TSN serves up more than 32 hours of LIVE coverage of the 2002 Tennis Masters Canada, as old favourites Pistol Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi duel it out against the young guns at the National Tennis Centre in Toronto for the Canadian title.
TSN’s Tennis Masters Canada broadcast schedule begins Monday, July 29 at 11 a.m. (all times Eastern) with first round coverage and continues until Friday, Aug. 2 with additional early-round play and the quarter-finals. (Please see TSN’s complete Tennis Masters Canada broadcast schedule.)
Veteran tennis broadcaster Jim Van Horne will call the action alongside TSN tennis analyst Peter Burwash – a former No. 1 player in Canada who captured 19 international singles and doubles titles in his career. TSN courtside reporter Robert Bettauer will also be on hand, combing the sidelines for interviews with players.
TSN’s Tennis Masters Canada coverage marks the first year of a renewed three-year deal with Tennis Canada. The deal makes TSN and WTSN the exclusive Canadian broadcasters for weekday coverage of all nine Tennis Masters Series events and the Rogers AT&T Cup until 2004.
“Tennis fans have a lot to look forward to on TSN in the years ahead,” says Keith Pelley, president, TSN. “With the new young blood in men’s tennis and the one-two punch of the Williams sisters in women’s tennis, the popularity of the sport in Canada has grown from coast to coast.”
As part of the Tennis Masters Series format, the top 52 players in the world are automatically entered into the Tennis Masters Canada event, including three-time champion Andre Agassi, current world number one Lleyton Hewitt, and the No. 2 ranked Marat Safin. Canadians Daniel Nestor and Frederic Niemeyer received wildcards to the tournament. Other notables coming to the National Tennis Centre include 13-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras, American phenomenon Andy Roddick and the flamboyant Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten.
Leading up to TSN’s Tennis Masters Canada coverage, ESPN Classic Canada takes fans back to some of the most memorable moments from the star-studded tournament with Classic Masters Tennis Weekend. The weekend features a variety of classic matches from past and present tennis sensations, including the quick-tempered John McEnroe, clay court specialist Thomas Muster and American favourite MaliVai Washington. The vintage action begins Saturday, July 27 at 4 p.m. (Please see ESPN Classic Canada’s Classic Masters Tennis Weekend broadcast schedule.)
Following TSN’s comprehensive Tennis Masters Canada coverage, Van Horne and TSN newcomer Mary Carillo will travel to du Maurier Stadium in Montreal to call the action from the 2002 Rogers AT&T Cup. Both TSN and WTSN will broadcast extensive coverage of the event beginning August 12.
