Press Release - June 25,2008

courts of the Westend Racquet Club on Tuesday, July 8, at 10 AM for the 2008 “Battle of the

Sexes” exhibition match. Dent, who will team with Tournament Director Fernando Perez, will

face intense competition against professional tennis players from the USTA Women’s Pro

Circuit in this good-natured competition for gender supremacy on the court. “It is a high honor

to have Rep. Dent involved with the 2008 Mecco Cup,” Perez exclaims. “Hopefully, his years of

experience battling for the Lehigh Valley in Congress will translate to our success against the

pros!”

Dent, a lifetime Allentown resident, graduated from William Allen High School in 1978. He

received a bachelor’s degree from Penn State in 1982 and returned to the Valley to earn his

master’s degree from Lehigh University in 1993. From 1991 to 1998, Dent served as a member

of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives before moving on to the State Senate from

comprised of the Lehigh Valley, Northampton County and parts of Montgomery and Berks

counties. He is an ardent tennis fan, player and supporter of professional tennis in Allentown,

having attended the Mecco Cup each of the past three years.

The 2008 Mecco Cup, presented by the Hilton Garden Inn Allentown, begins with qualifying

matches on Sunday, July 6, and runs through the finals on Sunday, July 13. Play begins with

feature matches each day at 10 AM. The main draw features 32 professional singles players

and 16 doubles teams. The qualifying tournament includes an additional 32 world-class

players. Admission is free through Friday, July 11. Tickets for Championship Weekend –

Saturday, July 12, and Sunday, July 13 – cost $7 per day, though patrons may choose to

donate tennis racquets in lieu of the admittance fee.

Additional Mecco Cup proceeds are donated to the KidsPeace Children’s Hospital. For children who have been through the worst

crises life can throw at them, the KidsPeace Children’s Hospital is a life-saving refuge. The hospital helps some 1,500 local kids

and teens each year who are suffering from traumas and emotional pain in their young lives. The only such hospital dedicated just

to children in a 75-mile radius, it provides young children, pre-adolescents, and teens a deeper level of care than they could receive

at home or in their communities.

The Mecco Cup will also donate proceeds to the Miracle League of the Lehigh Valley. From its home field at Jaindl Family Park in

Schecksville, Pennsylvania, the league allows special needs youth and young adults to participate in a baseball league of their very

own. Individuals with disabilities that prevent them from joining a mainstream baseball program are eligible to play. With its caring

network of parents, volunteers, and donors, Miracle League of the Lehigh Valley is dedicated to giving these special children a

chance to play ball in a safe and supportive environment

Mecco Financial Inc. has provided nearly $1 billion of financing for residential and commercial customers throughout the Northeast

for the past five years. Our attention to detail and ability to provide the right program for our clients have made us the “go-to” lender

in the area. Mecco Financial Inc. remains committed to many charities including: Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley,

KidsPeace, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Walk For Life, and Burn Prevention Foundation. When service counts, Mecco Financial Inc.

is always the Ace!

With 95 tournaments throughout the country and prize money ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, the USTA Pro Circuit is the

pathway to the US Open and tour-level competition for aspiring tennis players and a frequent battleground for established

professionals. Last year 1,090 men and women from 74 countries competed on the USTA Pro Circuit for more than $3.2 million in

prize money and valuable ATP and WTA Tour ranking points. Maria Sharapova, Andy Roddick, James Blake, Justine Henin, Nicole

Vaidisova, Andrew Murray and David Nalbandian are among today’s top stars that began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit.

For more information, please visit procircuit.usta.com.

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For more information contact:

Jon Blitzer

Media Coordinator, 2008 Mecco Cup

e-mail: Mecco.Media@gmail.com

phone: 302.242.1288

www.USTA.com/procircuit

www.TheMeccoCup.com