News

Carlsbad, Calif. — Petra Kvitova, the 21-year-old from the Czech Republic who earlier today captured the Wimbledon ladies’ singles title, will play in the 2011 Mercury Insurance Open Presented by Tri-City Medical Center, July 30 – August 7 at the La Costa Resort and Spa, tournament officials announced.

Kvitova, who turned pro in 2006, defeated Russia’s Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-4 in this morning’s Wimbledon ladies’ singles final in England to win her first major title.

“We are very excited to have the new Wimbledon champion play in our tournament,” said Raquel Giscafre, Mercury Insurance Open tournament director. “She is an incredible and talented player to watch and I’m sure tennis fans will enjoy the opportunity to see her play at the La Costa Resort and Spa.”

Today’s victory at Wimbledon represents Kvitova’s fifth-career WTA Tour singles title and her fourth singles title of 2011.

Named the 2010 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Newcomer of the Year, Kvitova will be playing in Carlsbad for the first time in her career. She has been a member of the Czech Fed Cup team since 2007.

In addition to Kvitova, the field for the 2011 Mercury Insurance Open will be highlighted by former world No.1 Kim Clijsters, defending Mercury Insurance Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and other WTA stars Vera Zvonareva, Agnieszka Radwanska, Ana Ivanovic, Daniela Hantuchova, Maria Kirilenko, Flavia Pennetta, Melanie Oudin, Coco Vandeweghe, Julia Goerges, Anna Chakvetadze and Yanina Wickmayer.

Individual tickets are now on sale for the 2011 Mercury Insurance Open, July 30 to August 7 at the La Costa Resort and Spa. Reserved grandstand and box seat tickets, which range from $10-$125, are now available online at mercuryinsuranceopen.com or through Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.com. Tournament ticket packages are also on sale and begin at $70.

The Mercury Insurance Open, a Premier 700 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) event offering $721,000 in prize money, will feature a 56-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw in 2011. The women’s professional tennis event returned to the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad in 2010 after a two-year hiatus. Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova won the singles title last summer when she defeated Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the final. The tournament will be televised on the Tennis Channel and ESPN 2.

The Mercury Insurance Open is a participating tournament in the Olympus US Open Series. The US Open Series, now in its eighth year, is a six-week summer tennis season that links 10 ATP World Tour and WTA tournaments together. The series leads into the US Open. The Mercury Insurance Open is the second women’s event within the series. For additional information about the Mercury Insurance Open Presented by Tri-City Medical Center, log onto mercuryinsuranceopen.com/, join us on Facebook (facebook.com/SDTennis) or follow frequent updates on Twitter (twitter.com/MercuryInsOpen). Text “CARLSBAD” to 55333 to join the tournament’s VIP text club and receive up-to-the-minute news, tournament information and player announcements right on your mobile device. Standard text message rates apply.

About Mercury Insurance

Mercury Insurance (MCY) is a multiple-line insurance organization predominantly offering personal automobile and homeowners insurance through a network of independent agents and brokers in California, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, Arizona, New York, Georgia, Oklahoma, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Founded in 1962, Mercury specializes in providing quality insurance at affordable prices – core values that distinguish Mercury in the marketplace. For more information about Mercury Insurance, visit mercuryinsurance.com.

About Tri-City Medical Center

Tri-City Medical Center is a Joint Commission gold seal accredited, full-service, acute care hospital with three advanced clinical institutes and physicians practicing in 60 specialties. Administered by the Tri-City Healthcare District which includes Oceanside, Vista and most of Carlsbad, Tri-City is celebrating 50 years caring for the community. For more information about Tri-City Medical Center, please visit tricitymed.org.

About Octagon Tennis

Octagon’s history and tradition in tennis dates back nearly 40 years. Octagon has played an important role in the globalization of professional tennis. Our long-standing reputation for integrity is the foundation of our leadership position in the industry. Our mission is to serve as the pre-eminent management and marketing agency worldwide for the representation of tennis players. For more information, visit octagontennis.com.