MEMPHIS (February 16) - For the first time in the history of the tournament, the Kroger St. Jude has combined men's and women's events in Memphis. As one of only five tournaments outside the Grand Slams to stage both competitions at the same time, the stage is set for another memorable year on the Mississippi River.

In the men's event, the ATP Champions Race 2002 continues to gather pace, with the game's hottest new stars taking on some of the most successful and experienced players in tennis, while Amanda Coetzer and Lisa Raymond lead the women's field.

Top seed Tommy Haas leads an exciting new generation of players which includes the latest U.S sensations Andy Roddick, Jan-Michael Gambill, James Blake, Mardy Fish, Robbie Ginepri and Taylor Dent, along with Belgium's Xavier Malisse and Russia's rising star Nikolay Davydenko.

But with defending champion Mark Philippoussis, two-time winner Todd Martin, and 1997 title holder Michael Chang all in the draw, the Battle of the Ages is set for another exciting clash this week.

Haas, who captured his first career ATP title in Memphis in 1999, finished 2001 at No. 8 in the world after claiming four trophies during the year. The 23-year-old German also began his ATP Champions Race 2002 campaign in fine style by reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open. Haas begins his quest for a second title against Jan Vacek of the Czech Republic, with a potential quarterfinal clash with No. 8 seed Blake, should the 21-year-old get by Chang in the first round.

Roddick, seeded No. 2 this week, lost to Haas on his Memphis debut 12 months ago. But the 19-year-old American is full of confidence after a breakthrough year on the circuit in 2001, winning three titles in Atlanta, Houston and Washington, as well as being an integral part of the United States Davis Cup victory over the Slovak Republic last week in Oklahoma City.

Hot

In the first round, Roddick faces Germany's Lars Burgsmuller, who is currently in the final of the Copenhagen Open, and is seeded to meet Swedish veteran Jonas Bjorkman in the quarterfinals. Bjorkman, the No. 6 seed who reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in January, takes on reigning champion Mark Philippoussis in an intriguing first round encounter. The Australian, who overcame a career-threatening knee injury in 2001, won his second Memphis title last year after defeating Italy's Davide Sanguinetti in the final.

Sanguinetti currently is one of the hottest players on the ATP circuit having won his first career title in Milan earlier this month and reaching the semifinals in Copenhagen. The No. 7 seed takes on Paraguay's Ramon Delgado in round one, with a potential second round meeting with Martin. The American, playing here for the first time since 1999, reached four consecutive Memphis finals in the 1990s, winning back-to-back titles in 1994-95.

In the women's draw, top seeds Coetzer and Raymond receive byes in the first round, while former Wimbledon semifinalist Alexandra Stevenson, seeded No. 4, takes on a qualifier.

Third seed Ai Sugiyama of Japan opens her campaign against fellow native Saori Obata, while No. 5 seed Adriana Serra Zanetti takes on another Wimbledon semifinalist in Mirjana Lucic, the Croatian who received a wild card into Memphis.