ATP Champions Tour Starts in Barcelona

The ATP Champions Tour is set to kick off in style in April with the opening tournament at the Champions Cup '09 in Barcelona (April 16-19). 

Set amid the beautiful Real Club de Tenis Barcelona 1899, which has hosted the Barcelona Open for the past 56 years, the ATP Champions event overlaps with the ATP World Tour tournament, bringing together the generations for a unique celebration of tennis talent past, present and future. 

When Rafael Nadal arrives in Barcelona to defend his title in April, he will happily mingle with fellow French Open Champion Albert Costa, who will return to play the ATP Champions tournament in 2009, after having to retire injured last year during his third place play-off match against Cedric Pioline. Costa will be joined in 2009 by Wimbledon Champions Richard Krajicek and Pat Cash, as well as Pioline and clay court specialist Felix Mantilla. Swedes Anders Jarryd and Magnus Gustafsson will make up the eight-man field. 

With 400 points on offer for the winner, each of the players in Barcelona will be looking to seize the opportunity to take an early lead at the top of the South African Airways Rankings. In 2008, Croat Goran Ivanisevic finished the year atop the rankings, nearly 400 points clear of No.2 player Henri Leconte. With new players and new events this year, it’s all to play for on the ATP Champions Tour. 

At last year’s event in Barcelona, Marcelo Rios began his year in style, beating Michael Stich in the final to capture his first ATP Champions Tour event since 2006. 

Rios, who dominated the circuit of former World No.1’s, Grand Slam finalists and Davis Cup winners in ‘06, reached the final with victories over Carl-Uwe Steeb and Pioline. He was due to play Sergi Bruguera in the most eagerly anticipated match of the tournament, but the Spaniard was forced to withdraw with a knee injury ahead of the clash. Stich progressed through Group B with round robin victories over Leconte and Costa, despite the fact that he lost his opening match of the tournament in straight sets to Swede Magnus Larsson. In the final, Stich caused the Chilean trouble early on with his serve and volley style, but Rios eventually got to grips with the German and found success by pummelling away from the baseline.

“It’s nice to come here to Barcelona and win the title,” said Rios, who will play his first ATP Champions Tour event of 2009 In Sao Paulo in May.

After Barcelona, the ATP Champions Tour will move on to Sao Paulo for the Nosas Caixa Grand Champions (May 21-24), and after that will arrive in Istanbul for the Legends Cup  (June 17-21).