ATP Champions Race 2003 Update: Australian Open semifinalists Wayne Ferreira and Andy Roddick will be hoping to consolidate their places on the ATP Champions Race 2003 Leader Board this week as they bid for the title in Memphis. Roddick, the top seed and defending champion, is making his first appearance since reaching his first Grand Slam semifinal after suffering from a wrist injury. The American currently lies in fourth position in the Race, just 13 points behind Ferreira in third.

2002 Final: Second seed Andy Roddick captured the fourth ATP title of his career with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 victory over James Blake in an all-American final at the Kroger St. Jude in Memphis. Roddick, at 19 years of age, became the youngest winner in Memphis since Andre Agassi took the title in 1988 as an 18-year-old.

Former Champions in Draw (4):
2 - Todd Martin (1994-95)
2 - Mark Philippoussis (1998, 2001)
1 - Michael Chang (1997)
1 - Andy Roddick (2002)

Former Finalists in Draw (4):
2 - Todd Martin (1993 l. to Courier, 1996 l. to Sampras)
1 - James Blake (2002 l. to Roddick)
1 - Michael Chang (1998 l. to Philippoussis)
1 - Davide Sanguinetti (2001 l. to Philippoussis)

Main Draw Highlights:

(2)Paradorn Srichaphan (THA) vs. (WC)Michael Chang. Tied 2-2.
If former Memphis champion Michael Chang was hoping for a better draw than he had in San Jose last week, when he came up against Andre Agassi in the first round, he can't have been too happy to see recent Chennai champion Paradorn Srichaphan next to his name. Chang, a winner at the Kroger St. Jude in 1997 and a finalist the year later, is playing in Memphis for the last time after announcing that 2003 will be his final year on the ATP Circuit. "For me, Memphis has always been very special, not just because I made my pro debut there," said Chang. "I've come to love the people in Memphis, I feel very much at home there. I guess there's just something about that Southern hospitality that I've come to love." Srichaphan, who won their last two meetings in Indian Wells and Miami last year, has always admired Chang. "I talk to him almost every time I see him and he gives me some good advice," says Srichaphan of Chang. "Like if you change this, this or this, or change your serve, not going so hard on your first serve, not to kick it out. I really appreciate it. When I come to this level, turn professional, and then finally the guy when you were young and looking up to helps you, it's great."

Mark Philippoussis (AUS) vs. Taylor Dent (USA). First Meeting.
In a battle between two of the hardest hitters in the game, two-time champion Mark Philippoussis comes up against young American Taylor Dent for the first time. Philippoussis, a winner in Memphis in 1998 and 2001, lost to Andre Agassi in the second round in San Jose last week, while Dent, making his first ATP appearance of the season in California, lost to Hyung Taik Lee in the opening round. With both players possessing huge serves, Dent's fastest of 144 mph (232 kmh) at Wimbledon in 2001 slightly edges the Australian's personal best of 142.3 mph (229 kmh) served in Dusseldorf on clay in 1997.

(6)Todd Martin (USA) vs. Davide Sanguinetti (ITA). Martin leads 2-1.
Todd Martin, another two-time Memphis champion, returns to the Kroger St. Jude for the 10th time in his career. Martin, who has a 30-7 record at the tournament including four straight finals between 1993-96, made his first appearance of the season in San Jose last week, advancing to the second round after defeating Brian Vahaly before withdrawing prior to his match against Vladimir Voltchkov due to a family emergency. After an 0-2 start to 2003, Italian No. 1 Sanguinetti advanced to quarterfinals in Milan where he won his first career ATP title last year (l. to Verkerk) and then reached the final in San Jose last week. Sanguinetti reached the final in Memphis in 2001, losing to Mark Philippoussis.

2003 ATP Winners in Draw (3): Nikolay Davydenko, Hyung-Taik Lee, Paradorn Srichaphan.

Tournament Tidbit: Since 1977, there have only been five finals in Memphis that have contained an American (1985, '90, '91, 2000, '01).