Some of the world’s best Men’s Doubles teams, led by 2009 runners-up Mariusz Fyrstenberg & Marcin Matkowski, and the towering American duo of Sam Querrey & John Isner, have signed up to play the 2010 Legg Mason Tennis Classic presented by GEICO, an ATP World Tour 500 and Olympus US Open Series Event.  The tournament begins later this week at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center (16th and Kennedy Streets, N.W.), Saturday, July 31 through Sunday, August 8.

Last year the ATP World Tour instituted an advance doubles entry sign-in, at the request of the tournaments, in order to be able to more fully promote doubles.  The Legg Mason Tennis Classic features a 16-team doubles draw, with ten advance entries (per the July 19 sign-in deadline), four direct acceptances onsite, and two tournament wild cards.

Querrey & Isner were given a Wild Card at last year’s tournament – but this year, they are not only one of the world’s best doubles teams, they are also both Top 20 singles players.  This year, they won the title at Memphis and were runners-up at the ATP World Tour 1000 in Rome. They will undoubtedly provide entertainment, as they did for a standing room only crowd on the Grandstand in 2009, but standing 6’6” and 6’9” respectively, they are also an imposing presence on court.

Martin Damm and Robert Lindstedt won the 2009 Legg Mason Tennis Classic doubles titles, and in fact Lindstedt also won in 2008 (with Marc Giquel).  This year, they are back – each playing with a new partner.  The team of Mardy Fish & Mark Knowles is also a newer team, but they won their first title together last year at Memphis.  Knowles is recognized as one of the world’s top doubles players, and has amassed 52 career doubles titles.

Marcos Baghdatis & Stanislas Wawrinka are primarily known as top singles players, but Wawrinka’s one doubles title was the Gold Medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics (with Roger Federer).

As an ATP World Tour 500 event, doubles teams now receive nearly triple the prize money and the number of ranking points offered for teams. The winners of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic will receive nearly $80,000 and 500 points each toward their ranking.

Featuring three Top 10 players, this year’s Legg Mason Tennis Classic field is led by Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych (No. 8); three-time (2001, 2005 and 2007) Legg Mason Tennis Classic Champion Andy Roddick (No. 9); Fernando Verdasco (No. 10); Marin Cilic (No. 13); marathon man John Isner (No. 18), Sam Querrey (No. 19), Lleyton Hewitt, James Blake and more.

Ticket packages for the Legg Mason Tennis Classic are on sale now and can be purchased through the tournament hotline at 202.721.9500. Single session tickets, ranging in price from $10-$70 – based on location, session date and time – are also available through all TicketMaster outlets. For more information on the Legg Mason Tennis Classic presented by GEICO, please visit the tournament Website at leggmasontennisclassic.com, follow the Legg Mason Tennis Classic on Facebook at facebook.com/leggmasontennisclassic, or call 202.721.9500.