August 04, 2006

Entry List Update

Agassi withdraws from Rogers Cup presented by American Express

Grant Connell, tournament director of Rogers Cup presented by American Express, announced Friday that ATP No. 22 Andre Agassi will not be participating in the Toronto event.

“I regret to inform Toronto that I will not be playing in the Rogers Cup,” said Agassi in a statement to Connell this afternoon. “I have many great memories in Canada and wish you continued success. It’s a fantastic tournament.”

“Andre has been a champion his whole life and is a three-time winner of this tournament,” expressed Connell. “He was a finalist last year in Montreal and was not able to compete the following week in Cincinnati. This year he decided to switch events. We are disappointed that he will not be able to play one last time in Toronto but understand his situation. Andre leaves behind a legacy in Canada as one of the greatest players of all time and has served as a tremendous ambassador for the game of tennis.

“While we're disappointed we won't get to see Andre, we're still very excited for the 2006 Rogers Cup presented by American Express. Everyone at Rexall Centre had their pulse speed up today from seeing the top two players in the world, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal practicing today. Nine of the Top 10 players in the world are going to be here, and over the years, ATP Masters Series events have proven to be some of the most exciting tournaments on the globe from the first round through to the final. We're very excited to see how the draw shakes out tomorrow afternoon and to get things started Monday with our 125th anniversary celebration."

The official draw for tournament seeding and match-ups will take place at Rexall Centre tomorrow at 2 p.m. The 32-person qualifying event is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.