Landsberg/Vinciguerra get doubles wild card for Gold Flake Open

Sweden's Johan Landsberg and Andreas Vinciguerra have been given a wild card into the main draw of the doubles event at Gold Flake Open, commencing at the Nungambakkam Stadium in Madras, from January 1-7, 2001.

"That's great news," said Landsberg, who has been a regular visitor to India, most recently for the Gold Flake ATP World doubles championship.

"I can't wait to come back to India; Chennai will be a new city for me. India has treated me really well. I am looking forward to play with Andreas and it should be a good week."

Landsberg has played Challengers in Lucknow and Calcutta, and a Futures event in Bombay. He was one of the successes earlier this month at the World doubles championship while pairing with Simon Aspelin. The duo made it to the semifinals as the only unbeaten team in the competition, beating the fancied Rick Leach and Ellis Ferreira, and Josh Eagle and Andrew Florent, and Jaime Oncins and Daniel Orsanic, in the league stage.

Vinciguerra will be making his third straight appearance in Madras. While he was awarded a wild card for the Gold Flake Open 1999, in the last edition his ranking was high enough to warrant a seeding in the singles. He is participating in the singles this year as well.

Tournament director Sheila Maniam said "We will be very happy to welcome Johan to Chennai for the first time, and to welcome back Andreas. I am sure they will have quite a following with the tennis fans because they know of Andreas from previous visits to Chennai and they would have come to hear about Johan during his play at the World doubles in Bangalore."