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Evert Classic wraps up in Delray
Beach Published Tuesday, November 7, 2006
By Mario Sarmento
Sports Editor
Tennis and laughs were the order of the day in the final matches of the Chris
Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic Sunday.
The 17th edition of this event raised a record $1.4 million to fight drug abuse
and assist neglected and abused children in South Florida.
Evert teamed up with former President George H.W. Bush to continue their winning
streak at the event. Evert and Bush defeated Lindsay Davenport and Jon Lovitz
6-2.
Anna Kournikova came in as a substitute for Evert up 3-1, and promptly hit Bush
in the back with her second serve.
"I am so sorry," Kournikova said. "I was just so nervous playing with the
President for the first time."
Bush ended the match with a crosscourt forehand winner at the net.
The weather was markedly better than Saturday, when wind gusts of up to 25 miles
per hour made conditions difficult.
Sunday, a crowd of 4,091 watched the final four matches of the event.
Gayle Silverman has been coming to this event with her husband Harry for the
last six years.
"It's so exciting seeing President Bush," Silverman said. "Jon Lovitz, I thought
he was pretty funny. Chris Evert does a good job, good cause."
The final match featured four professionals: Davenport, Jim Courier, Evert and
Taylor Dent.
Courier and Evert rallied to defeat the current pros 4-3 (5-0 in tiebreaker) to
conclude this year's festivities.
Earlier in the day, actor Scott Foley and Taylor Dent defeated Lovitz and Vince
Spadea, 6-3. Kournikova and Bush lead singer Gavin Rossdale topped Jim Courier
and actress Maeve Quinlan, 6-4.
Highlights from the event will be televised on ESPN2 in January.
