The Finance Cup is an annual tennis competition that brings together former professional and top collegiate players who currently work full time in Finance in a Team USA vs. Team Europe format.

Each year, the event alternates between being hosted in Europe and the United States. Last year, the competition was held at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain, and this year the event came stateside and was held on the iconic grass courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island as 2025 marked the 10th anniversary of the Finance Cup.

The Finance Cup was founded and is organized by Eastern Tennis Hall of Famer Jeffrey Appel, and David Anving on the European side. Appel has mentored over 120 former pros and top collegiate players in successfully transitioning from the tennis court to careers on Wall Street.

The participants are not only elite tennis players, but also some of the most accomplished professionals in the global finance industry.

“The camaraderie is only getting better and better between the teams, especially now that we play more of a round-robin format which no longer makes it the USA v Europe,” Appel said. “As each year goes on, it seems like everything off the court becomes equally important as the competitive nature on the court. Due to the inclement weather, we had to move the schedule around a bit to play as many matches as we could on the iconic grass courts.”

The event sits at the unique intersection of world-class tennis and top-tier finance. Each year, it brings together approximately 60 distinguished men who compete for the Cup, build deep camaraderie, and celebrate a shared passion for the sport in a truly exceptional fraternity.

After the fierce competition on the court, participants and their guests celebrated in style with a Gatsby-themed black tie party at the famed Marble House in Newport.

Notable Business Luminaries Who Played This Year:

• Bill Ackman – Founder & CIO, Pershing Square Capital Management
• Rob Pohly – Founder & CIO, Samlyn Capital
• Christer Gardell – Founder & CIO, Cevian Capital
• Loïc Féry – Founder & CIO, Chenavari
• John Doran – Co-CEO, TCV
• Mark Woolley – Former CIO, BlackRock Alternative Advisors
• Ian Arons – Senior Partner, The Jordan Company (TJC)
• Reed Cordish – Partner, The Cordish Companies; Chairman of the Board, Johns Hopkins Hospital
• AJ Rohde – Senior Partner, Thoma Bravo; Head of Middle Market Business & Funds
• Mitch Truwit – Co-CEO, Apax Partners
• Louis Samson – Co-President, Platinum Equity

Some of the Strongest Tennis Pedigrees Who Participated This Year:

• Milos Raonic – ATP #3
• Mario Ančić – ATP #7
• Richey Reneberg – ATP #1 Doubles, #20 Singles
• Ahmed El Mehelmy – ATP #175 Singles
• Henrique Jan Davids – ATP #26 Doubles
• Jan Frode Andersen – ATP #135 Singles
• Albert Chang – ATP #140 Singles
• Michael Yani – ATP #143 Singles
• Kevin Kim – ATP #63 Singles, #118 Doubles
• Amer Delić – ATP #60 Singles, #74 Doubles
• Byron Talbot – ATP #20 Doubles
• Mark Kaplan – ATP #117 Singles
• Ricky Meyer – ATP #83 Singles, #103 Doubles
• Jared Donaldson – ATP #48 Singles

“We are proud to have a strong representation of former Top 200 ATP-ranked players, contributing to the exceptional level of play and competition,” Appel added.

Below are the full results from the 2025 Finance Cup:

Open Division

SEMIFINALS

• Philipp Gruendler (Germany / UCLA) & Lassi Ketola ( Finland / UCLA) d. Ian Arons (USA / Indiana) & Alberto Francis (USA / UCLA)  8-6
• Jason Pinsky (USA / Penn) & Brandon O’Gara (USA / Penn) d. Javier Taborga (Bolivia / Notre Dame) & Matt Brooklyn (England / UCLA) 8-6

FINALS

• Pinsky & O’Gara d. Gruendler & Ketola  9-7

MASTERS DIVISION

SEMIFINALS

• Ralph Schmücking (Germany) & Karl Altenburg (Germany) d. Bill Ackman (USA) & Richey Reneberg (USA) 9-8
• Martin Persson (Sweden) & Jan Olsson (Sweden) d. Mark Kaplan (USA) & Mitch Truwit (USA) 8-4

FINALS

• Schmücking & Altenburg d. Persson & Olsson 8-4

SCENES FROM THE 10TH ANNUAL FINANCE CUP