By: Justin Cohen
- According to USTA tax forms released to the Associated Press, former CEO of Professional Tennis Arlen Kantarian earned $9.15 million in total compensation in 2008. AP notes that, Kantarian earned $1.6 million in base pay, about $2.3 million in bonus and incentive compensation and nearly $5.2 million in other compensation. Sportsbusiness Journal noted that Roger Federer is the only player to ever earn more than Kantarian’s 2008 compensation in a single season. Federer earned $10.1 million in tournament prize money in 2007. According to Sports Business Journal, other top USTA salaries were as follows; US Open Tournament Director Jim Curley earned $856,907 in 2008, United States Davis Cup Captain and General Manager of the USTA Elite Player Development Patrick McEnroe made $694,305, Chief Business Officer Pierce O’Neil made $1.39 million, Chief Marketing Officer Michelle Wilson earned 1.07 million, Executive Director Gordon Smith earned $856, 907, Chief Executive Kurt Kamperman earned $825, 862, Chief Financial Officer Harry Beeth earned $722,422, Managing Director Danny Zausner earned $703, 041, General Counsel Andrea Hirsch earned $696,955. SBJ notes that the figures includes base pay, bonuses, incentive pay and deferred compensation and also notes that Wilson is no longer a USTA staff member.
- A record 17,500 fans attended the first day of the ATP World Tour Finals at O2 Arena in London. It was the largest crowd to attend a live tennis match in Britain.
- Speaking at the ATP World Tour Finals at O2 Arena in London, Andy Roddick announced that he renewed his clothing sponsorship deal with Lacoste. Financial terms of the four-year deal were not announced.
- Novak Djokovic has signed a 10-year sponsorship deal with Sergio Tacchini, an Italian clothing company. Djokovic, who currently wears adidas, will start wearing Sergio Tacchini in 2010.
- Xavier Malisse and Yanina Wickmayer’s appeals will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on December 7.
- The USTA finalized the field for the Australian Open wildcard playoffs held at the Racquet Club of the South in Atlanta from December 4 to 7. Ryan Harrison, Alex Kuznetsov, Jesse Levine, Michael McClune, Wayne Odesnik, Jack Sock, Ryan Sweeting and Donald Young make up the men’s field. Lauren Albanese, Madison Brengle, Julia Cohen, Ester Goldfeld, Christina McHale, Asia Muhammad, Allison Riske and Coco Vandeweghe make up the women’s field.
- Patrick Rafter and Guillermo Vilas have signed up to play in the United States’ inaugural ATP Champions Tour event at the Delray Beach Tennis Center in Delray Beach, Fla. The event that takes place from February 20 to 28 will also feature John McEnroe, Mats Wilander, Pat Cash, Aaron Krickstein, Andres Gomez and Johan Kriek.
- Carlos Moya, who has been sidelined with an injury all season, will make his comeback at an exhibition event in Buenos Aires in December.
- Defending Roland Garros champion Svetlana Kuznetsova has signed on to participate in the Medibank International in Sydney, Australia, from January 10 to 16. Serena Williams, Elena Dementieva, Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka will also play in the Australian Open tune-up event.
- Defending US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro has committed to play in the Queen’s Club grass court tournament in June in London. “This is the perfect opportunity for me to improve my game on the surface,” said del Potro. “Many players have done well at Queen’s in the past and then gone on to win at Wimbledon. I hope that this can happen for me also.”
- ATP Chairman Adam Helfant said last week that the ATP World Tour will not reopen Andre Agassi’s doping case from the 1997 season. “There has been a lot of speculation about whether the ATP would reopen the case, but we cannot do that because he’s no longer playing on the tour,” said Helfant.
- Jarmila Groth, who is married to ATP player Samuel Groth, will become an Australian citizen next week and can immediately become eligible to participate on the Australian Fed Cup team. She has held Australian residency since 2004.
- Frederic Niemeyer has announced his retirement from the ATP World Tour and will begin coaching rising Canadian teenager Milos Raonic. Raonic held a match point before falling to Fernando Gonzalez in the first round at the Masters Series 1000 Canada in August.
- A Swiss rules agency has ruled that Davidoff’s sponsorship of the ATP World Tour event in Basel does not violate television laws forbidding tobacco advertising in Switzerland.
- Brian and Dann Battistone, who play with double-handled racquets, won their first challenger doubles title in Champaign, Ill.