Tennis stars from the past and present will be celebrating World Tennis Day on March 3 and British Eurosport will be screening live coverage of this unique sporting event.
Launched last year by the International Tennis Federation and StarGames with the goal of promoting the sport of tennis and increasing tennis participation among young players around the globe, the event was considered an enormous success and is expected to be even bigger in 2014.
There will be special events in London, New York and Hong Kong with highlights including a clash between Britain’s two-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic at the iconic Madison Square Garden.
In total, six classic matches are being held across the world to promote 2014 World Tennis Day and alongside Djokovic and Murray will be the likes of Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Li Na.
Now in its second edition, each Showdown event in the three cities will feature current or former professionals, all of whom have either been ranked number one in the world or reached a Grand Slam final, if not both.
Eurosport will be the host broadcaster of the inaugural London event on World Tennis Day Showdown which will be staged at Earls Court.
It will produce the TV coverage for matches including the iconic rivalry of Andre Agassi against Pete Sampras and a rerun of the 1987 Wimbledon final between Ivan Lendl and Pat Cash.
Commenting on the event, Arnaud Simon, Eurosport Group’s TV content director, said: “It would have been impossible for us not to broadcast the World Tennis Day, as it so fully corresponds to Eurosport’s DNA.
“First, it’s a day to promote tennis which we have done since our launch in 1989 with over 1000 hours of live tennis every year.
“Secondly, it’s a day for premium tennis, which is content we deliver every season with three Grand Slams, shows and world-class consultants.
“Finally, the World Tennis Day is a link between different generations and it’s not by chance Eurosport has broadcast over the last 25 years all the stars participating in the event, from Agassi playing his first French Open final in 1990 to Djokovic winning his fourth Australian Open in 2013.
“For all these reasons we had to cover the World Tennis Day and continue the story between Eurosport and the promotion of tennis.”
Jerry Solomon, President and CEO of StarGames said: “We look forward to Eurosport broadcasting all the Showdown events that will take place on World Tennis Day.
“Eurosport is a perfect partner to serve as host broadcaster for the World Tennis Day Showdown presented by Financial Times in London and the prestigious line-up we have for those matches.
“The commitment Eurosport has to tennis is great for the game, and to include over ten live hours of World Tennis Day programming is evidence of that.”
British Eurosport will broadcast all six matches in total including both from Earls Court which sees Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Pat Cash and Ivan Lendl return to London to recreate two historic Wimbledon finals.
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander and former British number one Annabel Croft will present Eurosport’s coverage from Earls Court.
The special ‘Game, Set & Mats’ programme will welcome prestigious guests giving their views on tennis from a social and educational point of view.
Amongst them will be legends Sampras, Agassi, Lendl and Cash as well as Chris Kermode, the new ATP Executive Chairman and President.
British Eurosport’s coverage of the event will also be available live and on demand via Eurosport Player, Eurosport’s online subscription simulcast TV service.
For further information and background to 2014 World Tennis Day, visit the official website.
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