Martin Beats McEnroe for Seniors Newport Final

Posted on August 26, 2007

Todd Martin defeated fellow American John McEnroe 7-5, 7-5

Sunday in the final of the $142,000 Gibson Guitar Champions Cup at the

International Tennis Hall of Fame. Martin earned $50,000 for the title, his

second on the three-year-old Outback Champions Series, a collection of

tennis events around the world for champion tennis players over the age of

30. Martin also earned 800 points to surpass Pete Sampras into first place

in the points standings on the Outback Champions Series that determines the

year-end champion of the series.

Martin used his strong serve and volley game that helped him reach two

Wimbledon semifinals to overpower the 48-year-old McEnroe, himself a

three-time Wimbledon champion.

“I have always had an accurate serve,” said Martin, who played his first ATP

tournament on the grass courts at the Hall of Fame in 1990. “The simplicity

of my serve has always allowed me to serve so good. John didn’t get many

racquets on my serve. Although he does put pressure on a second serve so I

had to really mix it up. My serve today really helped me, although I

struggled on my second serve.”

Martin’s only previous tournament victory on the Outback Champions Series

came in Boston in 2006, where he ironically beat McEnroe in the final.

McEnroe was seeking his first Outback Champions title.

“It was close and I just couldn’t get it done,” said McEnroe, who earned

$32,000 for his runner-up showing. “I played well. I got back into the

match, but it was tough to pull it out. I was right there. I just got a

little stiff. I got to give Todd credit. He played well.”

Martin was playing in his third consecutive Outback Champions Series final,

having lost title matches in May in Boston and Athens, Greece to Pete

Sampras. Martin may get another chance against Sampras at the next Outback

Champions Series event The Championships at The Palisades in Charlotte,

N.C., Sept. 26-30 where both Sampras and Martin are in the eight-player

field. Martin will also look to expand on his 400 point lead over Sampras in

the year-long points race. After four events in 2007 on the Outback

Champions Series, Martin leads with 2000 points, following by Sampras with

1600 points.

McEnroe’s runner-up showing in Newport earned him 600 points to move him

from fifth-place to third place in the standings with 1400 points. Wayne

Ferreira, who was forced to withdraw from Newport with a right wrist injury,

dropped from second place to fourth place in the standings. Outback

Champions Series co-founder Jim Courier, who defeated Pat Cash 4-6, 6-3,

10-8 (Match Tie-Break) Sunday in the third-place match, earned 200 points in

Newport, but dropped from fourth to fifth place in the rankings.