(January 13, 2004)                                                                                          Hot News Main Page

Defending Champion Justine Henin-Hardenne
First to Enter 2004 Family Circle Cup

CHARLESTON, SC (January 13, 2004) Justine Henin-Hardenne, world No. 1 and defending Family Circle Cup champion, becomes the first top player to commit to the 2004 tournament. Winner of eight WTA Tour singles titles last year including two Grand Slams, Henin-Hardenne first took over the No. 1 spot on October 20, 2003. She will be making her second consecutive appearance at the Cup this spring on Daniel Island. Celebrating 32 years in women's professional tennis, the Family Circle Cup is scheduled for April 10-18 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, South Carolina.

Last year tennis fans noticed a changing of the guard in women's tennis and Henin-Hardenne was one of the players leading that charge. Serena Williams, Kim Clijsters and Henin-Hardenne were all challenging for that top spot and during the 2003 season the world No. 1 ranking changed hands four times. Henin-Hardenne's performance in Charleston last year started a run that included many firsts for the young Belgian and by the end of her 2003 season, she finished the year as the No. 1 player in the world. In her Cup debut, she reached the finals against then

No. 1 Serena Williams and in just over an hour, Henin-Hardenne snapped Williams' year winning streak (21-0) with a 6-3, 6-4 win over the top ranked American. It was a victory that sent shock waves throughout the sports world and gave her one of the most coveted titles in women's tennis as well as her first singles title in the United States.

"For those of us who love to watch quality tennis, Justine's performance here in Charleston last year was inspiring," commented Frankie Whelan, Executive Director of the Family Circle Cup. "Judging from her results following the Family Circle Cup, that victory gave her the confidence she needed to take her game to the next level."

Following the tournament, she reached the finals of nine tour events winning six of them. Henin-Hardenne, along with Serena Williams, won two Grand Slams singles championships last year. Her victories at Roland Garros and the U.S. Open were record setting in many ways. By winning both those events in the same year, she became only the ninth woman in professional tennis history to accomplish that feat.

The 2004 Family Circle Cup, owned and operated by Family Circle magazine, will be held April 10-18 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, South Carolina. The tournament is held at the Family Circle Tennis Center located on Daniel Island which has in house a full service event management staff capable of handling all aspects of an event including ticketing, operations, sales, advertising, marketing and public relations. For more information on the Family Circle Cup and the Family Circle Tennis Center, please call (800) 677-2293 or (843) 856-7900. Information can also be accessed by contacting the tournament's official website at www.familycirclecup.com. 

# # #

[Source: Robin Reynolds, Public Relations and Communications Director, PH: (843) 849.3157 Fax: (843) 856.7901, Email: rreynolds@gjusa.com,  The Family Circle Tennis Center, Home of the Family Circle Cup, 161 Seven Farms Drive, Daniel Island, Charleston, SC 29492, www.familycirclecup.com]