ROGERS LEGENDS CUP TO RETURN TO TORONTO WITH SAMPRAS, RODDICK, MCENROE AND COURIER

Celebrate Ontario funding helps bring four former tennis stars to final weekend of 2013 Rogers Cup presented by National Bank

May 27, 2013, Toronto – Tennis Canada announced Monday the return of Rogers Legends Cup, a three-day event featuring four former world No. 1 players Jim Courier, John McEnroe, Andy Roddick and Pete Sampras. The four Legends will play a total of three matches over the final weekend at Rogers Cup presented by National Bank in Toronto beginning the evening of Friday, August 9. They will play alongside the stars of the WTA at the Premier 5 event with pricing included in the regular Rogers Cup ticket.
 
“This is a concept we introduced two years ago and it was a huge success,” said Karl Hale, tournament director, Rogers Cup Toronto. “We are always asking our fans what they want and looking at ways to enhance the experience for them. They absolutely loved the opportunity to see both the top WTA players and the Legends side by side so we are bringing in some new players, a different format and some unique surprises to make it even better this time around.”
 
The majority of the funding necessary for Rogers Legends Cup was provided by the Government of Ontario through the Celebrate Ontario program. Celebrate Ontario is an annual program designed to drive tourism and help boost the province's economy. The program helps festivals and events across the province enhance their products to attract a greater audience.

“Our government is proud to partner with the Rogers Legends Cup to provide opportunities to showcase the world’s top athletes here at home,” said Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.  “Signature sporting events like this one help attract tourists, create jobs and promote Ontario as a premier international sporting destination.”

The four Legends set to take part in Toronto have an abundance of accolades to their names and are amongst the most popular and respected players in the history of the sport. They are all former world No.1 players with a combined 26 Grand Slam singles trophies between them and numerous all-time records.
 
“I’m extremely excited to come back to Toronto and be a part of Rogers Legends Cup,” said Sampras. “I have really good memories from the years I played the Canadian tournament as the fans were always incredibly supportive and the event is one of the best in the world. Combined with the WTA matches, this is going to be really entertaining tennis and I’m looking forward to it.”
 
Another enhancement being made for Rogers Cup 2013 is a new and improved Centre Court stadium configuration to allow for a more intimate and exciting experience for fans. Now featuring only lower bowl seating with a capacity of 8000, including a Fan Zone ticket as low as $25, fans can get closer to the action for less than ever before. With 29 rows of seating, each and every fan will feel the energy of an up-close and personal atmosphere at this year’s Rogers Cup. With this also comes the addition of a grounds pass for fans who want to wander through the outside courts without purchasing a seat for inside the stadium. Grounds passes will be available from Monday-Thursday starting at $20.
 
Rogers Cup presented by National Bank will take place August 3-11, 2013 at Rexall Centre on the York University campus in Toronto. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.rogerscup.com or call 1-877-2TENNIS (283-6647) ext. 4333.

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