HRBATY TO HEADLINE TOURNEY

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Dominik Hrbaty, ranked as high as No. 12 in the world, will be on Guam to promote the Lacoste GVB Futures Tennis Tournament. (photo courtesy dominikhrbaty.com)

PRESS RELEASE – Ten of Japan’s top 40 tennis players are entered in the main draw of the 2013 Lacoste GVB Futures, presented by Hilton Guam Resort & Spa and MCV Broadband, and will compete for world ranking points against other international competitors in the island’s $10,000 professional tournament June 3-9.

Also in the draw is special guest and former No. 12-ranked Dominik Hrbaty from Slovak Republic. During his visit in Guam, Hrbaty will be facilitating tennis clinics, holding motivational talks with local junior and Pro Circuit players, and making special appearances off the court, including a special autograph-signing event at Lacoste boutique at Tumon Sands Plaza this weekend. Details of Hrbaty’s clinics and activities for the community will be announced at a later date.

“There are quite a number of returning players in the main and qualifying draw – I’m glad to see that they’ve chosen to come back to Guam to play, even with three other Futures tournaments in the Asian region the same week,” said tournament director Torgun Smith. “I’m also excited to be welcoming Dominik Hrbaty to Guam. He was ranked as high as No. 12 in the world and reached the semifinals of Roland Garros and the quarterfinals of both the U.S. Open and Australian Open.

“All of this wouldn’t be possible without our title sponsors, Lacoste and Guam Visitors Bureau, as well as our presenter sponsors Hilton Guam Resort & Spa and MCV Broadband. Other large contributors include Ruby Tuesday, Chuck E. Cheese, Delta, Goody’s Sporting Goods and Matson, DFS Galleria, Morrico Equipment, Hertz Rent-A Car, Mobil, Quality Distributors, Calvo’s Insurance, Subway, Powerade, Tennis Academy of Guam and many others also helped tremendously to realize this tournament,” Smith added.

Listed as the top player in the tournament is India’s Saketh Myneni, currently No. 341 in the world. Myneni’s win-loss record is 15-5 in ATP and ITF Pro Circuit main draw play this year.

The second-ranked player in the tournament is returnee Yasutaka Uchiyama from Japan, who recently was selected for his country’s Davis Cup team. Uchiyama is part of Japan’s 2013 Davis Cup team that defeated Indonesia 5-0 in the first round and edged Korea Republic 3-2 in the semifinals of Group I play in the Asia/Oceania Zone. Japan will next play in September against Colombia in a World Group playoff round. The team will be competing to play in the World Group, the highest group in Davis Cup, in 2014.

The qualifying draw for the tournament will be played June 1 and June 2, with the top players advancing to the main draw. Match schedules will be posted on the tournament’s Web site, GuamFutures.com, and also on the tournament’s Facebook page: Facebook.com/GuamFutures. Updates also will be posted on the tournament’s Twitter account, @GuamFutures.

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Dominik Hrbaty has committed to play in next week’s Lacoste GVB Futures Tennis Tournament. (photo courtesy dominkhrbaty.com)

GSPN had an exclusive interview with ‘The Dominator’ who is currently in Bangkok competing with his team playing in the Bangkok Futures 2 Tournament. Here is an excerpt of the interview.

GSPN: Hafa adai Dominik. How did the idea of coming to Guam come about?

DH: We were talking about schedules with Patrick (Davidson, Hrbaty’s teammate) and his coach. There was a tournament in Korea that we wanted to play first, but we looked at Guam and thought it’s not a bad idea, it’s on the way home to New York, which is the final tournament for us.

I emailed (tournament director) Torgun Smith on Guam to get more information. I knew Guam as a holiday place because I was in Palau a couple years ago to dive and I enjoyed it very much. I also wanted to go to Pohnpei and Chuuk Lagoon to dive, and I know that Guam is very close. Since 2004, I wanted to come. I enjoyed Palau so much so I told the guys lets go and not only play tennis but also enjoy the island.

GSPN: So you’re coming to Guam as a team?

DH: It’s a team – Patrick Davidson and his coach and other players. His coach and I will most likely play doubles there. There are five of us coming.

GSPN: The other guys, have they been to this part of this world before?

DH: I don’t think so. For the holidays, they’ve been to the Caribbean.

GSPN: What made you go to Palau the first time?

DH: Diving, because I’m a deep sea diver. I saw it on the commercial and decided to go. I played at Palau Pacific Resort and actually did some coaching with the kids there. We caught yellow fin tuna and wahoo.

GSPN: Do you plan to dive on Guam?

Hrbaty is a deap sea diver and hopes to jump into the warm Guam waters while here. (photo courtesy dominkhrbaty.com)

DH: If I have time, I’d love to. If there is spare time, I’d go. The thing is, if I dive I can’t play because of the CO2 in your body. If I have a day off, definitely I will go.

GSPN: Some of the top Japanese players are coming to Guam as well. Have you challenged them before?

DH: I don’t think I’ve played them because they’re either too young or they haven’t made it to the top. I know the Japanese players are baseliners but the level of many of them playing on Guam will be the level that they still make too many errors and give away free points. For me, I’m not playing the same as I used to, otherwise I’d still be on the Tour, but I believe I can still beat them.

For me it’s not for me to win the tournament, it’s for Patrick…it’s about other people. I still play to win, but it’s more for fun now, especially after my surgery.

GSPN: Tell us about your surgeries?

DH: I had it the end of 2007 (elbow and shoulder) and basically since then, it wasn’t the same. I was the kind of guy that practiced a lot — 4-6 hours of tennis a day. It was overuse of my elbow, 25 years of the same motion, it was overused. I was top 20 for five years, but then you ask yourself “why am I doing it?” I reached my peak and I’m happy I played and I did everything 100%.

It’s more for fun and I’m more relaxed and more enjoying the life of tennis.

GSPN: How excited are you to come to Guam?

DH: I’m very excited. I promised to play in the tournament and hopefully not play Patrick because he’s my boy. I want to show the people my knowledge with some good shots and enjoy my game and hopefully enjoy myself while I’m there. I’m looking forward to it. I want to get away from the court too and learn a little bit more about Guam. I’m an adventurous person so I have no problem to do those things.

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