More International Stars Sign on for 2007 Acura Classic

-- Surprise Wimbledon Finalist Marion Bartoli Leads List of New Entries Now Scheduled to Compete --

SAN DIEGO, CA, July 10, 2007 – The Acura Classic, which will be held July 28 - August 5 at the La Costa Resort & Spa, today announced that several exciting international tennis stars have signed up for the tournament, including surprise Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli. The 22-year-old French sensation will join several other top-20 entrants and up-and-comers at the Acura Classic, including her fellow Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin, India's Sania Mirza and Israel's Shahar Peer, as well as first-time San Diego competitors Li Na from China and Michaella Krajicek from the Netherlands.

Marion Bartoli shocked the tennis world last week with her Wimbledon semifinal victory over world #1 Justine Henin (who is also scheduled to compete at La Costa.) Her remarkable performance, the first time she ever made it past the 4th round of a Grand Slam, helped boost her ranking on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour from #19 to her current #11 career high. Bartoli, the 2001 U.S. Open Girls singles champion, will be returning to La Costa for her 5th straight year. She reached the Round of 16 here in both 2003 and 2004, and reached the Doubles quarterfinals in 2005 while playing with singles champion Mary Pierce. Notes Bartoli: "I'm very excited to go back to San Diego this year. I love it out there. The crowds are fantastic and it's a fabulous organization. I love California and can't wait to go back."

Noted Promotion Sports' Raquel Giscafré: "Wimbledon really galvanized the tennis world with amazing performances, both from established stars and from the emerging generation of new players. We're really looking forward to bringing all that excitement to San Diego."

One of the most talked-about international players on the Tour is India's Sania Mirza. A fan favorite who will make her third appearance in San Diego, Mirza reached the round of 16 here in both 2005 and 2006. She notes: "I'm really looking forward to the Acura Classic. It's one of my favorite tournaments. I've always played well there, which is very good. There's so much to do in San Diego. My aunt is there and my cousins usually come down. It's a beautiful place and there's a lot of shopping and stuff. I think as a tennis player, you can't get a better place to play."

Shahar Peer, an Israeli national who made headlines when she began her compulsory army training in 2005, will be making her third appearance at the Acura Classic. Currently ranked #18 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, Peer is having a solid year. She reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at this year's Australian Open, stretching Serena Williams to 8-6 in the third set, and also reached the semifinals in Miami. The highlight of her junior career came in 2004 when she won the 2004 Australian Open Girls singles title.

Bartoli's fellow Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin, world #19, will be returning to San Diego for the third time. The immensely popular Golovin was named "Newcomer of the Year" in 2004 and broke through with her first Tour win this year at Amelia Island, defeating Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic and Nadia Petrova to earn the title. She reached the quarterfinals at last year's U.S. Open and was the French Open Mixed Doubles champion with partner Richard Gasquet in 2004.

Plus Two San Diego Debuts...
Constantly breaking new records for professional Chinese tennis players, Li Na will be making her San Diego debut this year. The 25-year-old became the first Chinese woman ever to win a Tour title in 2004 and the first Chinese player to reach the top 20 in 2006. She reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last year and is currently ranked #20 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.

This year's Acura Classic field will also include up-and-coming Dutch 18-year-old Michaella Krajicek, who will make her San Diego debut. The younger sister of 1996 Wimbledon Champion Richard Krajicek, Michaella is fast making a name for herself on the Tour. She reached her first-ever Grand Slam quarterfinal at Wimbledon this year with a win over Anna Chakvetadze, and already has three singles titles and two doubles titles in her young career.

Now in its 24th year, the Acura Classic is one of the premier events on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and one of the largest women's tennis tournaments in the world. In addition to the international stars announced today, this year's tournament will feature many world-class players and multiple Grand Slam champions, including Justine Henin, Maria Sharapova, Martina Hingis, Serena Williams, Jelena Jankovic, Anna Chakvetadze , Nadia Petrova and others (see below list of current entries).

Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Players Scheduled to Compete at the 2007 Acura Classic

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 and Sunday, July 28th and 29th.

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.