ESPN3 Presents Coverage of New Concept in Tennis 'Tie Break Tens' from Madrid

ESPN3 has added coverage of an exciting new concept in tennis - Tie Break Tens, a "quick-fire version of the sport" - with the first of three 2017 events airing live today, Thursday, May 4, at 1:30 p.m. ET from the site of the next event on the ATP and WTA calendars, the clay court of Caja Magica in Madrid. The women and men's eight-player fields will crown a champion through a tournament of 10-point matches (win by two). Each champion will take home $200,000 in the winner-take-all event.

The women's field includes five-time Major champion Maria Sharapova, who recently played her first tournament following a 15-month suspension. Her first-round opponent will be Olympic Gold Medalist Monica Puig of Puerto Rico.

The rest of the women's field: Madison Keys, Simona Halep, defending French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza, two-time Major winner Svetlana Kuznetsova, Agnieszka Radwanska and Jo Konta.

The men's field has three-time Major champion and No. 3 in the world Stan Wawrinka, top-ranked American Jack Sock (currently No. 15), Grigor Dimitrov, Tomas Berdych, Feliciano Lopez, Vernando Ferdasco, Lucas Pouille and Dan Evans.

Calling the matches will be former pro from England Mark Petchey and Samantha Smith, who was the top player in Great Britain 1996-99. Both are long-time tennis commentators.

Tie Break Tens events have been held previously with each session lasting approximately three hours for the 14 matches. ESPN3 will also provide coverage of Tie Break Tens events in London in June and in Vienna in October.

The order of play:

Match 1 Keys v. Kuznetsova
Match 2 Dimitrov v. Evans
Match 3 Radwanska v. Muguruza
Match 4 Pouille v. Verdasco
Match 5 Konta v. Halep
Match 6 Berdych v. Sock
Match 7 Sharapova v. Puig
Match 8 Wawrinka v. Lopez
Match 9 Women's Semifinal #1
Match 10 Men's Semifinal #1
Match 11 Women's Semifinal #2
Match 12 Men's Semifinal #2
Match 13 Women's Final
Match 14 Men's Final

About ESPN3 ESPN3 is ESPN's live multi-screen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of exclusive sports events annually. It is accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and streaming devices through WatchESPN and the ESPN app. The network is currently available nationwide at no additional cost who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. It is also available at no cost to U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers, smartphones and tablets connected to on-campus educational and on-base military broadband and Wi-Fi networks.

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