Scene at the 2008 Legg Mason Tennis Classic

Charlie Brotman, Paradorn Srichaphan and former Miss Universe Natalie Glebova-Srichaphan. (photo by Kwai Chan / Meniscus Magazine)

This year’s Legg Mason Tennis Classic featured new names and familiar faces. In terms of the former, Juan Martin Del Potro – a 19-year-old Argentinean – defeated Serbian Victor Troicki, 6-3 6-3, to win the 2008 Legg Mason Tennis Classic. Both players subsequently fared well at the U.S. Open in New York, with Del Potro reaching the quarterfinals (losing to eventual runner-up Andy Murray) and Troicki making it to the fourth round (falling in straight sets to Rafael Nadal).

Earlier, the tournament honored longtime announcer Charlie Brotman during a ceremony on Center Court with a press box named after him. (Brotman’s public relations and marketing firm, Brotman-Winter-Fried Communications, also works with the tournament.) The ceremony included two curious guests of honor: Thai tennis star Paradorn Srichaphan and his wife, Natalie Glebova-Srichaphan.

Although Srichaphan is still injured, he has played at the Legg Mason in years’ past and enjoys a loyal fan following, thanks in part to friends residing in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Glebova, who married Srichaphan last year and now lives in Thailand, was Miss Universe 2005; Meniscus last caught her at the New York Fashion Week Fall 2006 collections where she attended Zang Toi’s show.