AOC Grand Champions Brazil

City:: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Dates:: April 8-11, 2010
Venue:: WTC Golden Hall
Director:: Pedro Aguiar Frazao
Surface:: Hard (Indoor)
Website:: www.grandchampionsbrasil.com.br; 2009 Photo Gallery; 2009 Results

Pete Sampras had not played a competitive tennis match since retiring from the sport after winning his 14th and final Grand Slam tournament at the 2002 US Open. The American chose Sao Paulo as the location for his ATP Champions Tour debut in 2008, and he did not regret his selection for a moment, beating Marcelo Rios in the final to win the title.

In 2009, it was Thomas Enqvist’s turn to make his mark on Sao Paulo. The Swede made his ATP Champions Tour debut there, winning the tournament and kicking off a 12-match winning streak. The 2009 Grand Champions Brasil was also the place that Marcelo Rios chose to publicly unveil his drastic new haircut. The Chilean had been famed for his flowing black locks tied back in a pony-tail, but arrived in Sao Paulo last year sporting a shaven buzz cut.

As well as hosting the season-ending Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, Sao Paulo is also one of the candidates to host matches at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, for which Brazil is the host nation. Rio de Janeiro will also be the host city for the 2016 Olympic Games, the first time the Games have been held in South America. Sao Paulo is Brazil’s largest city and is also one of the five largest cities in the world.

The tournament, first held in Sao Paulo in 2007, was the first ever ATP Champions Tour event to be held in South America.
Sao Paulo’s Latin motto is ‘Non ducor, duco’, which translates into English as ‘I am not led, I lead.’
Tournament Director Pedro Frazao also directs the long-running and much-respected event in the Algarve, Portugal.
Brazil is the home of Gustavo Kuerten, who retired from tennis in 2008. He reached World No.1 and won three French Open titles.