tennisidentity.com

Hard Court Season Officially Begins. U.S. Open Series 2009. Here's the Schedule.

It's hard court tournament season and the pickins' are bountiful. Here's a list of where, when and how to get more info about the 2009 Olympus US Open Series:

Indianapolis, IN, Indianapolis Tennis Championships, July 18 -26, 2009 (ATP);

Los Angeles, CA,  L.A. Tennis Open  July 27- August 2 (ATP);

Los Angeles, CA, L.A. Women's Tennis Championships, August 3-9 (WTA) ;

Stanford, CA, Bank of the West Classic, July 27-August 2 (WTA);

Washington D.C., Legg Mason Tennis Classic, August 1-9 (ATP);

Montreal, Canada, Rogers Cup, August 8-16 (ATP);

Cincinnati, OH, Western & Southern Financial Group Masters, August 17-23 (ATP) and

Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open, August 10-16 (WTA).

Toronto, Canada, Rogers Cup, August 15-23 (WTA);

New Haven, CT, Pilot Pen Tennis, August 21-29 (WTA/ATP);

New York, NY, U.S. Open 2009, August 31- September 13 (WTA, ATP).

Get yourself out there and enjoy! The early rounds are just as fun as the finals.

Just can't get there? The Tennis Channel, ESPN2 and CBS have you covered. Here's the TV Schedule.

Pre-Match Prep. Fighting words from Ferrell and Wilander and a little trash talkin.

Decked out in K-Swiss and Lacoste, Will Ferrell and Mats Wilander offer insight into eachother's games pre today's match. Who will Ferrell be tonight, the Ricky Bobby of tennis? A little Bobby Riggs maybe?

Will "King of Clay" Ferrell Takes on Mats Wilander in K-Swiss Tennis Showdown May 2. Seriously.

Be a part of tennis history when Will Ferrell takes on Mats Wilander in what's being billed as The Global Tennis Showdown, May 2 in Los Angeles. Pictured left, Ferrell the self proclaimed King of Clay, warms up (at the wrong game) in preparation to face Swedish tennis master, Wilander, former world  #1 and winner of 7 Grand Slam men's singles titles. Why and for what reason? For fun and a good cause, the Swedish School of Los Angeles and The Sweden House.

Dare I speak out against Ferrell's professed tennis talent when I say that this is sure to be funny -- but you know it will. I've actually heard Will is a good player but...

"I'm extremely excited to be a part of this event," said Ferrell. "I can finally put an end to my long-standing feud with Mats. I am tennis."

The K-Swiss sponsored event takes place May 2 from 4 pm - 9 pm at The Los Angeles Tennis Center on campus at UCLA in Westwood, California. Tickets range from $25 for general admission to $200 for Courtside VIP seats. A BBQ, live and silent auction and performance by The Dan Band are all part of the festivities.

Visit Global Tennis Showdown or call 1-888-369-9909 for tickets.

Andre Agassi to Join Advanta WTT Pro League. 2009 Summer Schedule Chock Full of Star-Power.

 Andre Agassi will return to professional tennis competition this summer, playing two matches for the Philadelphia Freedoms of the Advanta World Team Tennis Pro League, July 10 in Philly and 17 in Newport Beach, California.

The league's plans include 73 matches in 10 markets, July 2-26. The Eastern and Western Conference Champions will battle for the Advanta WTT Championship title on July 26.

Agassi joins other marquee players: Serena Williams/Washington Kastles (July 9, 10, 13, 14); Venus Williams/Philadelphia Freedoms (July 7, 8, 9); Martina Navratilova/Boston Lobsters (July 14, 15, 16, 21); John McEnroe/New York Sportimes (July 13, 15, 16, 21); Anna Kournikova/St. Louis Aces (July 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13); Michael Chang/Sacramento Capitals (July 10); and Bob and Mike Bryan/Kansas City Explorers (July 17, 18, 19, 21).

Learn more about the Advanta WTT Pro League, players, venues, dates and tickets at WTT.

Image: Fred and Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA.

BNP Paribas Open, March 9-22 at Indian Wells. Great Tennis, Rates and Seats. Check it Out.

 Tickets are still available for the BNP Paribas Open, March 9-22, 2009 at Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. This tournament had a different sponsor last year, hence the new name. $10 seats on March 12 make this particular night very affordable. If you're going to be in the area, get your tickets now to enjoy 2009's first major tennis event on U.S. soil. The tournament features more than 300 of the world's best men and women tennis players; add warm air and bright sun...sounds good to this New Englander.

Visit BNP Paribas Openfor more ticket information or to purchase. Be sure to look at all the special rates they have to offer. Cool new technology lets you see the sight line from any seat in the house. Click on "virtual tour" to give it a try.

2009 Outback Champions Series Schedule Announced. Eight Tournaments Including New Events in Brazil and Mexico.

The 2009 Outback Champions Series offers up a series of global tennis events featuring some of the biggest names in the game now over age 30: Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Stefan Edberg and more. To be eligible to compete, players must have reached a major singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world in singles or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team. Yes hot-shot, they can still take you down 0 and 0.

In addition to single elimination singles, each six-player event will also feature special doubles exhibition matches which are really a treat to see as doubles gets a bit neglected when it comes to pro tennis television coverage. The 2009 Outback Champions Series schedule is as follows:

Champions Cup Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, Feb. 13-15; Rio Champions Cup, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, March 12-15; The Del Mar Development Champions Cup, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, March 18-22; The Residences at The Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman Legends Championships, Grand Cayman, April 23-26; International Tennis Hall of Fame Champions Cup, Newport, Rhode Island, August 19-23; The Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades, Charlotte, North Carolina, September 25-27; Cancer Treatment Centers of America Championships at Surprise, Surprise, Arizona, November 6-8; Emirates NBD, The Legends Rock Dubai, Dubai, U.A.E., Nov. 19-21. Learn more at Champions Series Tennis. Watch for Tennis Channel coverage of some of these events as well.

Fed Cup Quarterfinal, U.S. vs. Argentina February 7 and 8, 2009 in Arizona. Tickets on Sale.

Tickets for the February 7-8 United States vs. Argentina Fed Cup quarterfinal go on sale today (10 AM MT). The matches will be played at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex in Surprise, Arizona where the U.S.T.A. will build a temporary 4,000 seat stadium for the two-day, best of five match event.

The U.S. and Argentina are two of eight quarter finalist nations competing for the 2009 Fed Cup title as part of the Fed Cup World Group. Fed Cup by BNP Paribas is the world’s largest annual international women’s team competition with more than 80 countries competing this year. Tickets are available online through Ticketmaster or by calling 1-888-334-USTA (8782).

Tennis Channel will present daily live coverage for those you can't make it to sunny Arizona.

No Old Dogs Here. These Guys Still Play Big.

Looking for some great tennis in your own back yard? Check out the Outback Champions Series, played around the US (and the world) by tennis legends who've passed the ripe age of 30 (hey, that's not old). Eight champions play in each event. Money is on the line so these are not just exhibitions. The tennis is great and seating is intimate. Each player has either held a top 5 singles ranking, been a Grand Slam singles finalist or a singles player on a Championship Davis Cup team during their ATP Tour playing careers. John McEnroe and Pete Sampras (pictured above) played in Boston this past summer.

Upcoming 2008 events: The Citadel Group Championships at the Palisades,September 24-28, 2008 in Charlotte, North Carolina; Stanford Championships, October 22-26 in Dallas, Texas; Cancer Treatment Centers of America Championships at Surprise, November 5-9 in Surprise, Arizona; and the Legends of Rock Dubai, November 19-22 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

2009 events include the Rio Champions Cup March 12-15  2009 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil and The Del Mar Development Champions Cup, March 18-22 in Los Cabos, Mexico.

Find tickets and player line-ups on the Champions Series Tennis website.

USTA Girls 18s National Championships. Where Girls Battle for a Big Future.

The USTA girls' 18s National Championships are underway at the Berkeley Tennis Club/Claremont Resort and Spa in Berkeley, California. The tennis is great and the viewing is FREE. This is a national level 1 ranking tournament. The winner gets a wild card to the US Open.

Well-knowns from this tournament include Lindsay Davenport and Lisa Raymond. Check it out live (it is not televised) if you are close by or follow the results at USTAGirls.org. Young tennis passion at its finest. The finals are August 10. Image of Mallory Cecil by Ed deSousa.

Countrywide Classic -- August 4 -10 in Los Angeles

The Countrywide Classic is celebrating its 82nd year. This ATP tournament, one of the 2008 Olympus US Open Series tournaments, is held in the LA Tennis Center at UCLA and is considered one of Southern California's premiere sporting events. This year it runs August 4 - 10. For those who want to take in a little of what the region has to offer in addition to tennis, the Classic is located just a few miles from the Sunset Strip and a short drive to Santa Monica Beach, Pier and Promenade.

Individual tickets go on sale to the general public June 30. Call the UCLA Ticket office between 10 and 4 pacific time after June 30 or buy online through ticketmaster. Box and package seats can be purchased now by calling 310-824-1010, ext. 251. The tournament offers a discounted rate at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City. To receive the special hotel rate you must call (ext. 250) or email Julie Watt at jaggerwatt@hotmail.com. Visit Countrywide Classic for more information.