IMG SIGNS GASTAO ELIAS FOR WORLDWIDE REPRESENTATION - Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy To Become 15-Year-Old?s

BRADENTON, Florida, November 13, 2006 ? Gastao Elias, the fast-rising 15-year-old Portuguese junior tennis player, has signed for exclusive worldwide representation with IMG, the world?s leading sports, entertainment and media company, it was announced today by Max Eisenbud, who heads global recruiting for IMG Tennis.Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, part of IMG Academies, in Bradenton, Florida, this winter as the 2007 tennis year begins. He is currently the world’s highest-ranked 15-year-old and #53 junior on the ITF circuit. Already ranked at #940 on the ATP Tour, Elias, has been ranked as high as #44 globally.

Most recently, Elias reached the semifinals of a Futures event in his home country, where he defeated the world’s #2 junior. He was a finalist at the B16 European Championships in July 2006, and won the 7th Gerry Weber Open in Germany on grass in June, 2006.

“As a family, we put a lot of thought and consideration into this decision and we feel that choosing IMG will truly benefit Gastao’s career,” said Gastao Elias, Sr., and Maria Dolores Elias, Pepe’s parents.

“Pepe is an exciting young player with an unlimited future in tennis,” commented Fernando Soler, worldwide head of IMG Tennis. “We are delighted he has chosen IMG and I know that Nick Bollettieri and his staff are eager to begin working with him in conjunction with his coach, Luis Miguel Nascimento.”

Born November 24, 1990, Elias is from Lourinha, Portugal. He has worked with coach Nascimento since he was five years old.

“Pepe personifies the exciting new talent in our sport,” added Ben Crandell, the IMG tennis manager who will coordinate the team for Elias. Other IMG tennis clients include Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, Lindsay Davenport, Rafael Nadal, James Blake, Venus Williams, Chris Evert, Rod Laver, Gaël Monfils and World Team Tennis.