WIMBLEDON CHAMPION HEADING TO CHENGDU OPEN

PAT CASH TO REPLACE INJURED MATS WILANDER

Mats Wilander has been forced to withdraw from the Chengdu Open because he has injured his back and is finding it difficult to move on a tennis court. While that is disappointing news, the upside of the situation is that his place is being taken by one of the most talked about players the game has seen, Wimbledon champion Pat Cash of Australia.

The Chengdu Open will be played from November 5 to 8, 2009 at the Sichuan International Tennis Center and will feature eight greats of the game.

Wilander injured his back a few days ago and was hoping the problem would sort itself out but the former world number one from Sweden has been told he needs extended rest. Due to that he is not able to practice which means he would not have the preparation to face the other greats of the game that will be in Chengdu.

 “Mats, like all the stars coming to the Chengdu Open, are perfectionists and they want to be in the best condition to provide the highest standard of tennis,” Tournament Director Nick Freyer said. “It’s a shame that Mats can’t be there for the event and I am positive many fans will be  disappointed but having Pat Cash take his place is very exciting. He was one of the flashiest and most charismatic players on the tour and is a fantastic addition to the line-up.”

Wilander was looking forward to playing the Chengdu Open, a point he made on several occasions in recent times.

 “I am truly disappointed not to be there as I was eager to play alongside so many wonderful names and exciting personalities,” Wilander said from his home in the USA. “There is so much happening in China and there are so many great tennis tournaments there these days that I was really wanting to be part of it all. When I was playing on the Tour full time those opportunities were not really there.

 “I wish I could be there but I do need to make sure my back injury does not get any worse.”

Cash will take his place alongside some if the most iconic names world tennis has ever seen; John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Michael Chang, Goran Ivanisevic, Marcelo Rios, Sergi Bruguera and Thomas Enqvist. Three of them (McEnroe, Borg and Rios) have been world number one, every one of them has played a Grand Slam final with six of them (Cash, McEnroe, Borg, Chang, Ivanisevic, Bruguera) having won Grand Slam crowns. Every one of the players has been ranked among the world’s top five.

Cash won the Wimbledon championship in 1987 with a stunning victory over Ivan Lendl. He was twice a finalist at the Australian Open, in 1987 (lost to Stefan Edberg) and 1988 (ironically to Wilander). He steered Australia to the Davis Cup and was ranked as high as No.4 in the world.

 “I am sorry for Mats that he has had to withdraw, he and I had some great matches through our careers but I am very happy to be in a position to take his place,” Cash said. “China has always fascinated me and I am thrilled to be coming to the Chengdu Open.

 “The competition is going to be tough. Even those we are playing seniors’ tennis we are all still incredibly competitive and we all want to win.

It’s going to be a good week and it will be great to hang out with the other guys in a new city on the Champions Tour.”

The tournament website www.ChengduChampions.com has been gaining plenty of attention and is being updated as soon as new and exciting details about the Chengdu Open become available.

For further ticket information, please contact the Chengdu Sports Centre: 028-86619611 or hotline 15982055211.