Tickets on sale today for Champions Series
Written by Jim Courier on May 09, 2011
I was out in LA last week to launch the 2011 Champions Series with a press day at the Staples Center with Andre and Pete. We got the show on the road by talking up the Champions Series to both local and national media and hitting a couple of balls on a makeshift court right in front of the arena. It was a great day of getting the word out and we did a ton of press to ensure that everyone in the 12 cities we’re playing in this fall will know about the tournament coming to their area. Andre and Pete were awesome with the media and whatever rift people have been talking about between them wasn’t around at all in LA. Tickets go on sale today for all 12 Champions Series events and it’s exciting to think about getting out around the US to play in these tournaments this fall with Andre, Pete, Mac, Michael, Bjorn and Mats…what a cast of characters.
While I’m excited about the fall tour, I’m pretty whipped at the moment to tell the truth. It’s been a long travel slog this year between the trips to Australia and Chile and all the smaller trips I do in the US for various reasons. I did three overnight flight in eight nights just last week. I had NYC-Buenos Aires on 4/25 (played an event with Andre-Pete-Mardy Fish in BA on 4/27), then BA to Miami overnight after the match on 4/27 and then on to Santa Fe all day on 4/28 from Miami and finally, LA-NYC on 5/3. I know what you’re thinking…pretty glamourous lifestyle, right? And I am not counting the easy 2 hr flight from Albuquerque to LA I took on 5/1 on which I almost vomited from the turbulence. Do I need to mention that I am glad to be home and not have to take a flight until 6/2 when we roll to the French Open? I didn’t think so.
On the upcoming Paris trip I’ll be heading over to Roland Garros with Andre to do a promotion for Longines and a few other things at the very end of the tournament. I haven’t been to the French Open in 10 years so it will be nice to be back on the grounds. Here’s a little factoid for you..I have done tv commentary at 3 of the 4 slams and the one I don’t have on my resume is the French Open. You may think it’s strange given I am a two-time champ there that I have never done TV at the French…I certainly do.
After Paris I’ll head over to London to catch up with the US guys at Queens as we get ready for our next Davis Cup match which will take place a month after Queens in Austin vs the Spaniards. Should be a great weekend of tennis in Austin. Not sure who our team will be yet but I know we’ll be ready to go to battle. And the D Cup captain will be ready to go to battle on the Champions Series when we get started in Ft Lauderdale on September 22.
Thinking about what’s to come with both Davis Cup and the Champions Series ahead of me this year just put me in a good mood.
JC – NYC 5.9.11
