2001 Wimbledon Champion Joins Courier, Martin, Philippoussis and Ferreira In Charlotte Event To Be Held September 24-28

NEW YORK, August 26, 2008 – InsideOut Sports & Entertainment today announced that 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic will join the player field at the 2008 Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades, to be held September 24-28 at the Tim Wilkison Signature Tennis and Sports Complex at The Palisades Country Club in Charlotte, N.C. The Citadel Group Championships at The Palisades is the fifth of eight events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series, the global tennis circuit for champion tennis players age 30 and over. Ivanisevic joins the field that includes Jim Courier, Todd Martin, Mark Philippoussis and Wayne Ferreira.

After a two-year stint as a clay court event, the tournament will switch to a permanent hard-court surface, starting this fall. Tickets for the event can be purchased by calling 877-332-TIXX (8499) or visiting www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com

Ivanisevic, 36, reached a career-high ranking of No. 2 during his career, where he is best known for his incredible run to the Wimbledon title in 2001, defeating Patrick Rafter in a dramatic five-set final. He was runner-up at Wimbledon on three occasions and won 22 singles titles during his career. He was a member of Croatia’s winning Davis Cup team in 2005 and reached the doubles final at the French Open on two occasions. In 1992, he won bronze medals in singles and doubles at the Barcelona Olympics.

“Goran Ivanisevic has been one of the most exciting personalities in tennis in the last 15 years,” said Jon Venison, co-founding partner for InsideOut Sports and Entertainment. “Goran is a very talented and entertaining player and we are thrilled to add him to the field in Charlotte.”

Founded in 2005, the Outback Champions Series features some of the biggest names in tennis over the last 25 years, including Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Courier and others. To be eligible to compete on the Outback Champions Series, players must have reached at least a major singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team.

The Outback Champions Series features eight events on its 2008 schedule, with each event featuring an eight-man round-robin match format. The winner of each four-player division will meet in the title match while second place finishers in each division play in the third-place match. Each event features $150,000 in prize money with an undefeated winner taking home $54,000 as well as Champions Series ranking points that will determine the year-end Stanford Champions Rankings No. 1. Beginning in 2008, the year-end champion will receive a $100,000 bonus courtesy of Stanford Financial Group, the official rankings sponsor of the Outback Champions Series. Through the first four events in 2008, Courier holds the No. 1 ranking with 2200 points. McEnroe holds the No. 2 ranking with 1800 points while Ferreira is in third position with 1050 points.

The 2008 Outback Champions Series kicked off March 12-16 in Naples, Fla., at The Oliver Group Champions Cup where Martin defeated McEnroe in the final. Courier won the second event of the season at The Residences at The Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman Legends Championships April 16-20, defeating Ferreira in the final, while McEnroe won his first career Outback Champions Series even in Boston April 30- May 4, defeating Krickstein in the final. Pat Cash also collected his first title on the Outback Champions Series, defeating Courier in the final at the Hall of Fame Champions Cup in Newport, RI, August 13-17. The next four events on the 2008 Outback Champions Series calendar are stops in Charlotte, N.C., Dallas, Texas, Surprise, Ariz., and Dubai, U.A.E. More information can be obtained by visiting www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com.

InsideOut Sports & Entertainment is a New York City-based independent producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Outback Champions Series, a collection of tennis events featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including one-night "Legendary Night" exhibitions as well as charity events and tennis fantasy camps, including the annual Ultimate Fantasy Camp. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutSE.com or www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com « back