Wild Cards Announced for W&SFG Masters Tournament

Photo: © Eric M. Spohn
John Isner

MASON – July 24, 2008 – Three Americans and a former world No.1 have accepted the four main draw wild cards, while a young Ohioan has received the first qualifying wild card.

John Isner, Donald Young, Jesse Levine and Marat Safin will join the 44 men who have gained direct acceptance into the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters main draw. Chase Buchanan of Columbus, Ohio is the first recipient of four wild cards for the qualifying tournament.

Isner, of the United States, reached his first ATP singles final at Washington last year. That same year, he won the title at Lexington on the Challenger circuit. He had a win over Tommy Haas this year at Indianapolis and won the doubles title at Newport in early July. He will be making his second appearance in Cincinnati as a wild card.

Young, who turned 19 yesterday, finished 2007 as the youngest player in the Top 100 at 18 years, 5 months. The American made his first ATP quarterfinal appearance at Memphis this year. He played in the qualifying tournament in Cincinnati in 2004 as a 15-year-old, but will be making his main draw debut this year.

Levine, another American, has reached the Round of 16 at two ATP tournaments so far this year. He’s won three titles in Challenger events—at Bradenton in ’08 and Champaign & Nashville in ’07. He will be making his first appearance in Cincinnati.

Safin, of Russia, owns 15 ATP singles titles and had a semifinal showing at Wimbledon earlier this month. He was ranked No. 1 in the world in 2000, is a five-time ATP Masters Series champion and a two-time Grand Slam winner. He is no stranger to Cincinnati either, appearing here eight times, and reaching the quarterfinals in 2004 & 2005.

Buchanan, who turned 17 last month, has been climbing the ITF rankings and is currently the third-highest ranked U.S. junior in the world at No. 21. He won his first USTA Futures tournament earlier this year and has reached the quarterfinals at two other Futures events. In ITF Juniors action, he won the title at the Easter Bowl and was runner-up at the Astrid Bowl, both this year.

Buchanan is the equivalent of a senior in high school and is home-schooled in his native Columbus, Ohio.

The draw ceremony to determine the first round matchups will be held at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow in the Grandstand tent at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.

Tickets for the W&SFG Seniors, the W&SFG Masters and the W&SFG Women’s Open are available by calling the tournament at 513-651-0303 or visiting www.cincytennis.com. Tickets also are available via TicketMaster at 513-562-4949 or www.ticketmaster.com.