February 23, 2005

(Sunrise, FL) – With an Indesit ATP Entry Ranking Cut off of 82, and eight top-50 players in the main draw – the Pro Tennis World Open boasts the strongest field of any ATP Challenger worldwide; in fact stronger than most International Series tournaments. Four wild cards remain open, and can be assigned to any player on the tour as late as Monday, March 14 – the day preceding the tournament's first round. Players can dual-enter the PTWO and the Pacific Life Open, a Masters Series event in Indian Wells, CA that runs March 7-20. Big-name players eliminated in the first two rounds of the Pacific Life can opt to fly straight to Sunrise to compete in the PTWO, the unofficial "warm-up" event for the Nasdaq-100 Open, which begins March 23 in Key Biscayne. This unique schedule accounts for the Challenger's unprecedented draw.

The PTWO's current highest ranked player is Peruvian Luis Horna (38), who in 2004 reached his first ATP final and won a career-high 31 matches. Popular American players include Robby Ginepri (69) of Fort Lauderdale, who reached the fourth round at the 04 Australian Open and 04 Wimbledon (beating no. 5 seed Juan Carlos Ferrero in the 3rd); Kevin Kim (65), who posted three Challenger wins last year; and Jan-Michael Gambill (111), who finished in the top 100 for the seventh consecutive season last year.

Other notable players in the main draw: Igor Andreev (RUS)(48) who won the 04 Pro Tennis World Open doubles with partner Dmitry Tursunov, and reached the singles semi-finals; Tomas Berdych (CZE)(45), who beat Roger Federer at the 04 Olympics; Karol Beck (SVK)(43) who reached the third round of the 05 Australian Open, and in 04 reached the second round at the Australian Open, third round at Wimbledon and fourth round at the U..S Open; Filippo Volandri (ITA)(42), who in 04 compiled his best pro season by capturing his first ATP title in St. Poelten and reaching two other finals; Florian Mayer (GER)(44) who advanced to the quarter-finals of Wimbledon and made one of biggest jumps of any player in 04, climbing over 200 ranking positions from the previous year; Kenneth Carlsen (DEN)(57), who recently won the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships at Memphis, advanced to the 3rd round of 04 Wimbledon, and is currently ranked no.14 on the Indesit ATP 2005 Race.

Also returning to the Pro Tennis World Open is tour veteran Thomas Enqvist (SWE)(96), who lost in the 04 PTWO finals to Austrian Jurgen Melzer; and also lost in the doubles finals, with partner Kenneth Carlsen. Enqvist reached the 3rd round of the Australian Open and French Open in 04, and competed strongly in the Davis Cup. Enqvist holds nineteen career titles – more than anyone else in the draw.

The Pro Tennis World Open is scheduled from March 13 through 20, 2005 at Sunrise Tennis Center at 9605 West Oakland Park Blvd. in Sunrise, Florida. For tickets, media credentials, and complete tournament details, visit www.sunrisetennis.com.

For more information please contact

Gabe Norona, Tournament Director
(954) 328-2283

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