PRESS RELEASE

17 May 2013

 

Nominations announced for 2013 BNP Paribas World Team Cup wheelchair tennis event

The ITF has announced the nominations for the 2013 BNP Paribas World Team Cup wheelchair tennis event at the Club Ali Bey Manavgat in Antalya, Turkey on 20-26 May.Netherlands is defending its women’s and junior titles, while France is the defending men’s champion and Israel the defending quad champion.

A total of 52 teams from 28 countries are contesting five events: men’s World Group (12 nations), men’s World Group 2 (12 nations), women’s World Group (12 nations), quad event (8 teams) and junior event (8 teams). Regional qualifying events were held in Kenya, Turkey and USA, with men’s teams from Canada, Greece and Nigeria, and women’s teams from South Africa and Spain joining the direct entries and wild cards.

The World Team Cup is the ITF’s flagship wheelchair tennis event, often referred to as the Davis and Fed Cups of wheelchair tennis. The initial event took place in California in 1985 involving six men’s teams. The women’s competition began the following year, with quad and junior events introduced in 1998 and 2000 respectively. The ITF introduced regional qualifying for the men’s and women’s events in 2012.

 

 

BNP PARIBAS WORLD TEAM CUP

 

ANTALYA, TURKEY

 

 

MEN’S WORLD GROUP

 

1. Netherlands (seeded 1)

 

Maikel Scheffers

 

Rody de Bie

 

1. France (2)

 

Stephane Houdet

 

Michael Jeremiasz

 

Nicolas Peifer

 

Federicc Cattaneo

 

1. Japan (3)

 

Shingo Kunieda

 

Takashi Sanada

 

Takuya Miki

 

 

Great Britain (4)

 

Gordon Reid

 

Marc McCarroll

 

Dave Phillipson

 

1. Austria (5)

 

Martin Legner

 

Thomas Mossier

 

Thomas Flax

 

Josef Riegler

 

1. Poland (6)

 

Tadeusz Kruszelnicki

 

Piotr Jaroszewski

 

Albin Batycki

 

Kamil Fabisiak

 

1. Sweden (7)

 

Stefan Olsson

 

Peter Vikstrom

 

Dan Wallin

 

Niclas Rodhborn

 

1. USA (8)

 

Steve Welch

 

Steve Baldwin

 

Anthony Lara

 

 

South Africa (9)

 

Evans Maripa

 

Leon Els

 

Gift Lekganyane

 

Donald Ramphadi

 

 

Korea, Rep. (10)

 

Sam-Ju Kim

 

Ji-Hwan Lee

 

Sang-Ho Oh

 

1. Argentina (11)
   Gustavo Fernandez
2. Jose Castricini
3.  Oscar Diaz

 

1. Thailand (12)

 

Suthi Khlongrua

 

Sumrerng Kruamai

 

Suwitchai Merngprom

 

 

MEN’S WORLD GROUP 2

 

1. Australia (seeded 1)

 

Benjamin Weekes

 

Adam Kellerman

 

Keegan Oh Chee

 

1. Canada (2, Qualifier)

 

Joel Dembe

 

Philippe Bedard

 

Eric Gilbert

 

1. Germany (3)

 

Steffen Sommerfeld

 

Sven Hiller

 

Pedro Krummel

 

Anthony Dittmar

 

1. Belgium (4)

 

Joachim Gerard

 

Mike Denayer

 

Gert Vos

 

 

Sri Lanka (5)

 

Upali Rajakaruna

 

Gamini Dissanayake

 

1. Italy (6)

 

Fabian Mazzei

 

Ivan Lion

 

Luca Spano

 

1. Spain (7)

 

Roberto Chamizo

 

Martín Varela

 

Alvaro Illobre

 

1. Croatia (8, Wild Card)

 

Anto Joskic

 

Ninoslav Krsnik

 

1. Greece (9, Qualifier)

 

Georgios Lazaridis

 

Stefanos Diamantis

 

Epaminondas Stamatis

 

1. Israel (10, Wild Card)

 

Asaaf Stokol

 

Amir Levi

 

Adam Berdichevsky

 

1. Turkey (11, Wild Card)

 

Turan Akalin

 

Ismail Canturk

 

Malik Aydınlı

 

Muharrem Cakmak

 

1. Nigeria (12, Qualifier)

 

Alex Adewale

 

Jude Uwazie

 

 

WOMEN’S WORLD GROUP

 

1. Netherlands (1)

 

Aniek van Koot

 

Jiske Griffioen

 

Sharon Walraven

 

1. Germany (2)

 

Katharina Kruger

 

Great Britain (3)

 

Lucy Shuker

 

Jordanne Whiley

 

Louise Hunt

 

1. Japan (4)

 

Yui Kamiji

 

Miho Nijo

 

South Africa (5, Qualifier)

 

Kgothatso Montjane

 

Mabel Mankgele

 

Rose van der Meer

 

1. Chile (6)

 

Francisca Mardones

 

Macarena Cabrillana

 

Isabel Aguirre

 

 

Korea, Rep. (7)

 

Ju-Yeon Park

 

Myung-Hee Hwang

 

Jung-Hye Yeo

 

1. Thailand (8)

 

Sakhorn Khanthasit

 

Chusri Inthanin

 

Ratana Techamaneewat

 

1. Turkey (9, Wild Card)

 

Busra Un

 

Ebru Bulgurcu

 

Julide Yildiz

 

Nese Aydemir

 

1. USA (10)

 

Emmy Kaiser

 

Kaitlyn Verfuerth

 

Shelby Baron

 

1. Australia (11, Wild Card)

 

Janel Manns

 

Luba Josevski

 

Sarah Calati

 

1. Spain (12, Qualifier)

 

Elena Jacinto

 

Lola Ochoa

 

 

QUAD EVENT

 

1. USA (1)

 

David Wagner

 

Nick Taylor

 

Greg Hasterok

 

Bryan Barten

 

1. Israel (2)

 

Noam Gershony

 

Patrick Ben Uriel

 

Great Britain (3)

 

Jamie Burdekin

 

Adam Field

 

1. Sweden (4, Wild Card)

 

Marcus Jonsson

 

Christer Jansson

 

1. Canada (5, Wild Card)

 

Sarah Hunter

 

Adrian Dieleman

 

Gary Luker

 

South Africa (6)

 

Lucas Sithole

 

Bongani Dlamini

 

1. Italy (7)

 

Antonio Raffaele

 

Giuseppe Polidori

 

Marco Innocenti

 

1. Japan (8)

 

Mitsuteru Moroishi

 

Shinichi Hirata

 

Shota Kawano

 

 

JUNIOR EVENT

 

Great Britain (1)

 

Alfie Hewett

 

Lauren Jones

 

Luz Esperanza Merry

 

1. Netherlands (2)

 

Diede de Groot

 

Carlos Anker

 

Thomas Zomerdijk

 

South Africa (3)

 

Mariska Venter

 

Thato Tsomole

 

1. Spain (4, Wild Card)

 

Félix García

 

Martín De la Puente

 

1. Russia (5, Wild Card)

 

Polina Shakirova

 

Artur Saitgareev

 

Viktoriia Lvova

 

1. USA (6)

 

Krystal Kelley

 

Christopher Herman

 

Casey Ratzlaff

 

1. Iraq (7, Wild Card)

 

Hussein Hamed Hel

 

Zahraa Kadhim Jawad

 

Shahad Abbas Ayyez

 

1. Tanzania (8, Wild Card)

 

Novatus Emmanuel Temba

 

Mohamed Hamis Juma

 

1. Tanzania (8, Wild Card)

 

Novatus Emmanuel Temba

 

Mohamed Hamis Juma

 

QUEENS, NY – May 7, 2013 – The United States Tennis Association today announced it has reached an agreement to return to New York City a portion of its currently leased Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (NTC) land in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in exchange for the parkland it proposes to add as part of its improvement plan for the NTC. The USTA will surrender 1.56 acres of parkland in return for 0.68 acres of parkland, the latter being mostly an existing asphalt road.

 

"At the outset of the project, the City suggested that park improvements would result in a more meaningful degree of public benefit than an in-kind replacement for the 0.68 acres that is proposed for alienation. However, understanding that every inch of parkland is precious and after seeking input and recommendations from the local Queens communities and elected officials, the USTA, in consultation with the Parks Department, decided it was in the best interest of all parties to propose a parkland swap,” said Daniel Zausner, COO of the National Tennis Center.

 

The replacement parkland, which is two parcels totaling 1.56 acres, and is more than double the land it will replace, is located east of David Dinkins Circle. The parcels include 0.75 acres of passive open space accessible to any member of the public and 0.81 acres of space for active recreation containing five tennis courts.

 

“We are pleased that the USTA has agreed to replace parkland,” said Council Member Julissa Ferreras, who represents Corona and Flushing Meadows Corona Park, home to the USTA. “It is the right thing to do. Our community has too little green space and losing even an inch would be felt by the working people who depend on Flushing Meadows Corona Park. As the City Council begins to consider this proposal, we are ready to work with the USTA to address our community’s other major concerns.”

“Today’s announcement is welcome news and shows just how much we value every acre of parkland here in Queens,” said Queens Borough President Helen Marshall. “My support for the USTA proposal was conditioned on the need to replace any alienated land in our borough’s flagship park.”

 

Marshall added: “I fully recognize that each year Flushing becomes the tennis capital of the world when the US Open is played here, and that the USTA provides a multitude of programs on and off the grounds of the NTC. I also know that our parks are urban oases that provide natural beauty and precious green space for us all. I am delighted with today’s announcement.” 

The two parcels were added to the NTC lease in 1993 and would be returned to Flushing Meadows Corona Park for recreational use under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation. The NTC lease would also be amended, so these parcels would not be part of the premises.

 

The USTA would maintain and repair the five courts, at it has done in the past, and would have usage during the US Open and, possibly, other major tennis events.

 

“This is a positive step by the USTA and the Parks Department,” said NYS Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry, who represents Corona. “I look forward to continued progress on this important project.”

 

The USTA’s Strategic Vision, which calls for the least amount of additional parkland possible, 0.68 acres, will ensure the NTC remains a top public recreational facility and world class spectator venue and also continues being an economic catalyst for Queens and the City of New York.

 

Since 1978, the USTA has invested more than $500 million of its own funds into the NTC, and this project, which will primarily entail the replacement and renovation of aging facilities and infrastructures that have reached the end of their useful lives, will require the USTA to add an additional $500 million to its original investment.

 

“The Parks Department is proud to host the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the largest public tennis facility in the United States, in Flushing Meadows Corona Park,” said Parks Commissioner Veronica M. White. “Throughout the year the USTA helps sponsor countless hours of free and discounted programs for children, teaching them the great game of tennis and the health benefits of an active lifestyle.”

 

She added: “The proposed replacement parkland will provide a benefit to park visitors and help to ensure that Flushing Meadows Corona Park continues to serve as a world stage for the US Open tournament, one of New York City’s premier sporting and cultural events.”

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