This past weekend at the Delray Beach International Championships (Florida), Fish captured his third ATP World Tour title by defeating Russia’s Evgeny Korolev 7-5, 6-3. Fish, as the No. 1 seed in Delray Beach became the first top seed to win the event in its17-year history and the first American winner since Jan-Michael Gambill in 2003 (Gambill defeated Fish in that final). Fish enters the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships where the No.1 seed has not been able to claim the title for 32 years.

Mardy Fish Enters Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships

Since turning pro in 2000, Fish has reached 13 singles finals; his other singles titles include Stockholm (2003) and Houston (2006). Last month, he reached the February 15 final in San Jose, defeating World No. 7 Juan Martin Del Potro in the quarterfinal and World No. 11 James Blake in the semifinal, before bowing to the No. 21 ranked Radek Stepanek in the final.

“Mardy is looking very strong and playing very competitively,” said Mark Stenning, CEO of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Tournament Director of the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. “We are pleased he will be returning to Newport in July, as he has been loyal to our tournament.”

The 27-year-old is the third-ranked American (behind Andy Roddick and Blake) and has broken the World Top 20, now ranked at No. 20. In 2008, Fish finished in the Top 25 for first time since 2003. He reached two ATP World Tour finals – New Haven and Indian Wells, where he dismissed Roger Federer in the semifinal before bowing to Novak Djokovic in the final. Fish also reached the semifinal in Los Angeles and the quarterfinals in Delray Beach, San Jose and Houston.  At the 2008 US Open, he achieved a career-best Grand Slam showing, reaching the quarterfinal round. Fish defeated No. 25 Paul-Henri Mathieu, No. 9 James Blake and No. 33 Gael Monfils, before losing to World No. 1 Rafael Nadal.

The Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, an ATP World Tour tennis event, brings the top men in professional tennis to Newport, Rhode Island to compete on the legendary grass courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. The first U.S. National Lawn Tennis Championships were played in Newport in 1881, the tournament which evolved into the US Open. Today, the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships remains the only professional tournament played on grass in North America.

Tickets are on sale now for the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, played for the Van Alen Cup, and can be ordered online at www.tennisfame.com or by calling 866-914-FAME (3263). In conjunction with the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, the International Tennis Hall of Fame will hold its annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, July 11 (12:30pm). The Class of 2009 represents Recent Player Monica Seles; Master Player Andres Gimeno; and Contributors Donald L. Dell; and Dr. Robert “Whirlwind” Johnson (posthumously). Tickets for Saturday’s semifinal matches and the 2009 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony are also available online. To purchase tickets, go to tennisfame.com. For additional information call the Tournament Office at 866-914-FAME (3263).

The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of tennis and its champions. For more information regarding the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, 2009 Hall of Fame Induction Weekend, Tennis Tournaments, Events and Programs, please call 401-849-3990 or visit our website at www.tennisfame.com.