NEW HAVEN, Conn. – World No. 6 Angelique Kerber and World No. 8 Sara Errani have committed to playing the 2013 New Haven Open at Yale presented by First Niagara, a WTA event that is part of the Emirates Airline US Open Series, to be held August 16-24, 2013, at the Connecticut Tennis Center, Tournament Director Anne Worcester announced today. Daily tickets and ticket packages for the tournament will be on sale tomorrow.

 

World No. 6 Angelique Kerber stormed onto the tennis scene with a surprise run to the 2011 US Open semifinals and has since solidified her place among the top-ranked players in the world. In 2012, the German backed up her impressive result by capturing her first two WTA titles in Paris and Copenhagen. She will be making her debut at the New Haven Open in August.

 

World No. 8 Sara Errani also had a breakthrough year in 2012, reaching the finals of the French Open, semifinals of the US Open and quarterfinals of the Australian Open and winning four WTA titles. The Italian is also half of the best doubles team in the world, partnering with countrywoman Roberta Vinci to win three out of the last four Grand Slams. A semifinalist in New Haven last year, Errani will be making her seventh straight appearance at the event.

 

"Announcing two Top-10 players six months before the start of the 2013 New Haven Open is a testament to our consistently strong player fields from year to year," said Worcester. "Angelique will be playing here for the first time in her career, and Sara for the seventh time in a row, so both players are sure to be crowd favorites in 2013."

 

This year, fans will be closer to the action than ever before, as the New Haven Open consolidates all seating into the Box Ring of the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale. This enhanced proximity to the players and on-court action, as well as increased in-Stadium entertainment, is available starting at just $24 – for a box ring seat!

 

"We are excited to bring fans closer to the action than ever before in the 15-year history of the New Haven Open," said Worcester. "This consolidation will provide all our guests with their very own personal box seat in the box ring and an even more intimate tennis-watching experience, all of which will enhance the buzz and electricity in the entire Stadium."

 

In addition to daily tickets, ticket packages, which include After Hours, Pick Four Flex and The Weekender, are on sale and provide fans with a comprehensive tennis-viewing experience based on their individual schedules and up to a 42 percent discount.

 

For those who are busy during weekday hours, the After Hours package includes a ticket to every night session, including the finals on Saturday, August 24. The Pick Four Flex naturally gives the most flexibility for visitors to the tournament, allowing them to choose any four sessions to attend from Sunday, August 18, to Thursday, August 22 (sessions 1-9). To catch the final four in action, look no further than The Weekender, which gives fans access to both semifinals on Friday, August 23, and the final on Saturday, August 24.

 

Log on to www.newhavenopen.com or call 1-855-464-8366 for more information. Also, make sure to join the New Haven Open on Facebook and Twitter for tournament updates, contests and more.

 

New Haven Open at Yale presented by First Niagara has always been much more than a tennis tournament; it is a leading example of leveraging a large-scale international sporting event to generate $26 million in regional economic impact and to build community pride, spirit and engagement, especially among youth. The 2012 tournament featured four of the Top-10 players, including Agnieska Radwanska, Caroline Wozniacki, Sara Errani and 2012 champion Petra Kvitova. The women’s-only WTA event is part of the Emirates Airline US Open Series and will be held August 16-24, 2013, at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale. The New Haven Open is prominently featured domestically on ESPN2 and also broadcast around the world. For more information about the tournament and tickets, visit www.newhavenopen.com or call 1-855-464-8366.

 

First Niagara, through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Niagara Bank, N.A., is a multi-state, community-oriented bank with approximately 430 branches, approximately $37 billion in assets, $28 billion in deposits and approximately 6,000 employees, providing financial services to individuals, families and businesses across Upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.firstniagara.com.

 

Now in its 10th season, the Emirates Airline US Open Series continues to serve as a true regular season of hard-court tennis, linking nine summer tournaments to the US Open. Novak Djokovic and Petra Kvitova won the 2012 Emirates Airline US Open Series men’s and women’s titles. In 2007, Roger Federer collected the biggest paycheck in tennis history – $2.4 million – for winning the US Open and the Emirates Airline US Open Series titles. In 2005, Kim Clijsters also captured both the US Open and the Series, winning $2.2 million – the largest purse in women’s sports history – and equaled that amount in 2010, winning the US Open and finishing the Emirates Airline US Open Series in second place.