New York, NY, February 3, 2010 – The pairings for the two semifinal matches of the the upcoming “BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup” have been set for the March 1 event at Madison Square Garden, it was announced today.
The 2010 Australian Open Champion, inaugural BNP Paribas Showdown defending champion and the current World No. 1, Serena Williams will face off against Kim Clijsters, who captivated the tennis world after capturing the 2009 US Open title only two years after retiring from the sport. The matchup will mark the first time the two players will face each other since the semifinals of the 2009 US Open. The other semifinal will feature 2009 French Open Champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and seven-time Grand Slam Singles Champion, Venus Williams. (Head-to-Head matchups follow press release)
The pairings for the semifinal matches were determined by using the 2009 year-end rankings and having the highest ranked player take on the lowest ranked, then assigning the two remaining players to play each other. Serena finished as World No. 1 followed by Kuzetsova at No. 3, Venus was No. 6 and Clijsters finished her comeback year at No. 18.
In this fast-paced no ad scoring format, each participant will compete in a one-set semi-final with the winners advancing to a best of three-set final for the Billie Jean King Cup.
Limited VIP tickets and additional tickets for $250.00, $125.00, $75.00, $50.00 and $25.00 are currently on sale and can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden box office, all Ticketmaster outlets and online at www.thegarden.com.
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Page 2 – BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup
The “BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup” is the featured element of the national “Tennis Night in America” promotion. Through “Tennis Night in America”, the USTA will continue its efforts to grow youth participation in the sport of tennis. “Tennis Night in America” is among the sport’s largest ever grass roots initiatives.
The USTA has made this event a major component for its Youth Registration Night, where youth from all over the country can begin signing up for spring and summer league play.
The “BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup” is produced by StarGames in association with Madison Square Garden.
About Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden is a fully-integrated sports, entertainment and media business. The company is comprised of three business segments: MSG Sports, MSG Entertainment and MSG Media, which are strategically aligned to work together to drive its overall business, and built on a foundation of iconic venues and compelling content that MSG creates, produces, presents and/or distributes through its programming networks and other media assets. MSG Sports consists of the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL), the New York Liberty (WNBA), and the Hartford Wolf Pack (American Hockey League). MSG Entertainment is a leader in managing and creating concerts and events at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, the Beacon Theatre, the legendary Chicago Theatre, the Wang Theatre in Boston, and produces the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Radio City Rockettes. MSG Media is comprised of leading television networks MSG, MSG Plus, MSG HD and MSG Plus HD, as well as MSG Interactive, which oversees all company wireless and online initiatives, and Fuse and Fuse HD, the national television network dedicated exclusively to music. The company owns and operates the Madison Square Garden arena complex located in the heart of the New York metropolitan area. More information is available at www.msg.com.
StarGames, LLC (www.stargamesinc.com), which, in partnership with tennis great Ivan Lendl, promoted the Sampras/Federer match in March of 2008 at the Garden, is a full service sports marketing and production company based outside of Boston, MA. Now in its 14th year, StarGames produces programming for television, broadband and DVD home distribution, and, in association with Champagne Tennis Etcetera, procures sponsors for major sports and entertainment events. In addition, StarGames creates and produces live sporting/entertainment events, represents professional athletes and operates its own broadband channels through affiliations with YouTube and TVUNetworks.
CONTACTS: Dan Schoenberg, MSG (212) 465-6367 – daniel.schoenberg@thegarden.com
Larry Torres, MSG (212) 631-5178 – larry.torres@thegarden.com
Greg Sherry, SK Communications (973)267-5605 – gsherry@sherryllc.com
Pete Holtermann, HolterMedia (847) 380-4124 – holtermedia@gmail.com
Jessica Smyser, StarGames (781) 224-9655
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Page 3 – BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup
2010 BNP PARIBAS SHOWDOWN FOR THE BILLIE JEAN KING CUP
SEMIFINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS
SERENA WILLIAMS vs. KIM CLIJSTERS
Williams leads 7-2
|
1999
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US OPEN
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Hard
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R32
|
Serena Williams
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4-6 6-2 7-5
|
|
2000
|
Indian Wells
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Hard
|
R16
|
Serena Williams
|
6-4 6-4
|
|
2001
|
Indian Wells
|
Hard
|
F
|
Serena Williams
|
4-6 6-4 6-2
|
|
2001
|
Ericcson Open
|
Hard
|
R16
|
Serena Williams
|
6-0 6-2
|
|
2002
|
Toyota Princess Cup
|
Hard
|
F
|
Serena Williams
|
2-6 6-3 6-3
|
|
2002
|
Tour Championships
|
Carpet
|
F
|
Kim Clijsters
|
7-5 6-3
|
|
2003
|
Australian Open
|
Hard
|
S
|
Serena Williams
|
4-6 6-3 7-5
|
|
2003
|
Miami
|
Hard
|
S
|
Serena Williams
|
6-4 6-2
|
|
2009
|
US OPEN
|
Hard
|
S
|
Kim Clijsters
|
6-4 7-5
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SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA vs. VENUS WILLIAMS
Tied 4-4
|
2003
|
Australian Open
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Hard
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R128
|
Venus Williams
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6-4 6-2
|
|
2004
|
Dubai
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Hard
|
Q
|
Svetlana Kuznetsova
|
6-2 6-3
|
|
2004
|
Warsaw
|
Clay
|
F
|
Venus Williams
|
6-1 6-4
|
|
2006
|
Warsaw
|
Clay
|
Q
|
Svetlana Kuznetsova
|
6-4 6-2
|
|
2007
|
Warsaw
|
Clay
|
Q
|
Svetlana Kuznetsova
|
3-6 6-3 6-4
|
|
2007
|
Wimbledon
|
Grass
|
Q
|
Venus Williams
|
6-3 6-4
|
|
2008
|
Miami
|
Hard
|
Q
|
Svetlana Kuznetsova
|
6-3 6-4
|
|
2009
|
Tour Championships
|
Hard
|
R1
|
Venus Williams
|
6-2 6-7(3) 6-4
|
2010 BNP PARIBAS SHOWDOWN
POTENTIAL FINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA vs. KIM CLIJSTERS
Clijsters leads 7-1
|
2002
|
Toyota Princess Cup
|
Hard
|
R16
|
Kim Clijsters
|
6-4 0-6 7-5
|
|
2003
|
Los Angeles
|
Hard
|
Q
|
Kim Clijsters
|
6-3 6-1
|
|
2003
|
US OPEN
|
Hard
|
R32
|
Kim Clijsters
|
6-3 6-2
|
|
2005
|
Warsaw
|
Clay
|
S
|
Svetlana Kuznetsova
|
2-6 6-2 6-3
|
|
2005
|
Eastbourne
|
Grass
|
S
|
Kim Clijsters
|
6-4 3-6 6-4
|
|
2006
|
Warsaw
|
Clay
|
F
|
Kim Clijsters
|
7-5 6-2
|
|
2006
|
Tour Championships
|
Hard
|
Q
|
Kim Clijsters
|
6-1 6-1
|
|
2009
|
Cincinnati
|
Hard
|
R16
|
Kim Clijsters
|
6-4 4-6 6-2
|
VENUS WILLIAMS vs. KIM CLIJSTERS
V. Williams leads 6-5
|
2001
|
US OPEN
|
Hard
|
Q
|
Venus Williams
|
6-3 6-1
|
|
2002
|
Hamburg
|
Clay
|
F
|
Kim Clijsters
|
1-6 6-3 6-4
|
|
2002
|
Stanford
|
Hard
|
F
|
Venus Williams
|
6-3 6-3
|
|
2002
|
San Diego
|
Hard
|
Q
|
Venus Williams
|
6-3 5-7 6-4
|
|
2002
|
Tour Championships
|
Carpet
|
S
|
Kim Clijsters
|
5-0
|
|
2003
|
Antwerp
|
Carpet
|
F
|
Venus Williams
|
6-2 6-4
|
|
2003
|
Wimbledon
|
Grass
|
S
|
Venus Williams
|
4-6 6-3 6-1
|
|
2005
|
Antwerp
|
Carpet
|
Q
|
Venus Williams
|
6-2 6-3
|
|
2005
|
Stanford
|
Hard
|
F
|
Kim Clijsters
|
7-5 6-2
|
|
2005
|
US OPEN
|
Hard
|
Q
|
Kim Clijsters
|
4-6 7-5 6-1
|
|
2009
|
US OPEN
|
Hard
|
R16
|
Kim Clijsters
|
6-0 0-6 6-4
|
SERENA WILLIAMS vs. SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA
S. Williams leads 6-2
|
2004
|
Rome
|
Clay
|
Q
|
Serena Williams
|
7-5 6-0
|
|
2004
|
Beijing
|
Hard
|
F
|
Serena Williams
|
4-6 7-5 6-4
|
|
2007
|
Stuttgart
|
Hard
|
Q
|
Svetlana Kuznetsova
|
6-3 6-3
|
|
2007
|
Moscow
|
Carpet
|
S
|
Serena Williams
|
7-6(2) 6-1
|
|
2008
|
Miami
|
Hard
|
S
|
Serena Williams
|
3-6 7-5 6-3
|
|
2009
|
Australian Open
|
Hard
|
Q
|
Serena Williams
|
5-7 7-5 6-1
|
|
2009
|
French Open
|
Clay
|
Q
|
Svetlana Kuznetsova
|
7-6(3) 5-7 7-5
|
|
2009
|
Tour Championships
|
Hard
|
R1
|
Serena Williams
|
7-6(6) 7-5
|
SERENA WILLIAMS vs. VENUS WILLIAMS
S. Williams leads 13-10
|
1998
|
Australian Open
|
Hard
|
R64
|
Venus Williams
|
7-6(4) 6-1
|
|
1998
|
Italian Open
|
Clay
|
QF
|
Venus Williams
|
6-4 6-2
|
|
1999
|
Miami
|
Hard
|
F
|
Venus Williams
|
6-1 4-6 6-4
|
|
1999
|
Grand Slam Cup
|
Hard
|
F
|
Serena Williams
|
6-1 3-6 6-3
|
|
2000
|
Wimbledon
|
Grass
|
SF
|
Venus Williams
|
6-2 7-6(3)
|
|
2001
|
Indian Wells
|
Hard
|
SF
|
Serena Williams
|
W/O
|
|
2001
|
US OPEN
|
Hard
|
F
|
Venus Williams
|
6-2 6-4
|
|
2002
|
Miami
|
Hard
|
SF
|
Serena Williams
|
6-2 6-2
|
|
2002
|
French Open
|
Clay
|
F
|
Serena Williams
|
7-5 6-3
|
|
2002
|
Wimbledon
|
Grass
|
F
|
Serena Williams
|
7-6(4) 6-3
|
|
2002
|
US OPEN
|
Hard
|
F
|
Serena Williams
|
6-4 6-3
|
|
2003
|
Australian Open
|
Hard
|
F
|
Serena Williams
|
7-6(4) 3-6 6-4
|
|
2003
|
Wimbledon
|
Grass
|
F
|
Serena Williams
|
4-6 6-4 6-2
|
|
2005
|
Miami
|
Hard
|
QF
|
Venus Williams
|
6-1 7-6(8)
|
|
2005
|
US OPEN
|
Hard
|
R16
|
Venus Williams
|
7-6(5) 6-2
|
|
2008
|
Bangalore
|
Hard
|
SF
|
Serena Williams
|
6-3 3-6 7-6(4)
|
|
2008
|
Wimbledon
|
Grass
|
F
|
Venus Williams
|
7-5 6-4
|
|
2008
|
US OPEN
|
Hard
|
QF
|
Serena Williams
|
7-6(6) 7-6(7)
|
|
2008
|
Tour Championships
|
Hard
|
R1
|
Venus Williams
|
5-7 6-1 6-0
|
|
2009
|
Dubai
|
Hard
|
S
|
Venus Williams
|
6-1 2-6 7-6(3)
|
|
2009
|
Miami
|
Hard
|
S
|
Serena Williams
|
6-4 3-6 6-3
|
|
2009
|
Wimbledon
|
Grass
|
F
|
Serena Williams
|
7-6(3) 6-2
|
|
2009
|
Tour Championships
|
Hard
|
F
|
Serena Williams
|
6-2 7-6(4)
|
|
2009
|
Tour Championships
|
Hard
|
R1
|
Serena Williams
|
5-7 6-4 7-6(4)
|
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