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.  

Former champions Lleyton Hewitt (2009) and Tommy Haas (2004) as well as former finalist James Blake (2008) are among the players added to the field for the 2013 US Men's Clay Court Championship as the preliminary entry list was released this week. Twenty-three players, including six ranked within the Top 25 on the ATP World Tour, have committed to the 28-player field for the tournament at River Oaks Country Club April 8-14.

Hewitt, a two-time Grand Slam champion from Australia, and Germany's Haas headline a list of international stars in the event that includes defending champion Juan Monaco from Argentina, France's Gael Monfilsand Spaniard's Nicolas Almagro and Fernando Verdasco.

Blake, a former Top 5 player, is among a group of seven Americans that includes 2012 River Oaks runner-up John Isner, 2010 finalist Sam Querrey, Ryan Harrison, Tim Smyczek, Houston resident Michael Russell and wild card recipient Jack Sock.

"Getting the entry list always gives everyone around River Oaks a little energy boost because it means the tournament is now less than six weeks away," said Tournament Director Van Barry. "With the players that has signed up for the 2013 tournament, I anticipate a lot of excitement for this tournament. It's such a deep field, I think every day of the week will have plenty of stars and quality matches."

Here are the first 22 entries for the 213 US Men's Clay Court Championship, with their nationality and ranking as of Monday, Feb. 25:
Nicolas Almagro (Spain) 12
Martin Alund (Argentina) 91
Ricardas Berankis (Lithuania) 87
Carlos Berlocq (Argentina) 75
James Blake (USA) 99
Flavio Cipolla (Italy) 100
Somdev Devvarman (India) 85*
Tommy Haas (Germany) 19
Ryan Harrison (USA) 76
Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) 98
John Isner (USA) 15
Jesse Levine (Canada) 95
Paolo Lorenzi (Italy) 57
Leonardo Mayer (Argentina) 77
Juan Monaco (Argentina) 14
Guido Pella (Argentina) 88
Sam Querrey (USA) 23
Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (Spain) 96
Michael Russell (USA) 72
Tim Smyczek (USA) 101
Jack Sock (USA) 130
Fernando Verdasco (Spain) 24
*Protected Ranking

One more player will join the field as wild cards while four more players will advance into the main draw through the qualifying tournament that will be held begin April 6 at River Oaks.

In addition to these singles players, four-time doubles champion the Bryan Brothers will return to River Oaks. The twin brothers Bob and Mike are the World No. 1 doubles team. They own the record for Grand Slam titles with 13 together as well as total career titles together with 85. 

Individual session tickets and the very popular “Champ Pass” are on sale on now. The Champ Pass for the 2013 US Men’s Clay Court Championship includes a ticket to the Friday, Saturday and Sunday sessions. "The Champ Pass" usually sells out before the tournament begins. A limited number of season ticket packages are still remaining. Information on tickets can be found at www.mensclaycourt.com or by calling 713-874-6294.
 
US Men’s Clay Court Championship at River Oaks Country Club
The 104th competition for the US Men’s Clay Court Championship will be held April 8-14, 2013, at River Oaks Country Club in Houston. Started by the USTA in 1910, the Clay Court Championship has been held at numerous venues around the country. The tournament has been held in Houston since 2001, and will be held at River Oaks Country Club for the fourth straight year. Prior to hosting the US Men’s Clay Court Championship, River Oaks Country Club hosted its own event, The River Oaks International. Started in 1931, the River Oaks International roster of former champions includes Jack Kramer, Tony Trabert, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Ken Rosewall, Ivan Lendl, Guillermo Vilas and James Blake. The 2013 US Men’s Clay Court Championship will be the 79^th tournament at River Oaks, with the club hosting a tournament every year since 1946 after a four-year lapse due to the war. More information is available at www.mensclaycourt.com or on Twitter at @mensclaycourt. 

How cool is this?? THe The 2011 main draw will be made a 3 p.m. TODAY LIVE ON TWITTER!! 

It will be featuring 2011 US Men's Clay Court Championship participant Somdev Devvarman of India. Devvarman is a two-time NCAA Champion from the University of Virginia and also a Commonwealth Games gold medalist. He is ranked a career high this week, having reached the final earlier this year in Johannesburg and the fourth round at Indian Wells.

As the draw is made, the match ups will instantly be tweeted by the tournament at HERE , then Devvarman will offer his opinion on the match on his personal Twitter. To make following easier, the conversation will be aggregated using the hashtag #ATPHouston. 

If you don't have your tickets yet, some are still available. Tickets for select individual sessions at the 2011 US Men’s Clay Court Championship remain available. The Champ Pass and season ticket packages have sold out for the 2011 event. 

Information on tickets can be found HERE or by calling 713-874-6294.

One of DISH'S favorite programs in sports in Houston is what we are calling the ACE program!

Patrons with tickets they will not able to use may donate them back to the River Oaks box office. Those tickets will then be on sale at the box office for face value with 100% of the proceeds donated to the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Childrens.

US Men’s Clay Court Championship at River Oaks Country Club
The 102nd competition for the US Men’s Clay Court Championship will be held April 4-10, 2011, at River Oaks Country Club in Houston. Started by the USTA in 1910, it has been held at numerous venues around the country. The tournament has been held in Houston since 2001, and will be held at River Oaks Country Club for the third straight year. Prior to hosting the US Men’s Clay Court Championship, River Oaks Country Club hosted its own event, The River Oaks International. Started in 1931, the River Oaks International roster of former champions includes Jack Kramer, Tony Trabert, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Ken Rosewall, Ivan Lendl, Guillermo Vilas and James Blake. The 2011 US Men’s Clay Court Championship will be the 77^th tournament at River Oaks, with the club hosting a tournament every year since 1946 after a four-year lapse due to the war. More information is available at HERE or on Twitter