on clay, one on carpet and four on grass.

The 26-year-old Roddick boasts an impressive 25-4 record in San Jose. He won a pair of titles in 2004 (d. Fish) and 2005 (d. Saulnier), and turned in semifinals finishes three times, including the last two years, when he fell to eventual champion Murray. He has lost just once prior to that, in his debut in 2001, when he reached the second round.

In doubles action, Scott Lipsky and David Martin each clinched their first career ATP doubles title as they teamed up to defeat top seeds and fellow Stanford University alumni Bob and Mike Bryan in an all-American final at the SAP Open, 7-6(4), 7-5.

For information about ticket packages and group tickets, call (408) ACE-2121 or check out the official tournament website at sapopentennis.com.