Contact: Sunny Mindel/Curt Ritter (212)788-2958
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani attended opening ceremonies for the INVACARE World Team Cup, an International team competition for elite wheelchair tennis athletes, at the United States Tennis Association (USTA) National Tennis Center this evening.
"It's only appropriate that we kick-off the 1999 INVACARE World Team Cup on the 9th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act," said Mayor Giuliani. "The talented athletes participating in the tournament this week are magnificent role models for the more than 50 million people with disabilities in the United States. As The Sports Capital of the World, I can think of no better place than New York City to host this event, which will bring together 271 athletes from 35 different countries to compete for the INVACARE World Team Cup. I wish all the athletes participating in the 1999 INVACARE World Team Cup the best of luck."
More than 271 world class athletes from 35 nations will participate in the weeklong competition, which runs through August 1st. This is the first time in its 15-year history that the tournament is being played at the USTA National Tennis Center. There are 32 men's teams, 15 women's teams and eight quad teams. The INVACARE World Team Cup is single-elimination team competition. The defending championship teams: the men's team from Germany; the women's team from the Netherlands; and the quads team from the United States, are defending their titles.
The INVACARE World Team Cup originated in 1985, when the first World Team Cup was held in Irvine, California with male players from Australia, Canada. France, Israel, Japan and the United States participating. The following year women participated in the event, with teams from the United States and a combined Dutch/French team competing.