NEWS News 2005
*Jim Courier has been inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday along with Yannick Noah, Jana Novotna and Butch Buchholz. You may go to the Articles page to read more.
*Check out this interview with Andre Agassi on what he has to say about Jim Courier: (thanks to Kristof)
Q. Jim Courier is going into the Hall of Fame. You've known him for a long, long time. When you were back in Bradenton, when you were both very young, did you have a sense that he would be in the Hall of Fame one day?
ANDRE AGASSI: Not when we were at the academy together. When we were at the academy together, I mean, Jim was pretty much a good second‑round draw. I mean, if you had to play him second round in a junior tournament, you felt, like, okay.
He got my attention when I was 15 years old as far as what his potential was. We grew up together from 8 years old. There were a number of years there when I was playing at a much different level than he was and never considered him to be a threat. And then all of a sudden, I played him in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Boy, he just dropped a match on me that I'll never forget.
While I broke into the pro tour before him, the first time I played him professionally I realized that, "This guy's the real deal here." It was pretty clear to me then. But I wouldn't say that was till about 16, 17.
Q. Do you know anybody who got more out of what he had than him?
ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, I think that does exist. Jim was somebody that certainly always pushed the boundaries of his own abilities, there's no question about it. I think a lot of guys have, maybe guys that not everybody would always be so familiar with.
But Jim had a great work ethic, and he had an ability to punch in the clock every single day. You know, there's still room for guys on the tour that are just willing to work, and he did it with a fair bit of talent to say the least.
He pushed the standard of the game. He started hitting the ball bigger than other guys, he was more physical than other guys. He got as much out of himself as any person could hope for.
From: http://www.nasdaq-100open.com/"
*Jim Courier and other tennis greats Andy Roddick, Tommy Haas, John McEnroe and Chris Evert, played tennis and raised more than $518,000 in support of the Bush-Clinton Fund for Tsunami Relief. Courier's production company, InsideOut Sports & Entertainment along with Houston's Jim McIngvale, local chairman of the Bush-Clinton Fund, organized the event to aid countries in South Asia devastated by the Tsunami. Courier, unfortunately, lost in his match to McEnroe, 4-6. His response: "Everything's going very smoothly except for the fact that I just lost to a guy who has more grey hair than my father,"
*Jim Courier will host the Gibson GrandSlam Jam V which will be held on February 3-4 in Austin, Texas. This year's guests will include Andy Roddick, Tour De France chamption Lance Armstrong and musician Gavin DeGraw among others.
*Jim Courier elected to Tennis Hall of Fame. Read this for the full article.
*Jim Courier sets up a Tsunami Relief tennis event. Click this to read.
*According to the Evening Echo website, Andy Roddick was "grilled on his love life" by Jim Courier in a court-side interview at this year's Australian Open.
Roddick jokingly said: “Man, Jimmy’s making me grind in those post-match interviews,”
“But in all fairness, I think he’s bringing out a lighter side of the players. As uncomfortable as it may be at times, I think he’s doing a pretty good job.
“I think it’s great for this setting but more stuff like that could be incorporated everywhere. People hear about forehands and backhands pretty much every day. He’s getting under our skin a little bit. But I’m sure it’s good for the fans.”
NEWS ARCHIVES