Rafter, Ivanisevic, Rusedski, Philippoussis Join Henman In London

A glittering line-up of tennis champions have signed up to take on Tim Henman in the Statoil Masters Tennis tournament at the Royal Albert Hall (4th-8th December).

The 2009 champion Pat Rafter will return, as will the 1997 US Open runner-up Greg Rusedski, along with Goran Ivanisevic, Mark Philippoussis and defending champion Fabrice Santoro. They will face Henman in a six-man round-robin tournament, with an older Legends event running alongside. In the six-man Legends event, seven-time Grand Slam Champion Mats Wilander and Henri Leconte are confirmed.

In doubles action at the Statoil Masters Tennis – an IMG owned and operated event – the ever-popular Mansour Bahrami and the 2007 Wimbledon Mixed Doubles champion, Jamie Murray have signed up to play.

Henman is already looking forward to returning to the famous Royal Albert Hall, and mixing it with some of the most well-known and popular tennis players in the world.

“There’s nowhere in the world quite like the Royal Albert Hall to play tennis, it’s a wonderful venue with a great atmosphere because we get fantastic crowds every year. I can’t wait to play there again,” said Henman.

Rafter won two US Open titles, in 1997 and 1998, but is almost best known for his incredible final against Goran Ivanisevic in the 2001 Wimbledon final. Ivanisevic won a stunning, emotional clash in five sets.

Ivanisevic has not stopped smiling since that 2001 final victory, and was also in a fabulous mood after winning the title at the Royal Albert Hall for the first time in 2010.

Philippoussis reached two Grand Slam finals in his career. He was the runner-up to Rafter in the 1998 US Open, and went down to Roger Federer in the 2003 Wimbledon final.

Rusedski was the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1997, a year when he narrowly succumbed to Rafter in the final in New York. The British player was also runner-up in the Royal Albert Hall final in 2008.

For Santoro, it will be a special occasion to return to the Statoil Masters Tennis tournament as the defending champion. Nicknamed ‘The Magician’, he overcame Tim Henman in the final last year.

Tickets to the Statoil Masters Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall are now available, with prices from £12.50 per person - click here. Alternatively, the Box Office telephone number is +44 (0)20 7070 4404.

Tennis Legends causing havoc at the Australian Open

Statoil Masters Tennis 2013

Preview the fun here!