ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, USA – Tennis Canada and Rogers Communications announced Tuesday that Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of the WTA, and tennis greats Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors will be inducted into the Rogers Cup Hall of Fame this summer. Allaster and Agassi will be honored for their achievements at Rogers Cup presented by National Bank in Toronto while Connors will receive his accolades at theMontreal tournament.
“Stacey and Andre both helped grow this event into the top tier tournament that it is today,” said Toronto tournament director Karl Hale. “Stacey was the driving force for years, pushing the tournament forward in terms of status, revenue, player participation and fan appeal, turning it into the elite property it is now. Andre’s commitment to Rogers Cup brought the fans out in droves, raising the profile of the event both nationally and internationally.”
Before joining the WTA, Allaster acted as tournament director of Rogers Cup in Toronto from 2002-2005 after working her way up from a coordinator’s position at the Ontario Tennis Association to vice president at Tennis Canada. Under her leadership, tournament revenue and attendance increased, Rogers Communications was secured as a title sponsor and Rexall Centre, the tournament’s world-class home, was constructed. At the WTA, Allaster continues to make an enormous impact on the women’s game on a global level.
“It is such an honor to be recognized alongside tennis legends Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors,” Allaster said. “It is a great pleasure to have been a part of the evolution of the Rogers Cup tournament into one of the premier global sporting events, along with these greats and the hundreds of male and female tennis stars over the years. I look forward to coming home to Canada next month to celebrate this milestone with my tennis family and friends on home court at Rexall Centre.”
Agassi, an eight-time Grand Slam winner and Olympic Gold medalist, captured the Rogers Cup three times (1992, 1994 and 1995). His loyalty to the event made him a fan-favorite in Canada as he participated at the Canadian stop 14 times.
A six-time Rogers Cup semi-finalist, Connors is one of the most popular players of his time. A pillar of American tennis, Connors holds 109 ATP titles and eight Grand Slams. He was in the Top 5 for close to 15 years (1973-1988) and was number one in the world for seven (1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1986 and 1987).
