April 11, 2007 (St. Louis, Mo.) -- Serena Williams, with recent tournament wins at the Australian Open and Sony Ericsson, is the most recent addition to the St. Louis Aces World TeamTennis franchise. Williams will play July 23 as the Aces host the 2005 WTT League Champions New York Sportimes.
“We are beyond thrilled for Serena to play a match for us,” said owner Dan Apted. “She’s hot right now. She’s on a remarkable winning streak, she’s playing great and she’s never played in St. Louis before. We are excited to bring the opportunity for fans to see her play.”
Williams’ visit on July 23 rounds out an already star-studded line up. This July Aces fans will see Wimbledon Champions Bob and Mike Bryan and tennis legend Pete Sampras on the stadium court at Dwight Davis Tennis Center .
“Aces matches are about more than just ‘big name tennis’,” said general manager Dani Apted Schlottman. “We’re about having fun, mingling with friends and enjoying a great night out. Serena will be a great addition to our team because she’ll have fun out on the court. Of course, we are hoping she’ll win while she’s doing it which is nice for everyone but the other team!”
The St. Louis Aces are a member of the World TeamTennis Pro League presented by Advanta. In its third year under the new management of Kinosabe Sports, the Aces have already set a precedent of bringing the world’s greatest players into St. Louis . Under the new regime tennis fans old and new have seen Andy Roddick, Anna Kournikova, Bob and Mike Bryan, Meghann Shaughnessy and Pete Sampras.
“The Aces are about more than just tennis,” said Apted. “Each match is an event. We know that we are competing with the World Series Champions to fill the stands, we have to do things a little different. Our matches have pre-parties, give-a-ways, contests, mini concerts and so much more than just great tennis. We promise to be the ultimate night out for St. Louisians this summer.”