VICTORIA AZARENKA, KIM CLIJSTERS TO JOIN VENUS WILLIAMS FOR SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL TEAM TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS NOVEMBER 10-12

THREE FORMER WORLD #1 TO TAKE COURT AT FREEMAN COLISEUM

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- San Antonio Sports announced today that former world #1's, Victoria Azarenka and Kim Clijsters, will replace Elina Svitolina and Sofia Kenin at next month's San Antonio International Team Tennis Championships.  "Unfortunately, Elina is recovering from a foot injury that she suffered at Wimbledon and will not be able to participate," said Tim Stallard Tournament Director.  "Sofia has been asked to represent the USA in the Billie Jean King Cup which will be held the same weekend as the San Antonio

International. We wish Elina a speedy recovery and Sofia the best of luck as she represents the USA," added Stallard.

"We are excited to welcome Victoria and Kim to San Antonio, said Jenny Carnes, Executive Director of San Antonio Sports.  "This will not only be an amazing opportunity for tennis fans to see great champions compete, but also for area youth to have the opportunity to participate in clinics and learn the importance of hard work, discipline, and sportsmanship." Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) has won two Australian Open titles and reached the finals of the US Open three times.  She won the Olympic Gold Medal in Mixed Doubles at the 2012 London Summer Olympics.  In 2012, she reached #1 in the world and held the # 1 ranking for 51 weeks. Kim Clijsters (Belgium) has won three US Open titles and one Australian Open title.   Kim also has won Wimbledon and French Open titles in doubles and reached #1 in the world rankings in both singles and doubles.  She has captured three WTA Final Championships and has been awarded WTA Sportsmanship Award a record eight times. In 2017, She was inducted into the International Hall of Fame.

The San Antonio International Tennis Championships will feature two teams consisting of top ATP & WTA players, college players and top ranked Texas junior players.  The San Antonio Smash will be led by Venus Williams, Victoria Azarenka, John Isner, Bob Bryan and JJ Wolf and captained by Wayne Bryan.  The Austin Capitals will be headed up by Kim Clijsters, Peyton Stearns, Gael Monfils, Mike Bryan and Jack Sock.  In addition to the tennis professionals, college players from Baylor, UT Austin, Texas A&M, UTSA, UTPB, Trinity and Southwestern along with top juniors from John Newcombe's Tennis Ranch and Austin Tennis Academy will also be part of the team event.

"We are excited to welcome so many great players to San Antonio and look forward to world class tennis at Freeman Coliseum," said Tim Stallard.  "The three-day event will benefit SA Sports I-Play Program, Bush ACE Outreach Program and several of the players' non-profit foundations benefitting children throughout Texas."  For more information on the San Antonio International Tennis Championships please visit www.sanantonioitc.com.  VIP packages are available now online.  Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com or the Freeman Coliseum box office.

About SA Sports iPLAY

Since 1984, San Antonio Sports has put our city on the global stage. But we're not just about big games. We're a nonprofit organization whose mission is to transform our community through the power of sport. That transformation takes place at the intersection of three vision areas: HEALTHY KIDS, PLACES to PLAY and EVENTS that IMPACT. It's there that you'll see our programs transform the health and wellbeing of children and their families, the community improved by parks and enhanced recreational facilities for which we advocate, and our economy reaping the positive effects of the premier sporting events we attract.

About Bush ACE Outreach Programs

The BUSH ACE OUTREACH PROGRAM was launched in 2016, at the Bush Tennis Center in Midland, Texas to Advise, Counsel, and Encourage (ACE) area youth by connecting positive role models with elementary-aged children through the sport of tennis. Thanks to partnerships with the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA), ACE has provided free in-school programs to over 40,000 elementary-aged children throughout the Permian Basin and free or discounted after-school and summer programs supported by the Bush Tennis Center.  In addition to learning the sport of tennis, ACE promotes the core values of sportsmanship, integrity, self-confidence and hard work.

In 2023, ACE will continue to expand throughout Texas with new partnerships with the USTA Arthur Ashe National Junior Tennis & Learning program (NJTL), Baylor Tennis, Texas A&M Tennis, TCU Tennis, UTPB Tennis, UT Austin Tennis and UT San Antonio Tennis.  The 2023-2024 Bush ACE Outreach Program goal is to reach over 200,000 Texas children.

For more information
Contact Tim Stallard
[email protected]
(512) 576-4796

Contact Carolyn Wheat
San Antonio Sports
[email protected]

SOURCE Bush Tennis Center