Event to Feature Maria Sharapova and 2019 WTT stars Sam Querrey, Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys, CoCo Vandeweghe, the Bryan Brothers, Ryan Harrison and Taylor Townsend; CBS to Broadcast One-Hour Event Special on April 4 at 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT
RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. (December 9, 2019) – Building on a pulsating 2019 World TeamTennis season in which its champion was decided on the last point of the WTT Final, WTT is serving up a new twist for its 45th season with a spectacular All-Star event featuring many of the best American tennis players.
World TeamTennis will showcase much of its top talent from its 2019 season and soon-to-be-announced celebrities from the tennis and entertainment industries when it introduces the “WTT Celebrity All-Star Match” – a pro-am tennis event on March 1, 2020 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa (home of WTT’s San Diego Aviators) in Carlsbad, Calif. Tickets are on sale now at WTTTickets.com. Limited seating is available for the WTT Celebrity All-Star Match, and the event is expected to sell out.
Five-time Grand Slam singles champion and World TeamTennis veteran Maria Sharapova and 2019 WTT stars Sam Querrey, Taylor Fritz, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, CoCo Vandeweghe, Madison Keys, Ryan Harrison, Monica Puig and Taylor Townsend (2018 WTT Female MVP) are set to play in the WTT Celebrity All-Star Match.
“Playing in San Diego for the Aviators is something that I make sure is on my calendar every summer, and when I was asked to participate in the 2020 WTT Celebrity All-Star Match in San Diego, it was a no brainer for me,” Vandeweghe said. “The March 1 match should be awesome for the players and the fans. Team tennis is always the most fun and exciting. I love the format and the excitement that every point counts is something that we don’t get on the tour, so I love every opportunity to play WTT. It’s always a major plus to be able to sleep in my own bed as well in San Diego.”
CBS Sports, the official television partner of World TeamTennis, will air an exclusive, one-hour WTT Celebrity All-Star Match special on April 4 at 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT to highlight the best moments from the event.
“Our WTT Celebrity All-Star Match, featuring many of the best Americans in tennis and popular WTT stars, will extend our positive momentum from the 2019 season into what will be an even bigger year for WTT in 2020,” WTT CEO Carlos Silva said. “The commitments we’ve received from many of WTT’s stars to participate in the WTT Celebrity All-Star Match make it evident that our players love our team tennis format.”
The WTT Celebrity All-Star Match will follow WTT’s match format – one set (first to five games) each of men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles.
WTT Celebrity All-Star Match Teams
(players subject to change)
Team 1 – Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys, Taylor Townsend
Team 2 – Ryan Harrison, Sam Querrey, Maria Sharapova, CoCo Vandeweghe, Monica Puig
Fritz, the 22-year-old rising star who won his first ATP singles title in June’s Wimbledon tune-up at Eastbourne and is a three-time finalist on the 2019 ATP Tour, and Querrey (owner of 10 ATP singles and five ATP doubles titles) are two of the ATP Tour’s four highest-ranked American players at No. 32 and No. 44, respectively, and headline the WTT Celebrity All-Star Match on the men’s side.
Sharapova, a singles champion at Wimbledon in 2004 as well as the 2006 U.S. Open, 2008 Australian Open and 2012 and 2014 French Open, has played eight World TeamTennis seasons and won WTT titles with the Newport Beach Breakers in 2004 and the Orange County Breakers in 2017.
Keys is a five-time WTA singles champion and 2016 U.S. Olympian currently ranked No. 13 in the world. Keys played for the WTT e
xpansion Orlando Storm in 2019 and has routinely contended for Grand Slam titles in recent years. She was a 2017 U.S. Open singles finalist and, in 2018, reached the semifinals of the French Open and U.S. Open, and the Australian Open quarterfinals.
The Bryan Brothers, tennis’ most accomplished doubles duo who will team on the ATP Tour for one final year in 2020, and Querrey played on WTT’s expansion Vegas Rollers in 2019.
Fritz and Vandeweghe, San Diego County natives who honed their tennis talent nearby to the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, teamed with Harrison on WTT’s San Diego Aviators this past summer. 2018 WTT Female MVP Townsend starred for the 2019 regular season champion Philadelphia Freedoms. WTT last held All-Star matches in-season from 1975-78.
When the 45th World TeamTennis regular season hits the court from July 12-29, 2020, it will do so with a record level of prize money. The prize pool will increase to a whopping $5,000,000, including $1,000,000 in WTT Playoffs compensation and $500,000 to the team that hoists the King Trophy.
The WTT Playoffs return to Orleans Arena at The Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. for the second consecutive year – home of WTT’s Vegas Rollers – with WTT’s semifinals on July 31 and the WTT Final on Aug. 1. The Springfield Lasers repeated as WTT champions in 2019 as they rallied to complete a 20-19 comeback victory over the New York Empire.
WTT introduced professional team tennis to the world in 1974 and was co-founded by Billie Jean King. WTT is one of five active U.S. pro sports leagues which has been in operation for over 40 years, along with the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. For more information on World TeamTennis, please visit WTT.com.
2020 WTT Celebrity All-Star Weekend Schedule
WTT All-Star Player Party
Saturday, Feb 29, 2020 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad, CA
Buy Tickets Now!
Come out and kick-off All-Star weekend in style at the player party! You will have the opportunity to mingle and take photos with the Bryan Brothers, Madison Keys, Sam Querrey, CoCo Vandeweghe, Ryan Harrison, Taylor Townsend and Taylor Fritz as well as WTT coaches and the legend, Rod Laver. There will also be plenty of entertainment throughout the evening including music from DJ Danny and a WTT panel discussion.
WTT All-Star Clinic
Sunday, Mar 1, 2020 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad, CA
Come and play tennis with WTT All-Stars! This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to hit with the Bryan Brothers, Madison Keys, Sam Querrey, CoCo Vandeweghe, Ryan Harrison, Taylor Townsend and Taylor Fritz as well as WTT coaches. You will rotate between courts so that you can get one-on-one time with each player! Only 40 spots available so secure yours today.
WTT Celebrity All-Star Match
Sunday, Mar 1, 2020 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad, CA
Buy Tickets Now!
Come and see top talent from the 2019 World TeamTennis season and soon-to-be-announced celebrities from the tennis and entertainment industries during the WTT Celebrity All-Star Match on March 1, 2020 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. Limited seating is available for the WTT Celebrity All-Star Match, and the event is expected to sell out so buy your tickets today!
