French Open Semifinalist Headlines Early Entrants
Baghdatis, Fish, Querrey, Safin and Stepanek Also Coming to LA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2009

French Open semifinalist Fernando Gonzalez headlines a group of early entrants into the LA Tennis Open Presented by Farmers Insurance that will begin July 27. Marat Safin, Marcos Baghdatis, Radek Stepanek and Americans Mardy Fish and Sam Querrey are also expected to be in the 28-player field at the 83rd annual tournament.

2007 Australian Open finalist Fernando Gonzalez is likely to move into the top 10 following his ongoing run to the French Open semifinals. He is 3-2 in LA, having reached the 2006 semifinals. Gonzalez, a three-time Olympic medalist, was a finalist in the Beijing Olympic last year, where he carried his country's flag at the opening ceremony.  Since turning pro in 1999, he has captured 11 titles in 22 finals appearances.

Baghdatis will be making just his second career appearance in LA. His best and only result at the LA was a first round loss to Chela in 2005.  Since then, Baghdatis has wowed the tennis world by reaching the Australian Open final in 2006, quarterfinals in Wimbledon in 2007, and in 2008, lost to Hewitt in the third round of the Australian Open in an epic 4 hour, 45 minute five-set match that finished at 4:34 am.  However, the rest of his season was plagued by injuries and Baghdatis has since fallen to No. 82 in the South African Airways ATP Ranking.

Safin, the 2000 US Open and 2005 Australian Open champion, will not only be playing the main draw of the LA Tennis Open, but will be showcased in a special opening night "Millennium Challenge" match against Pete Sampras. That will be a rematch of the 2000 US Open final. A former World No. 1, Safin will be making his sixth appearance in LA, having gone 6-5 with two quarterfinals in his previous efforts.

Stepanek won the 2007 LA Tennis Open. In 2009, he's claimed titles in Brisbane and San Jose while also reaching the final in Memphis. He is 24-10 in 2009, and boasts a ranking of No. 19. He's 5-0 in his career in LA, with 2007 being his only previous appearance.

Fish, an LA Tennis Open semifinalist in 2008, won Delray Beach and reached the finals in San Jose during February this year. At No. 24 in the rankings, he's within seven spots of his career of No. 17. A part time LA resident with his new wife, Stacey, Fish is 6-4 in his career at the LA Tennis Center.

Querrey, who graduated from Thousand Oaks High School in 2006 and now lives in Santa Monica, is the youngest of the early entrants. The 21-year-reached the finals in Auckland earlier this year and claimed his first career ATP title last spring in Las Vegas. He is 1-2 in his previous appearances in LA.