The players for the 2012 New Haven Open at Yale presented by First Niagara will include 4 of the top 10 players in the world and 18 individuals who will be competing in the 2012 Olympics, as well as Grand Slam Champions and fan favorites.
The 2012 tournament will be held Aug. 17-25 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale on Derby Avenue.
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The four top-ranked players who will be competing for the trophy are Agnieszka Radwanska, No. 2; Caroline Wozniacki, No. 8, the four-time tournament defending champion world; Sara Errani, No. 9; and Marion Bartoli, No. 10.
Joining them will be 9 of the top-25 players in the world: Maria Kirilenko, Dominika Cibulkova, Kaia Kanepi, Flavia Pennetta, Andrea Petkovic, Nadia Petrova, Francesca Schiavone, Lucie Safarova, and Zheng Jie —as well as two-time Grand Slam Champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Christina McHale, a member of the U.S. Olympic Tennis Team, will also be competing to be the first American since Lindsay Davenport in 2005 to win the New Haven Open trophy. Rounding out the field are former world No. 5 and fan favorite Daniela Hantuchova, defending New Haven Open finalist Petra Cetkovska, 2012 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Tamira Paszek, Anabel Medina Garrigues, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Ekaterina Makarova, and Mona Barthel.
All but two of the competitors of the 2012 New Haven Open have won a World Tennis Association title in their careers. and between them, they boast 121 — an average of more than five per player. Leading the way is Wozniacki, with 18 titles to her name, followed by Kuznetsova with 13, and Petrova and Medina Garrigues with 11 apiece.
The former Grand Slam Champions in the field are Schiavove (2010 French Open) and Kuznetsova (2009 French Open, 2004 U.S. Open). Two 2012 Grand Slam finalists will also compete: Errani, who reached the final of this year’s French Open, and Radwanska, who just played at Wimbledon.
Making her comeback after an injury-filled season is Petkovic, who is known among fans for the “Petko-dance” she performs after she wins a match. Other fan favorites returning to New Haven include Kirilenko, who is fresh off a quarterfinal appearance at Wimbledon; Hantuchova, who was forced to withdraw out of last year’s event with an injury; and Cibulkova, who is looking for a breakthrough season after winning her first title in Moscow less than a year ago.
McHale, the only American in the current field, is at a career-high ranking of world No. 28 and has reached the third round of the last three Majors. She is looking for her first tournament win.
Savings for Yale community
Faculty, staff, and students will receive 25% off individual box seats, with preferred seating on the north baseline. These seats regularly go for $55 for session 1 (Aug. 19) and rise in price throughout the tournament, peaking at $91 for the final round.
Yale community members can also purchase middle-tier seats for $15 during sessions 1-12 (Aug. 19-25). These seats normally begin at $19 and peak at $44.
In addition, $2 of every middle-tier ticket that is purchased will be donated to the Smilow Cancer Hospital Breast Center at Yale-New Haven.
The exclusive discount is valid whether purchasing tickets online or by phone. To order online, visit the tournament’s ticket website and enter promotion code 2012YALE; to purchase by phone, call 855-464-8366 and reference Yale University. Tickets go on sale June 1.
“15-Love” savings
To celebrate 15 years of women’s tennis in New Haven, all middle-tier tickets will be on sale to the general public for $15 (up to a 66% discount) for 15 days: July 11-26. As part of this promotion, $2 of each ticket sold will be donated directly to Smilow Cancer Hospital Breast Center at Yale New Haven. First Niagara will also make a matching donation of $1 per ticket sold (up to $5,000) to Smilow Cancer Hospital Breast Center.
For more information about the tournament, visit the New Haven Open at Yale website.