July 26, 1999

After increasing its purse to $50,000, the 1999 Fifth Third Bank TennisChampionship is attracting some of the world’s top up-and-coming women’stennis stars.

Julie Pullin, the 1998 Fifth Third Champion, and Karin Miller, the 1997winner, will both return in 1999, along with 1997 runner-up Liezel Horn and1996 Olympian Christina Papadaki.

Pullin is a six-time winner on the ITF circuit and has played in four ofthe last six Wimbledon championships. A member of the British FederationsCup team, Pullin is ranked 140th in the world.

Miller, a Fifth Third veteran, has won nine ITF Women’s Circuit singlestitles, including the 1997 Fifth Third title. She has competed at bothWimbledon and the Australian Open and was a doubles semifinalist at the WTAevent in Auckland.

Horn reached the women’s doubles semifinals at 1999 Wimbledon with fellowFifth Third alumna Katarina Srebotnik before falling to the eventualchampions Lindsay Davenport and Corina Morariu. She also advanced to thethird round of women’s doubles at the 1999 French Open with Srebotnikbefore falling to Anna Kournikova and Martina Hingis.

Papadaki is one of the highest-ranked players in the tournament, coming inat No. 123, and is a four-time winner on the ITF Circuit. She made themain draw at the 1999 Australian Open and represented Greece at the 1996Olympics and on the Federations Cup squad.

Fifth Third tournament director Dennis Emery also announced thatCrestwood, Ky., native Jennifer Langer has been given a wildcard into thetournament’s qualifying rounds and will be battling for the Fifth Thirdcrown. Langer ended 1998 as the eighth-ranked 16-year-old in the nationand is currently ranked 90th in the International Tennis Federation’s worldjunior rankings.

The tournament, set for Aug. 2-8 at the Boone Tennis Center on the UKcampus, is the only professional tennis event in the state. For ticketinformation, call (606) 224-2276.