NEWPORT, R.I. -- Top-seeded Mardy Fish is in for some excitement this week even before he plays on the Hall of Fame's grass courts.
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Fish, a Minnesota native and self-described "big Twins fan," is scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before his favorite team takes on the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park on Tuesday night.
"It doesn't get any bigger than that, really," Fish said during opening round play at the Hall of Fame tournament on Monday afternoon. "I watch every single Twins game when I'm on the road."
Fish didn't hesitate when the idea was e-mailed to him a few months back.
"Most of the time I'll take my time writing back. This time it was an immediate response of: 'Are you kidding? What's the catch?"' he said. "That's the pinnacle."
In the heart of Red Sox country, Fish certainly understands the number of T-shirts and caps he'll see during his stay in Newport.
"We're not rivals," he said of the teams. "They can talk all they want. They're the defending champs. That's what winning it all gets you."
He's hoping his match will be later in the day Wednesday so he can watch the entire game before riding about 90 minutes back to Newport on Tuesday night. Fish's first match will be against qualifier Rohan Bopanna, who defeated Kevin Kim, 6-3, 6-4, in opening round play Monday.
No top seed has won the Hall of Fame tournament in its 31-year history.
In other opening round play Monday, Vincent Spadea defeated Simon Stadler, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4; Brendan Evans ousted Paul Capdeville, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1; and Mikhail Ledovskikh edged Denmark's No. 1 ranked player, Kristian Pless, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Sixth-seed Donald Young beat qualifier Woong-Sun Jun, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4; and qualifier Alexander Peya outlasted Philipp Petzschner, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-5.
