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SAN DIEGO, CA, July 21, 2005 – The 2005 Acura Classic, which will be held July 30th - August 7th at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, CA, today announced it has awarded a Wild Card into its qualifying draw to Alexandra Stevenson, a local fan favorite who graduated from La Jolla Country Day School in 1999.
This will mark Stevenson’s sixth appearance at La Costa. Her best showing so far was in 2001 when she got through the qualifying rounds and made it to the third round where she lost to world #1 Martina Hingis. In 1999 she became the first female qualifier ever to reach the semifinals at Wimbledon. After undergoing surgery for a shoulder injury last September, she has just returned to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour this week earning a victory in her first match back. Once ranked as high as #18, Stevenson is currently ranked # 1008 (due to inactivity).
Amanda Fink and Lindsey Nelson, winners of the first two Acura Classic “Opportunity Tournaments,” have also been awarded Wild Card entries into the tournament’s qualifying round. The winner of the third Opportunity Tournament, to be completed this week at the San Diego Tennis & Racquet Club, will also earn a Wild Card into the qualifying draw.
The 2005 Acura Classic will feature many of the world’s best-known professional women’s players, including defending San Diego Champion Lindsay Davenport, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Mary Pierce, Conchita Martinez, Elena Dementieva, Kim Clijsters and many others.
The Acura Classic, a Tier I tournament with a total purse of $1.3 million, is one of the ten largest professional women’s tennis tournaments in the world, outside of the grand slam events.
For more information and to purchase tickets for the Acura Classic, fans can call the Tournament Box Office at 760/ 438-5683, or visit www.acuraclassic.com. Free parking for attendees will be available for opening weekend on Saturday, July 30th and Sunday, July 31st.
Promotion Sports, Inc., which owns the Acura Classic and promotes a variety of professional tennis events, is a private corporation headquartered in Carlsbad, California. Founded in 1982 by Raquel Giscafré and Jane Stratton, former professional tennis players, the company is dedicated to promoting sports and women’s tennis worldwide.
The Acura Classic is sponsored by American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
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