TORONTO, May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Doug Philpott Inner-City Children's Tennis Fund (Philpott) is pleased to host the upcoming charity RPIA Kids Clinic with tennis legends Jim Courier (former world #1), Mark Philippoussis (former world #8), and James Blake (former world #4) on May 17 at Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto. Three of these tennis champions will be competing afterwards alongside John McEnroe in the RPIA Championship. Accredited Media are invited to attend the clinic and meet the players.
On May 17, Toronto will host one of ten events on the 2018 Invesco Series QQQ, the North American tennis circuit for champion tennis players over the age of 30. The series of one-night tournaments features two one-set semi-final matches and a one-set final-round match. As the official chosen charity for the Toronto edition of the Series, 30 Philpott kids will participate in an “RPIA Kids Clinic” with the legends who will be in attendance to interact with the children and the media. This marks the second straight year Toronto has hosted the RPIA Championship after Mark Philippoussis defeated Andy Roddick in last year’s final at the Ricoh Coliseum. Local sponsors of the event are RPIA, Peerage Capital, Chestnut Park, Echelon Wealth Partners, and MatchPoint Productions.
Jennifer Bishop, the Chair of the Board of the Philpott Children’s Tennis Fund commented, “Philpott is grateful for the opportunity to have our kids learn from the best of the best. These players are among the legends of tennis and inspirations to the more than 8,000 tennis players in our 19 programs throughout the city. Tennis is a great equalizer and teaches important lessons about discipline, cooperation, physical fitness and self-confidence. The RPIA Kids Clinic is a unique opportunity for Philpott kids to take part in a private clinic with some of the world’s top tennis players and encourage their love for the sport.”
| Who: | Jim Courier, Mark Philippoussis, and James Blake and inner-city Toronto kids from Philpott Children’s Tennis |
| What: | RPIA Kids Clinic for Philpott Children’s Tennis |
| When: | Thursday, May 17, 5:00 pm, accredited media check-in 4:30 pm |
| Where: | Ryerson Mattamy Athletic Centre |
| Why: | Charity event component preceding RPIA Championship |
The main event starts at 7 pm and will kick off with Philippoussis, the former world No. 8 and Wimbledon / US Open finalist taking on Blake, the former world No. 4 and member of the 2007 championship-winning U.S. Davis Cup team. McEnroe, the three-time Wimbledon and four-time U.S. Open champion, will then face Courier, the two-time French and Australian Open champion, followed by the singles final. For the fourth straight year on the Invesco Series QQQ, players will make their own line-calls with the assistance of electronic line-calling. For more information and to purchase tickets, VIP packages and hit-with-the pros opportunities go to www.InvescoSeries.com
ABOUT PHILPOTT CHILDREN’S TENNIS FUND
Since 1991, the Philpott Children’s Tennis Fund has helped introduce Toronto’s inner-city children to tennis. Founded out of a desire to honour the memory of Doug Philpott – one of the great folk heroes of Canadian tennis – the Fund provides free lessons, from qualified coaches and instructors, to children ages 5 to 15 deep in the heart of Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods. Here, coaches teach not only the basics of the game, but also help participants learn valuable life lessons about discipline, cooperation and self-confidence.
http://philpottchildrenstennis.ca/
For media inquiries and attendance:
Melony Jamieson – Get it Done
melony@getitdone.ca
416-518-6355