Renata Marcinkowska, a former WTA tour player who now lives in Rock Hill, took action against management and marketing giant, IMG, and two advertising firms involved in Wednesday's exhibition in Palma De Mallorca, Spain.

The suit, which does not specify damages, claims Marcinkowska invented the idea of a tennis court of differing surfaces on either side of the net, received a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in November 2004 and pitched the idea to IMG soon after she got the patent.

"IMG did not express interest in the Patent at the time," according to Marcinkowska's suit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Columbia.

Marcinkowska says in her suit she met with IMG in February "with the idea of having Roger Federer play Rafael Nadal on a hybrid court." Again, the suit said, IMG expressed no interest in going forward.

She learned of plans for the Federer-Nadal exhibition last month and made several calls to IMG and sent e-mails to the company to try and stop it, according to the suit.

Nadal beat Federer 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (10).

Marcinkowska's suit claims patent infringement, civil conspiracy and unfair business practices and asks for a jury trial. She did not immediately return messages seeking comment.