Alex Metreveli Receives Davis Cup Award of Excellence
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kat Anderson
194 Bellevue Ave.
Newport,
401-849-3990
kat@tennisfame.com
12/02/06 - Newport, RI--The International Tennis Hall of Fame and the International Tennis Federation have announced that Alex Metreveli of Russia is this year's recipient of the Davis Cup Award of Excellence. Presentation of the award will be made on Sunday, December 3 during the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Final between Russia and Argentina in Moscow. Presenting this prestigious award to Metreveli will be Francesco Ricci Bitti, President of the International Tennis Federation.
“The ITF and the International Tennis Hall of Fame are proud to present Alex Metreveli with this year's Davis Cup Award of Excellence," said Francesco Ricci Bitti. "Alex is one of the greatest players ever to compete in this competition, representing the former Soviet Union for 14 years.”
The purpose of this award is to recognize the importance of Davis Cup by honoring individuals who best represent the ideals of the competition’s founder, Dwight Davis, 107 years ago. The Davis Cup Award of Excellence is presented annually and is voted on by a panel that includes the ITF President, the Chairman of the Davis Cup Committee, the President of the host National Association, a representative of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and a journalist from the host nation. The recipient must be a member of a past or present Davis Cup team, and must be from the country/region where the Final is being held.
Metreveli, a Wimbledon finalist in 1973, played in 38 Davis Cup ties producing an 80-25 career win-loss record (56-14 in singles and 24-11 in doubles). He holds Russia's records for most total wins (80); most singles wins (56); most ties played (38); and most years played (14). Metreveli, along with doubles partner Sergei Likhachev, holds the record for most doubles wins (24 each), and together they rank as Russia's best Davis Cup doubles team with an 18-7 win-loss record.
The Davis Cup Award of Excellence was inaugurated in 2001 by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the International Tennis Federation. Past recipients include Neale Fraser of Australia (2001), Pierre Darmon of France (2002), John Newcombe (1986 Hall of Famer) of Australia in 2003, and Manuel Santana (1984 Hall of Famer) of Spain in 2004. Last year, both Miloslav Mecir of the Slovak Republic and Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia were presented with the 2005 award.
The Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Final is being held at Moscow's Olympic Stadium December 1-3. The Davis Cup Award of Excellence presentation will be made during a special on-court ceremony, prior to Sunday's tennis competition.
For more information regarding the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Final, including live scoring, visit the official website www.daviscup.com. For more information regarding the International Tennis Hall of Fame and its programs, visit www.tennisfame.com.
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