Legends tennis set to be big hit again

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 20 January 2017

A star-studded line-up of some of the biggest names in tennis will be on the court for the 2017 Legends at Camana Bay event, with the participants having won nearly 50 grand slam titles among them.

“Crowd favourite Jim Courier is back this year, as well as John McEnroe who played several years ag. However, our two ladies, Chris Evert and Daniela Hantuchová, will be experiencing their first Legends – so we are excited to have them on board and to welcome them to Grand Cayman,” said an event spokesperson.

Former world No. 1 John McEnroe is expected to be a big hit this year.

At the 17 February event, Courier and McEnroe – two former number one ranked players – will face each other in a singles exhibition. This will be followed by a mixed doubles match, pairing Courier with Evert against McEnroe and Hantuchová.

Evert, who owns the highest winning percentage in pro tennis history, was named in January as a replacement for another former top-ranked player, Monica Seles, who pulled out due to injury.

Some of the other big names who participated last year include Anna Kournikova, Lindsay Davenport, Andy Roddick, Mark Philippoussis and Sir Richard Branson – although the Virgin boss is better known for his exploits off the court. Although the players are well past their primes, they are still active and in past years have put on quite a show in prior years, often interacting with spectators. For many, it’s their best chance to see the stars in action up close in an entertaining environment.

21-time grand slam champion Chris Evert will be on the court.

“We have had a great response to players this year and I know that the crowd are particularly looking forward to seeing McEnroe on court. He’s a brilliant player, but can also be quite unpredictable, so he’s sure to get a big reception from the fans on the night,” an event spokesperson told CaymanSportsBuzz.com via email.

Legends is tied with the Cayman Alternative Investment Summit, which finishes on the same day as the tennis event. A large number of conference delegates from off-island usually attend. “That, coupled with the continued support of tennis fans on-island, means that Legends continues to be one of the biggest sporting events on the Cayman calendar,” the spokesperson said.

Courier dominated the men’s pro tour in the early 90s.

Special Olympics Cayman Islands have once again been named as the charity of choice for the event and representatives will be onsite to raise funds throughout the event, including running a raffle of Legends tennis memorabilia.

Tickets are still available for Legends, which this year takes place on Friday 17 February at the Festival Green in Camana Bay. General Admission tickets are priced at $100, with standing VIP costing $250 and seated VIP, $350. New for 2017, the exclusive ‘Ultra Party,’ which was previously an invitation-only event, will now have a limited number of tickets for sale for $100 each. All tickets are on sale from the Visitor Centre in Camana Bay.