IMG Media selected by USTA to be US Open television consultant for Middle East, Asia, Oceania
The USTA announced on April 18 that IMG Media, a division of IMG Worldwide, the global sports, fashion, and media company, as the US Open television consultant for several non-U.S. territories. The agreement covers 2013-2016, and comes following a lengthy process in which the USTA interviewed various agencies. Under the terms of the new agreement, IMG Media will represent the USTA in its television negotiations in Europe, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and Asia (excluding Japan). The 2010 US Open was seen in more than 180 countries and received more than 40,000 hours of national and international television coverage. “We selected IMG Media based on the breadth of experience and depth of relationships in key markets around the globe,” said Harlan Stone, Chief Business and Marketing Officer, USTA. The USTA will work with current US Open television consultant Lagardere through this year as well as on a number of additional outside projects.
Wimbledon singles winners to earn $1.8 million in 2011
On Tuesday, the All England Club Chief Executive Ian Ritchie announced that the gentlemen and ladies singles champions at Wimbledon in 2011 will earn 1.1 million ($1.8 million), a 10 percent increase from 2010. The total prize money for the upcoming 125th edition of the tournament is going up 6.4 percent to 14.6 pounds ($23.8 million). Last year, prize money for the singles champions broke the 1 million pound mark for the first time in the history of the event. “Leading international sports events, such as Wimbledon, are all about the quality of the players on show,” said Philip Brook, All England Club Chairman. “It is important that we offer prize money which suitably rewards the players both for the box office appeal they bring to the event and for their supreme performances on court.” Ritchie recently said that the All England Club has been asking British government officials to relax tax rules to make Wimbledon more attractive to its competitors. Individuals are taxed on earnings and endorsements, while athletes visiting Britain for team sports are not. One thing not certain is whether defending ladies champion Serena Williams will be back. Ritchie said tournament organizers have not yet heard from her regarding her playing status.
Spain objects the Davis Cup court surface picked by host United States
The highly anticipated Davis Cup quarterfinal match in July between the United States and Spain in Austin, Texas, has not even begun and there is already controversy. Spain has objected to the playing surface that the United States has picked for the tie and has appealed to the International Tennis Federation. The surface, called Indoor Hard Premiere, is not on the list of approved surfaces by the ITF, even though a source told TENNIS.com that it was used in five U.S. Davis Cup home ties and two Fed Cup home ties since 2007, including in the United States’ defeat of Spain in the 2007 quarterfinals, in Winston-Salem, N.C. “It’s a court that we are not familiar with because it doesn’t meet the criteria,” Spanish Davis Cup captain Albert Costa said at a press conference in Barcelona. “So the problem I have right now is to explain to the players what kind of court they will encounter, because even if we wanted to train on a similar one we could not install it because it is not approved.” Apparently the surface is sold in Europe under another brand name and may be used at other European ATP tournaments, but the ITF does not approve surfaces by brand name, just by types, such as an acrylic hard court, which Premiere is one of. Spain has apparently objected to the brand name, and not the type of surface. The ITF said that its Davis Cup committee has been asked to consider whether the surface complies with its rules and that the committee will issue its verdict on Thursday.
Djokovic to embrace peace through tennis
World No. 2 and two-time Australian Open singles champion Novak Djokovic has joined the prestigious “Champions for Peace” club, a group of over 50 top-level international sports industry people who are committed to promoting peace in the world through sports. Created by “Peace and Sport, l’Organisation pour la Paix par le Sport” based in the Principality of Monaco under the High Patronage of HSH Prince Albert II, the Champions for Peace club now counts 55 exceptional champions who wish to actively contribute to a true culture of peace in the world by promoting sport and its values. Djokovic, who is currently on a 26-match winning streak, will help spread awareness of this cause to millions of young tennis fans around the world. Djokovic will contribute to Peace and Sport’s mission to use sport as a tool for dialogue, social integration and education for thousands of vulnerable young people living in underprivileged areas in the world. “I am very proud that I was invited to become a Champion for Peace,” said Djokovic. “I want to give back to the world the joy and fulfillment that I have received through tennis. I firmly believe that sport serves the cause of peace by improving the lives of young people and building bridges between communities. I want to contribute and become an actor for peace. The Peace and Sport organization is the perfect platform to achieve this.” This extraordinary group represents 31 nationalities from all 5 continents, 29 Olympic and non-Olympic sports disciplines with a total of 68 World Champions, 27 Olympic Champions and more than 150 national and regional titles.
Pakistan Tennis Federation hires coach from India
The Pakistan Tennis Federation has hired Indian tennis coach Beerbul Wadera. Pakistan Tennis Federation President Syed Kaleem Imam recently confirmed to Pakistani press that he was given the go ahead to hire Wadera from the Ministry of Sports and Interior Ministry. Pakistani government officials are also considering a proposal from Aisam-ul Qureshi of Pakistan to play against his doubles partner Rohan Bopanna of India on the Wagah border in a match to promote peace. The two nations no longer have diplomatic relations. Qureshi and Bopanna made international news last summer when they together reached the championship match of the US Open doubles competition before losing to Bob and Mike Bryan.
Moya to make ATP Champions Tour debut in Bogota in May
Former world No. 1 and 1998 French Open champion Carlos Moya will return to competitive tennis at the ATP Champions Tour Seguros Bolivar Tennis Championship in Bogota, Columbia from May 19-22. The 34-year-old Spaniard, who retired from the ATP World Tour last November, revealed on his Twitter account recently that it was the competition factor that helped him join the ATP Champions Tour. Moya, who won 573 career singles matches during his 15-year career, will also be joined on the clay courts in Bogota by Fabrice Santoro, also making his ATP Champions Tour debut.
Connors and McEnroe to square off in World TeamTennis match in July
Bad boys Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe will play each other in a World TeamTennis match in Manhattan on July 14, marking their first WTT match against each other in 10 years. Connors, 58, will be playing for the Philadelphia Freedoms, while McEnroe will be playing for his hometown New York Sportimes. Sportimes officials confirmed that both players will also play doubles that night. McEnroe had the series edge in singles matches while they competed on the ATP Tour, leading 20-14.
Venus still undecided on return to WTA Tour
Venus Williams, who has been sidelined from the WTA Tour since her early round exit at the Australian Open in January, is still uncertain on when she will return to competition. Williams was in Stuttgart, Germany last weekend for the United States’ Fed Cup tie against Germany but did not participate. Her next scheduled event is at the Premiere event in Madrid in early May. However, she admits that she will not play until she is 100 percent healthy, something she didn’t wait to do during the first Grand Slam of the year in Melbourne.