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Hall of Famer Butch Buchhholz to be Honored by International Tennis Hall of Fame and First Serve

March 23, 2009

NEWPORT, RI — This Thursday, March 26, the International Tennis Hall of Fame and First Serve will host a special evening honoring 2005 Hall of Famer Butch Buchholz while also celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Sony Ericsson Open. The event will take place in Miami, Florida at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Slated to appear is eight-time Grand Slam singles champion (and six-time Miami Masters Series Champion) Andre Agassi, along with Hall of Famers Gabriela Sabatini, Bud Collins and Fred Stolle. Honorary Chairs for the event are Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, The Honorable Jeb Bush and Hall of Fame President Tony Trabert. Tennis analyst and commentator Cliff Drysdale will serve as the evening’s Master of Ceremonies. A cocktail reception and silent auction will take place 7:00pm to 8:00pm, with dinner and event program starting at 8:00pm

Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005 as a Contributor to the sport, Butch Buchholz has played key roles in the evolution of both professional and amateur tennis. He has been a pioneer in developing both men’s and women’s tennis, using his expertise in fundraising, sponsorship and marketing to help create a wider audience for numerous events throughout the world. He has served tennis in many professional and administrative capacities, including Commissioner of World Team Tennis (1977-78), ATP Executive Director (1981-82) and member of the men’s pro council (1981-83). He has also worked as Tournament Director for numerous events, including the prestigious Sony Ericsson Open in Miami (he is currently Chairman and Co-Founder), which got its start in 1985. He was also instrumental in setting up an ATP World Tour event played in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In addition, Buchholz teamed with tennis legend Arthur Ashe in 1992 to form the “Good Life Mentoring Program” benefiting hundreds of elementary and middle school children in the greater Miami area. As a player, Buchholz was ranked No. 5 in the world in 1960, and was ranked four times in the U.S. Top 10. He played as a touring pro 1961-67 (U.S. Pro Champ in 1962) and was a member of the United States Davis Cup team 1959-60.

Proceeds from the event will benefit both First Serve and the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. For more information, please contact the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum at 401-849-3990 or First Serve at 954-568-4661.