Sunday, July 25, 2004

Haas, 2000 champ Enqvist awarded final wild cards



By Neil Schmidt
Enquirer staff writer

The resurgent Tommy Haas and former winner Thomas Enqvist have been given the final two wild-card spots for the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters.

Also, the W&SFG Women's Open included Notre Dame Academy and University of Cincinnati grad Kara Molony-Hussey among three wild cards given for its qualifier. She and her sister, Lyndsey Molony, were awarded a wild card for the main draw of the doubles tournament.

The men's tournament has four main-draw wild cards, and two were awarded earlier to Americans Todd Martin and Jan-Michael Gambill.

In giving Enqvist a wild card, as it did last year, the tournament sends a message that its champions will be accommodated. The 30-year-old Swede, ranked No. 54, won in 2000.

"It's a prestigious title to win, and we want it to be rewarding," tournament director Bruce Flory said.

Haas, a 26-year-old German once ranked No. 2 in the world, has overcome a series of setbacks, including his parents' motorcycle accident in June 2002 and a pair of shoulder surgeries that kept him out of action for 14 months.

Haas has won two events this year, including one last week in Los Angeles, and has wins over Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi. He's ranked 66th.

The Masters has had one defection: Mark Philippoussis, who'll sit out with a knee injury. Italy's Filippo Volandri, next in line in the rankings, takes his spot.

The Masters also has given Ohio State's Jeremy Wurtzman, ranked No. 3 in the NCAA this year, a wild card in its qualifier.

The first wild card in the women's qualifier went automatically last week to Ukraine native Tania Luzhanska for winning the Thomas E. Price Metropolitan Championship.

Runner-up Molony-Hussey, a four-time Met champ, was given the second wild card, and two-time defending

NCAA champion Amber Liu of Stanford has the third.

The Molonys have won five Met doubles titles together.

"I always heard a women's tournament might come here, and I thought one day that would be so cool," Molony-Hussey said. "To have the opportunity to play in both singles and doubles surpasses any dream I could have had."

At a glance

What: Western & Southern Financial Group Masters.

When: Friday-Aug. 8 (Seniors tournament Friday-Saturday, qualifier Saturday-Aug. 1, main draw Aug. 2-8).

Where: Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason.

Purse: $2.45 million.

Tickets: 513-651-0303 (www.cincytennis.com) .

Seniors schedule: 7 p.m. Friday ($10), 7 p.m. Saturday ($15).

Qualifier schedule: 10 a.m. Saturday ($10, kids 14 and under free), 10 a.m. Aug. 1 ($10, kids 14 and under free).

Main draw sessions: Aug. 2-5, 11 a.m., 7:30 p.m. ($24 per session); Aug. 6, 10:30 a.m., 7:30 p.m. ($28); Aug. 7, 1 p.m., 8 p.m. ($34); Aug. 8, 1 p.m. doubles final/4 p.m. singles final ($40).

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E-mail nschmidt@enquirer.com