Dish-Houston

Four former champions are on the initial entry list of 21 players for the 2014 Fayez Sarofim & Co. US Men's Clay Court Championship that will be held April 7-13. It will mark the 80th tournament that River Oaks Country Club has hosted.

Defending champion John Isner of the United States will be joined by former champions Juan Monaco(2012), Lleyton Hewitt (2009) and Ivo Karlovic (2007) in the tournament. 

Isner, at No. 13, is the top ranked of all entrants, and is one of three Top 20 players in the field, joined by Spaniards Tommy Robredo (No. 16) and Nicolas Almagro (No. 17). Robredo and Almagro, the 2013 runner-up, are two of only four active players on the ATP with more than 200 career match wins on clay.  

“We are very pleased to see the caliber of players on our initial entry list,” said Tournament Director Van Barry. “This field really has everything we could ask for - an international flavor, players with high rankings, players who have had success here and players who are well-liked by our fans. We are very excited to have all these guys come to River Oaks and are looking forward to a great week with them as we celebrate the 80th tournament in the Club's history.”

The initial entry list of 21 includes players from 13 countries. Three more players will be granted wild cards into the field, while four will be added through a qualifying tournament held April 5-7. Below is the initial entry list (Feb. 24 ranking in parentheses):

Nicolas Almagro - Spain (17)
Benjamin Becker - Germany (90)
Alex Bogomolov, Jr. - Russia (93)
Pablo Cuevas - Uruguay (197*)
Somdev Devvarman - India (78)
Matthew Ebden - Australia (62)
Alejandro Falla - Colombia (79)
Daniel Gimeno-Traver - Spain (85)
Santiago Giraldo - Colombia (58)
Alejandro Gonzalez - Colombia (76)
Lleyton Hewitt - Australia (42)
John Isner - United States (13)
Ivo Karlovic - Croatia (55)
Bradley Klahn - United States (65)
Feliciano Lopez - Spain (37)
Juan Monaco - Argentina (43)
Sam Querrey - United States (56)
Tommy Robredo - Spain (16)
Janko Tipsarevic - Serbia (70)
Fernando Verdasco - Spain (32)
Donald Young - United States (91)
*Entry based on injury protected ranking

Two of the top doubles teams on the ATP World Tour have also committed to play the 2014 tournament.Bob and Mike Bryan, the twin-brother tandem that has won four titles at the US Men's Clay Court Championship, and the Spanish duo of Fernando Verdasco and David Marrero, champions at the 2013 ATP World Tour Finals, have both been entered into the doubles draw.
 
In 2014, River Oaks Country Club will celebrate hosting a tournament for the 80^th time since its inauguration in 1931. The upcoming tournament will also mark the 104^th staging of the US Men’s Clay Court Championship.

Tickets for the 2014 Fayez Sarofim & Co. US Men's Clay Court Championship are on sale now. For more information, CLICK HERE.  

It's getting heated here at the River Oaks Country Club! The U.S. Men's Clay Court Champoinships is full of drama as day two comes to a close.

We started out the day with 2004 double Olympic Gold Medalist Nicolas Massuplaying his heart out for a win after having to get through the qualies in Miami last week just to lose in the first round. He plays again tomorrow at Noon if you are coming out and want to see a part of tennis history live in person.  Massu made it to the finals here at the USMCC a few years ago only to have to retire due to injure in the 2nd.

Last year's winner Lleyton Hewitt and his double partner won their first match today as they should have since they have played together since they were juniors.

Speaking of junior, up am coming American Donald Young just lost his first clay match of the season to South African Kevin Anderson but had the best attitude knowing that he has plenty of clay ahead of him this year and hopes to break the top 50 soon.

The drama comes in with Taylor Dent finally coming back from a back injury and having to retire in his first round with groin injury. He didn't say if he was headed home to spend time with his new 10 week old sun but did have the most amazing perspective on his game and life in general..."If I got upset every time I was disappointed out there I'd never be happy."

The REAL drama is with American Wayne Odesnik. Once he touched down in Australia for the Aussie Open he was stopped while going through customs and a big ole Texas sized mess of Human Grown Hormone was found in his bag! He is playing here in Houston and the other players are NOT happy with his being here at all! 10 Days ago he pleaded guilty in an Australian court and that kicked off the International Tennis Federation investigation into the subject. The higher ranked players are the ones that are tested frequently, however Odesnik is only ranked 103 therefore has not been caught. Of course now there will be TONS of testing although he's had plenty of time to get the substance out of his system. American Mardy Fishwas due to play Wayne this evening but had to pull out also due to injury. Before his decision to not continue play today, Fish had this to say about Odesnik's being here.

“I’m the kind of guy who’s been around for a long time,” Fish told the Chronicle. “This is my 11^th year. I’ve seen a few guys come and go who have cheated and he seems to be no different. There’s no room for him. There is no gray area. He pleaded guilty. Any points and money he wins here are going to be gone anyway (if the ITF suspends him).

“It would be pretty awkward (for me) to play him here. He’s a pretty good clay court player. What you don’t know now is if any of that is real. It doesn’t seem to be. I’d have a serious beef if I were (Jerzy Janowicz, whom Odesnik defeated in the first round). And, if I were (Odesnik), I’d take myself out.”     

“I think there’s some kind of misunderstanding,” Janowicz said. “I think he shouldn’t play at this point. He for sure should be suspended. It’s a bad feeling when I know he shouldn’t play. It’s very tough to play with that kind of guy.”

Needless to say if you want to speak to Mr. Odesnik you have to go through his lawyer in Florida.  

Wednesday's schedule is looking good if the rain holds off.  Chela is taking on Schwank at Noon in the Stadium followed by Massu and Sweeting. Then the Bryan Brother's take over the Stadium at 3 pm to no doubt beat Damm and Polasek followed Hewitt and whomever wins today out of Niland and Devvarman!

Don't forget the Tootsie's Fashion show for the ladies! Hats, dresses, heals and beautiful men! Ah, it's spring in Houston!

LADIES! It's time for Tennis!! The U.S Men's Clay Court Champoinships are about to happen and the eye candy is uber sweet this year!! Last years winner Lleyton Hewitt has accepted a wild card to return from a January hip operation and defend his title at River Oaks Country Club April 5-11.

Hewitt, a former World No. 1, injured his right hip while playing Hopman Cup in early January 2010. After a fourth-round loss to Roger Federer at the Australian Open he underwent surgery in Hobart to repair a torn labrum. He had a similar operation on his left hip in April 2008.

“I’m really looking forward to returning to defend my title in Houston,” Hewitt said. “The River Oaks Club is a great place to play and the people there really supportive. I couldn’t think of a better place to come back on to the Tour after an injury.”

The last player to successfully defend his US Men’s Clay Court Championship title was Andy Roddick, who won titles in 2001 and 2002. Hewitt won the 2009 title without dropping a set.

Gold medalist and World No. 11 Fernando Gonzalez is projected to be the top seed for the US Men's Clay Court Championship. The tournament’s field also includes the entire US Davis Cup team of John Isner and Sam Querrey along with Bob and Mike Bryan. Former champions Mardy Fish and Ivo Karlovic are also entered into the tournament, along with Houston resident Michael Russell and fellow Americans Taylor Dent and Rajeev Ram.

Here’s a look at the full field and their ranking as of February 22, 2010.

Season tickets, individual sessions and the finals weekend “Champ Pass” for the 2010 are on sale now. In2009, the final three days of the tournament sold out by mid-week. Information on tickets can be found at www.mensclaycourt.com/tickets