Tennis veterans globetrot as 2010 ATP Champions tour winds down

(AFP PHOTO / PIERRE ANDRIEU)

With four tour dates remaining in 2010, the ATP Champions tour spans three continents in six weeks, heading to Paris in France at the beginning of October, before taking in Sydney in Australia and Chengdu in China before landing back in London, UK, dovetailing with the ATP World Tour Finals at the end of November.

Each stop stars a selection of ex-pros, tennis masters who have at some point topped the world rankings, made it to the final of a Grand Slam event (the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, or the US Open), or helped their country claim the team-based Davis Cup.

So it is that French singer Yannick Noah will be celebrating his 50th year and his previous career by contesting the Trophee Jean-Luc Lagardere in Paris, along with the man he beat to become French Open champion in 1983 - Mats Wilander.

Joining them will be US Open and Wimbledon finalist Cédric Pioline, Davis Cup winner Guy Forget, and former World #1s Stefan Edberg, Ivan Lendl, and John McEnroe. Yannick will be one of six special guests helping round out the doubles matches.

Guy Forget is not only participating in but also tournament director of the Trophee Jean-Luc Lagardere. Fresh from the experience he will be flying out to Chengdu in China to play with Pete Sampras, Pats Rafter and Cash, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Michael Stich, Paradorn Srichaphan and tour leader Thomas Enqvist at The Chengdu Open.

Tickets to the Paris stage, October 1-3, top out at €35 ($47), while the Sichuan International Tennis Center welcomes spectators from 200 to 1,580 RMB (€22-175 or $30-235).

For more details regarding the Trophee Jean-Luc Lagardere, see www.tropheejeanluclagardere.com. The Chengdu Open can be found at www.chengduchampions.com. Information about November's tour stops - Sydney, Nov 11-14, and London, Nov 30-Dec 5 - can be seen at www.atpchampionstour.com.