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McEnroe defeats Wilander in exhibition as Delray ITC opens

By David Sedore, Palm Beach Business.com

DELRAY BEACH — John McEnroe continues his reign as the tennis king of Atlantic Avenuejohn mcenroe on the avenue. The Hall of Famer defeated Mats Wilander 13-11 in an exhibition match held Friday evening in the middle of Atlantic Avenue in downtown Delray Beach.

The exhibition opened the annual Delray Beach International Tennis Championships, which features both ATP Championship Tour and ATP World Tour tournaments.

Delray Beach Mayor Woodie McDuffie served as umpire for the event, dubbed Tennis on the Avenue. Both McEnroe, who won the exhibition a year ago, and Wilander were wired for sound and bantered back and forth with each other and with McDuffie throughout the match.

At one point, McEnroe, spoofing himself, complained about the live oak trees that extended over the makeshift court, wondering if the fire department might be able to remove one that interfered with a shot. Later, he said a plastic bag stuck in a tree above the court had distracted him.

“Doesn’t Delray Beach have a ladder?” McEnroe asked in mock exasperation.

And of course McDuffie became a target of McEnroe’s tongue-in-cheek barbs; McEnroe questioned several calls and called the mayor’s scorekeeping “fuzzy math.”

mats wilander

 

Earlier in the evening, McEnroe helped open Delray’s new “Art Garage,” located on the ground floor of the city’s Old School Square parking garage. McDuffie presented McEnroe with an abstract tennis sculpture made by local artist Jeff Wyman and a collage made up of painted tennis balls created by students of the Milagro Center in Delray Beach.

“Anyone who knows me knows my love of art,” McEnroe said. “The greatest complement I ever received was being called an artist on the court.”

On receiving the gift from the Milagro students: “This is definitely unique, definitely different. I appreciate the thought.”

Later McEnroe said Delray’s infatuation with tennis — and the warm weather — brought him back to the Delray tournament.

“There’s a lot of energy in Delray Beach,” McEnroe said.

McEnroe turns a little more serious Saturday evening when he plays Jimmy Arias in an ATP Champions match at 9 in the Delray Beach Tennis Center at 201 W. Atlantic Avenue. Wilander is in action at 2:30 p.m. when he faces Mark Philippoussis.mcenroe and wilander



Also Saturday:

— ATP World Tour qualifying matches at 10 a.m.
— Pat Cash vs. Mikael Pernfors at 12:13.
— Todd Martin vs. Aaron Krickstein at 7 p.m.

In the opening matches of the ITC Friday evening, ATP Champions Tour players Todd Martin defeated Jimmy Arias 6-2, 7-5 and Pat Cash upended Mark Philippoussis 7-6(5), 3-6, [10-8].

Click for more information on the tournament schedule and buying tickets.

The Delray Beach International Tennis Championships continue through Sunday Feb. 27.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delray Beach Mayor Woodie McDuffie in the umpire's chair.

Delray Beach Mayor Woodie McDuffie in the umpire's chair.

john mcenroe with the delray beach city commission

John McEnroe with Delray Beach city comissioners Fred Fetzer, Gary Eliopoulos, Angelita Gray, Mayor Woodie McDuffie and Commissioner Adam Frankel.


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