World Tennis Magazine

Unique Tennis Perspectives

Guest Columnists

New Logo for WTA, New Haven Event No Longer Co-Ed: This Week in Tennis Business

by

By Justin Cohen

  • The WTA Tour unveiled a new logo Sunday with the help of Francesca Schiavone, Kim Clijsters, Vera Zvonareva, Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Jankovic, Elena Dementieva and Sam Stosur at the year-end WTA Championships in Doha, Qatar. The new mark is designed to serve as a distinctive and modern reminder of the captivating athleticism and excitement that has driven the international popularity and growth of women’s professional tennis and placed it firmly at the nexus of sport and entertainment. “For close to four decades the WTA brand has stood for premium athleticism and entertainment on a global stage,” said Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of the WTA. “The WTA identity unveiled today is intended to be a modernized presentation of our logo that is both functional and effective for our partners and members across all forms of media.” To create its new logo, the WTA enlisted Chermayeff & Geismar, a leading global brand design firm behind many of the world’s most recognizable trademarks including Chase, Mobil, NBC, PBS, Armani Exchange, National Geographic, and Barney’s New York, among others. “I think that this is a very exciting time for the WTA with great new sponsors and now the very cool and fresh look and feel for women’s tennis,” said World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki. “I am so proud to be a part of this time for the sport and the players will definitely have a greater connection to the fans through the new brand.”
    • The new WTA logo
  • Tournament Director Anne Worcester announced that New Haven’s professional tennis tournament is becoming a women’s only event, with Yale University, Yale-New Haven Hospital, Aetna, and American Express agreeing to sponsor the tournament for the next three years. The tournament, which had been one of just four sanctioned by both the men’s ATP Tour and the women’s WTA Tour, will be called the New Haven Open at Yale and will feature a field of 28 women, along with a doubles draw. “While we really would have liked to keep the men’s event, the financial model for staging a combined tennis tournament simply didn’t work,” said Worcester. The tournament will be held the week before the US Open from August 17-27, 2011.
  • Two-time US Open champion Patrick Rafter has been named the Australian Davis Cup captain, replacing outgoing John Fitzgerald. “I am really looking forward to working with the team and helping lift Australian men’s tennis on the world stage,” said Rafter. “We’ve got a lot of young players that have a great opportunity to play for Australia. My standards and expectations are extremely high. This is a great opportunity to be part of something that means a lot to me.”
  • Tennis Channel announced that they will cover all singles and doubles matches of the year-end WTA Championships in Doha, Qatar, which includes more than 30 live hours of coverage. The annual tournament, which started yesterday, features the top eight singles players and top four doubles teams. Tennis Channel’s on-air team includes play-by-play announcer Leif Shiras and sideline reporter Tracy Austin, as well as Lindsay Davenport and Corina Morariu.
  • The third annual Tennis Night in America (TNIA) has been set for February 28. TNIA is a joint promotional effort between the USTA and Star Games Inc. to grow youth participation in the sport of tennis. This annual celebration includes youth registration tennis events at facilities around the United States and concludes with the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden. Pete Sampras has been named the 2011 TNIA Spokesman. “Tennis Night in America is a great platform to raise awareness of our sport, and now with the help of one of tennis’ greatest stars, we can raise the level even higher,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive of Community Tennis of the USTA. In 2009, more than 700 tennis facilities successfully participated in Tennis Night in America.
  • Rafael Nadal announced last weekend that he will take part in two exhibition matches with rival Roger Federer in December. The first match will be a charity match for Africa in Zurich on December 21, then the next day in Spain for Nadal’s charity foundation. Nadal says they “wanted to take advantage of our head-to-head rivalry over recent years … and help people who need it.”
  • Former World No. 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov, two-time Grand Slam finalist Todd Martin and US Open runner-up Greg Rusedski have signed on to participate in the  AEGON Masters Tennis at the world-famous Royal Albert Hall in London from November 30-December 5. Tim Henman, Goran Ivanisevic and Patrick Rafter have already agreed to participate in the event.
  • In the October 17 New York Daily News article entitled “Second Serve for Stadium?” by Nicholas Hirshon, the article states that real estate developer Cord Meyer is still very interested in developing the “tennis stadium into condos and a swimming pool.” It says they would be “willing to revise the design and number of units in its proposal”, but “would not offer a penny more” than the $10 million they have already offered which was rejected on October 7 by members of the West Side Tennis Club. The Board of the West Side Tennis Club recently sent a letter to the members of the club setting a November 15 deadline for new proposals which must be submitted in writing to the President, Ken Parker. A major international hotel group has also expressed interest in developing at the West Side Tennis Club. This development team has already submitted their vision for a joint venture at the club to the three Presidents, Bill Maloney, Jaggi Anand, and Ari Jacobs, but their proposal has never been presented to the membership.
  • Three World Team Tennis veterans have been added to the lineup for the annual WTT Smash Hits exhibition event on Monday, November 15 at the Bender Arena on the campus of American University in Washington, D.C. Doubles legend and Washington Kastles’ player Renee Stubbs, former World No. 1 doubles star Mark Knowles of the Sacramento Capitals, and former ATP Top 15 player Jan-Michael Gambill of the Boston Lobsters have been added to the field that already includes Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Anna Kournikova, Martina Navratilova and James Blake. The event is co-hosted by Billie Jean King and Sir Elton John.
  • The 2011 ATP World Tour Delray Beach International Tennis Championship is currently running a USTA Ticket Promotion with 10 percent off box seats and 20 percent off reserved seats. Call the ticket office at: 561-330-6000 and mention Facebook for your discount.
  • Tickets are officially on sale to the public for the 2011 ATP World Tour Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, R.I., as well as the highly anticipated Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Visit the official website at: www.tennisfame.com or call the ticket office at: 866-914-FAME (3263) to reserve for your tickets.
  • Former U.S. Davis Cup star and “Acing Depression” author Cliff Richey will be speaking Friday, October 29 at the 2010 Montana Conference On Mental Illness in Billings, Montana. The theme of the conference is “Recovery and Reform”. Richey will be holding two book signings during the event. To buy the book directly, go to www.CliffRicheyBook.com.
  • ATP World Tour player Robert Kendrick announced that he will join Lindsay Davenport, Tom Gullikson, Corina Morariu and Michael Russell at the Wailea Fantasy Camp at Maui’s Wailea Tennis Club from November 17-21. All the pros will provide instruction to help players hone their court skills. The camp program will provide adults with four days of world-class instruction and drills, doubles match play with the legendary pros, social activities and luxury accommodations at the Four Seasons Resort Maui. The event is open to all male and female adults. The cost is $2,795 per person for a double occupancy and $2,995 for single occupancy. Gratuities, applicable taxes, food and beverage, other incidentals are not included. Space is limited. To find out more and to register, contact Cathy Nicoloff at (808) 879-1958; Email: cnicoloff@waileagolf.com.
  • The Vijay Amritraj Foundation is holding two charity events this weekend in Calabasas, Calif. On October 29, the charity tennis classic event will honor Jimmy Connors, followed by a Beach Boys Concert on October 30. General Admission tickets start at $20 and VIP Weekend Passes for the entire weekend including dinner cost $300.
  • Join Mason’s Tennis of New York City and tennis legend Dick Stockton from November 6-13 at the Curtain Bluff Tennis Challenge in Antigua. During the week, you can join the former Davis Cup player and Grand Slam mixed doubles champion, as well as his one other former pro player and several top teaching pros in activities such as a Pro-Am tournament, exhibitions, tennis lessons, stroke and strategy clinics with the pros and sightseeing tours to English Harbour and Nelson’s Dockyard. Rates start at just $675 per night based on double occupancy. For more information on Curtain Bluff, please visit: http://www.curtainbluff.com or call: 1-888-289-9898. Please mention you are a Mason’s customer!
  • Alize Cornet of France has hired Laurent Orsini as her new coach. On her official website, Cornet says she hopes to get back into the Top 50 in 2011. In 2008, the 20-year-old reached a career-high ranking of No. 16.
  • Juan Martin del Potro announced that he is finished competing for the 2010 season after withdrawing from events in Vienna and the rest of the fall tournaments. The 2009 US Open champion announced on his Twitter account that he wants to focus on his training and be back in top form by the start of 2011.

Around The Corner: ATP Tour Touches Down in Europe

by

By Mike McIntyre

Back over to Europe for three indoor hard court tournaments this week on the ATP World Tour. The big news on the circuit last week was that Roger Federer tied Pete Sampras’ all-time tournament tally with his 64th career win in Stockholm. Only another 45 before he equals Jimmy Connors mark of 109!

This week we have stops in Austria, France and Russia as the season begins to draw to a close.

Bank Austria Tennis Trophy

It’s gimmick time in Vienna as the event has chosen to dust off 43 year-old Thomas Muster with a wild-card into the main draw. The former world number one and French Open champion has been playing a few challenger and futures level events this fall and has a 1-6 record so far in his “comeback.”

Muster opens against enigmatic Ernests Gulbis in the first round. I’m not really too sure what to make of this stunt. Muster is over ten years past being able to play at a high level – why make a return to the tour now?

Mikhail Youzhny

Local Jurgen Melzer gets the number one seed and deservingly so. Not only is he the defending champion at this event, but he has had a terrific 2010 that has seen him reach his first career Grand Slam semi-final and also defeat Rafael Nadal for the first time. Melzer gets a first round bye and could face wild-card James Blake in the second round.

Melzer will likely have to face Philipp Kohlschreiber in his section of the draw, and could also see clay-court guru Nicolas Almagro or veteran Xavier Malisse as well.

In the bottom half, Marcos Baghdatis and second seeded Marin Cilic are lurking. Cilic could really use a strong result to close out his season as it has been one great disappointment for him since a semi-final appearance at the Australian Open back in January.

Open Sud de France

Doesn’t it seem like there is an ATP event in France every couple of weeks? The French must really love their tennis and who can blame them? They have an abundance of players in the top one hundred in the world. Their players also have a variety in their game that makes them among the most enjoyable to watch in the sport.

Look over the qualifying draw and you might be surprised to see an A. Agazzi entered. That would be Andrea Agazzi from Italy…no joke.

The main draw boasts number one seed Nikolay Davydenko who appears to be on his last legs of competitiveness since returning from a wrist injury back in the spring. His long-term hold on a top-ten position has reached its end as he has been unable to put together any type of consistent tennis all season. Davydenko gets a first round bye, which will probably actually hurt his chances.

Defending champion Ivan Ljubicic is in the top-half of the draw along with Frenchman Richard Gasquet who is my pick to win the tournament.

In the bottom half we find many other talented locals such as number two seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon and Gael Monfils. Again, what a great time to be a tennis fan in France. David Nalbandian is also present with a wild-card.

St. Petersburg Open

Russia welcomes Mikhail Youzhny as the top seed and a slew of other lesser known players into the field. It is arguably the weakest draw of the three tournaments and does not offer any first round exemptions.

Youzhny won the event way back in 2004 which speaks to his longevity on the tour. In 2009, Sergiy Stakhovsky emerged as the champion and he is back as the second seed this time around.

Viktor Troicki who just won his first ever tour event in Moscow is in the top-half of the draw, while Jeremy Chardy, Janko Tipsarevic and P.H. Mathieu are in the bottom section.

Enjoy the tennis this week everyone.

Bopanna/Qureshi win Peace and Sport Image of the Year Award; Agassi’s Charity Event Raises $8.5 Million: This Week in Tennis Business

by

By Justin Cohen

  • During the 21st Georges Bertellotti Golden Podium Awards Monaco 2010, ATP World Tour doubles teammates Rohan Bopanna of India and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan were unveiled as the winners of the Peace and Sport Image of the Year Award. The Peace and Sport Image of the Year Award will be given to the Indian Bopanna and Pakistani Qureshi, two tennis players who managed to bring the political authorities in their respective countries closer, through their own history of personal friendship and commitment. Bopanna, who is Hindu, and Qureshi, who is Muslim, have been teammates for three seasons on the ATP World Tour and are building their careers together, despite historical hostilities that divide India and Pakistan. Motivated by their close friendship, they decided to actively campaign for peace between their two nations. During several tournaments in 2010, they wore warm-up outfits displaying the slogan “Stop War, Start Tennis”, thus affirming their belief that friendship between India and Pakistan is possible. At the US Open this summer, Bopanna and Qureshi reached the finals before falling to Bob and Mike Bryan in a tight match. This year, for the first time, the winner of the Award for Peace and Sport’s Image of the Year was chosen by a public voting system on Internet. The winning photograph, submitted by the ATP World Tour, won nearly 60 percent of the votes. The Award will be presented to Bopanna and Qureshi and representatives of their countries’ authorities during the Gala Evening of the 4th International Forum Peace and Sport, which will take place on December 2 in Monaco in the presence of HSH Prince Albert II and 450 international leaders from the worlds of sport and peace.
  • Last Saturday, Andre Agassi’s annual Grand Slam for Children event in Las Vegas raised $8.5 million for charity, which was more than $500,000 more than the 2009 event. Performers at this year’s event included Sir Elton John, Jennifer Hudson, Bill Cosby, and Rob Thomas. Some of the items up for auction included a kiss from Agassi’s wife that went for $25,000, and swimming lessons from Olympics swimming legend Michael Phelps that went for $60,000.

    Andre Agassi
  • Bob and Mike Bryan, the all-time winningest doubles team in the history of the ATP World Tour, are once again taking the lead of their close friend and inspiration Andre Agassi and hosting the Bryan Brothers’ Grand Slam Jam at the Malibu Racquet Club on Saturday, October 23. The day will benefit the Bryan Bros. Foundation and the Bogart Pediatric Center Research Program. Founded in 1984, the program was named in memory of the late record and film producer, Neil Bogart, who died of lymphoma at the age of 39. “It’s true, we were inspired by Andre Agassi,” Mike said during the US Open. “He’s a great example for young Americans to start your own foundation. We do a couple events each year for unprivileged kids. “We are honored this year to be helping not only kids in Ventura County but also to be assisting the Bogart Pediatric Cancer Research Program. We have heard nothing but great things about the work that the people at Bogart Pediatric Cancer Research are doing. Music execs Bill Vuylsteke and Jonathan McHugh were the first to tell us about this wonderful program that they have supported through the years and now we have even made monetary contributions to help their work to battle cancer in young children and we want to do this event to raise even more funds so they can continue their mission.” This year’s event will feature many of the twins’ friends and celebrities from the tennis world with special appearances expected by fellow Southern Californians and top American players Sam Querrey, Mardy Fish, this year’s reigning Wimbledon and U.S. Open doubles champion Vania King and retired three-time Grand Slam champion Lindsay Davenport. Former ATP touring pros Rick Leach, Scott Davis, Jeff Tarango, Vince Spadea and Derek Rostagno will all take part in the pro-am.
  • Solfire founder Brendan Murphy, has designed several special edition jackets exclusively for Billie Jean King and Sir Elton John to wear during the upcoming WTT Smash Hits exhibition event, which will take place on Monday, November 15 at the Bender Arena on the campus of American University in Washington, D.C. Solfire just completed its first year as the official apparel sponsor of World Team Tennis. The WTT Smash Hits event will feature Billie Jean King, Sir Elton John, Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Anna Kournikova and James Blake.
  • AAMI Tennis Classic Tournament Director Colin Stubs announced that Tomas Berdych, Fernando Verdasco, Lleyton Hewitt, Gael Monfils, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Mikhail Youzhny will all participate in the exhibition event in Melbourne, which takes place a week before the Australian Open from January 12-15, 2011. Stubs is hoping to fill the final two spots in the event with Rafael Nadal and Robin Soderling.
  • The USTA announced that single day tickets for the U.S. vs. Italy Fed Cup Final at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, Calif., from, November 6-7, have been released for public sale. They went on sale on Monday, October 18 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets for either the Saturday or Sunday session will be sold with prices from as low as $40. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting USTA.com or ticketmaster.com; by phone at 888-334-8782; or in person at the San Diego Sports Arena Box Office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Two-day ticket packages remain available for sale. Tennis Channel will show live daily coverage of the Fed Cup final.
  • James Blake’s mother, Betty, will have a book signing for her new book, “Mix It Up, Make It Nice: Secrets of a Tennis Mom” on October 24 at 1:30 p.m. in the Memorial Room at the Fairfield Public Library in Fairfield, Conn. The book focuses more on education and family values than on athletic training and tennis skills that turned James into a top 10 player. The library is located at 1080 Old Post Road. Registration for the event can be done online by calling 203-256-3160 or by going online at www.fairfieldpubliclibrary.org . The program is free.
  • On Sunday, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal arrived in India to officially launch the Nadal Tennis School at the Anantapur Sports Village in Andhra Pradesh. The tennis academy currently has three clay courts with major plans to expand.
  • In a rare move, current WTA Tour player Alicia Molik has announced that she will run for a position on the Tennis Australia board. She will join John Fitzgerald, Wally Masur, and six other candidates vying for just three open spots on the federation’s governing council. Molik is already a board member of her national federation.
  • VolleyGirl tryouts for the ATP Delray Beach International Tennis Championships in Delray Beach, Fla., from February 18-27, 2011, are underway. To be considered for an interview, you must fill out an application, which you can find on the official website, www.yellowtennisball.com. The application must be sent to Marlena Hall in a Word document at: MHall@yellowtennisball.com. You must also include one letter of recommendation and a clear picture or headshot of yourself (JPEG). The deadline to submit your application is Friday, November 26. The interview process starts as early as November 1 and will run until November 30. Every prospective 2011 VolleyGirl must submit an application to be considered.
  • According to The Globe and Mail, the No. 2 ranked doubles tandem of Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic will not play together in 2011. Zimonjic will team with Michael Llodra of France next season, while Nestor will play with Max Mirnyi of Belarus. “I think it’s a good move,” said Nestor. “It came from him but it’s something I’ve definitely thought about, too.” The duo won three Grand Slam doubles titles together including the 2010 French Open, but have gone winless since winning the title in Paris this year.
  • Serena Williams’ season looks to be over after reinjuring her foot after over training. She was hoping to return in Linz, but after feeling discomfort in her foot, test revealed that she restrained it. “I am likely out for the year now. I was really looking forward to beginning my comeback in Linz, followed by the Year-end championships in Doha. I feel completely heartbroken, and devastated, but knowing I will never be given more than I can handle I plan on coming back stronger and better,” said Williams.
  • Anastasia Rodionova, who won the singles and doubles gold medal and silver in mixed doubles for Australia at the Commonwealth Games last week in India, announced on her Twitter account that she will not play the rest of the season after retiring in a recent match in Linz with a left adductor strain. “Hurt my leg during the match… and had to retire. Unfortunately I won’t be able to play next week in Luxembourg. Done for the year.”
  • The Polish Times is reporting that Agnieszka Radwanska will undergo foot surgery during the offseason and will miss the Australian Open in January. Radwanska hopes to return in February or March.
  • Former World No. 1 and 1995 French Open Champion Thomas Muster has received a wildcard into the main draw in next week’s ATP World Tour event in Vienna, Austria. Muster has played six challenger events since making a comeback, winning just one match.
  • In a recent online poll by Serbian newspaper, Blic, Novak Djokovic was voted Serbia’s most eligible bachelor. The recent US Open finalist received nearly 20 percent of the votes.

Eat Chocolate with Roger Federer: This Week in Tennis Business

by

By Bob Stockton

* Tennis Channel debuts its “Perfect Match” sweepstakes this month by offering viewers a chance to meet 16 Grand Slam titlist and World No. 3 Roger Federer. The lucky winner will receive a three-day trip to Zurich, Switzerland, where they will meet Federer and receive a personalized tour of the historic Lindt chocolate plant. Five consolation prize winners will receive Federer-autographed Nike duffle bags filled with Lindt’s Lindor Truffles. Tennis Channel’s “Perfect Match” sweepstakes runs through November 1. To enter, visit www.tennischannel.com/perfectmatch.

* Tennis fans can find out first hand what it is like to play doubles with Stefan Edberg or be in the firing line of a Jim Courier forehand at The Residences at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman Legends Championships to be held November 5-7 in Grand Cayman, where, for the first time, an exclusive and intense pro-am tournament has been added to the event, providing some of these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Edberg, Courier, Marat Safin and Michael Chang will be joined in Grand Cayman by former top 10-ranked Americans Aaron Krickstein and Jimmy Arias for the six-player Champions Series event and the pro-am activities. In addition to the competing for a first-prize paycheck of $45,000 and Champions Series ranking points, the players will participate in the pro-am that will see the legends playing matches and enjoying meals and social time with participating amateurs over multiple days. Tennis fans interested in participating in the pro-am with the legends can find ticket, travel and tournament information by visiting www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com. “This is an ultimate, once-in-a-lifetime tennis fantasy opportunity to have the chance to play with and against some of the biggest legends in the game – and have quality social time in an amazingly beautiful luxury resort,” said Jon Venison, co-founding partner of InsideOut Sports & Entertainment, the owners and operators of the Champions Series tennis circuit. “In addition to playing and socializing with these greats of the game, fans will also have up-close and personal access as they compete for prize money and ranking points in the official Champions Series event held in Grand Cayman for the third year at The Residences at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman.”

Roger Federer

* The Education of a Tennis Player, the updated and re-released memoir of Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, is now available on amazon.com’s Kindle here:  http://www.amazon.com/Education-Tennis-Player-ebook/dp/B00440D9C8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1286971219&sr=8-1 Written with Hall of Fame journalist and historian Bud Collins, The Education of a Tennis Player is Laver’s first-hand account of his famous 1969 Grand Slam season, capped off by his win over fellow Australian Tony Roche in the final of the U.S. Open. Laver also writes about his childhood and early days in tennis, his 1962 Grand Slam and offers tips on how players of all levels can improve their game. He also shares some of the strategies that helped him to unparalleled success on the tennis court. Originally published in 1971, the book was updated by Laver and Collins with new content including his recovery from a near-fatal stroke in 1998 and helping Australia once again win the Davis Cup in 1973. The memoir features descriptions of Laver’s most suspenseful matches and memorable portraits of his biggest rivals Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Tony Roche and Pancho Gonzalez. “I am delighted that “The Education of a Tennis Player” is back in circulation and available for a new generation of tennis fans,” said Laver earlier this year on the release of the hard copy of the book. “Winning the Grand Slam for a second time in 1969 seems just like yesterday and this book brings back a lot of memories of the great matches and exciting times. I hope people enjoy reading my story.” Laver captured 11 major singles titles during his career, including Wimbledon in 1961, 1962, 1968 and 1969. After joining Don Budge as the only man to win a Grand Slam by sweeping all four majors in 1962, Laver turned professional where he, along with fellow pros Hoad, Rosewall and Gonzalez, were banned from playing the “amateur-only” major tournaments. When the “Open Era” of tennis began in 1968, Laver netted another five major singles titles, including his Grand Slam sweep of all four in 1969. Laver won nearly 200 singles titles during his career and was inducted into the International Tennis of Fame in 1981.

* Gustavo Kuerten will play a charity match against Andre Agassi in Rio de Janeiro on December 11.

* Head has released a YouTube video displaying Andre Agassi’s precision with his Head racquet in response to the hugely popular and discussed Roger Federer “William Tell” video that created such a stir among fans and media this summer. Watch it here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CggHDd-hmKU

* The Bolton Arena, near Manchester, will be the venue for Great Britain’s 2011 Davis Cup opener March 4-6 against Tunisia, the Lawn Tennis Association announced on Wednesday. “It’s a great choice of venue for us,” said Great Britain captain Leon Smith. “We’ve always had fantastic support in the north-west, and Bolton Arena will no doubt generate a passionate atmosphere, and provide the ideal stage for the match against Tunisia.” Great Britain will need to secure three wins next year to secure promotion back to Europe/Africa Group I.

* World No. 8 and defending champion Samantha Stosur has officially entered the 2011 Family Circle Cup. Stosur, the first player to commit to the tournament, returns to Daniel Island where she set the event’s mark for the fastest championship victory on record by defeating Vera Zvonareva 6-0, 6-3, in just 52 minutes. Marking the tournament’s 39th consecutive year, the Family Circle Cup, a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Premier event, will be held April 2-10, 2011 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in historic Charleston, South Carolina. “We are thrilled to welcome Sam Stosur back to Charleston to defend her championship in April,” commented Eleanor Adams, Tournament Manager, Family Circle Cup. “Since winning the Family Circle Cup, she has continued to post the best results of her singles career, and we’re so happy to have her return where that success began. I know our fans will enjoy watching her take another shot at this title.” Samantha Stosur, the 20th champion in the Family Circle Cup’s storied history, said, “I’ve always enjoyed competing in Charleston, and I really look forward to defending my title at this historic event. The city is beautiful and the fans are very knowledgeable, so it’s always exciting to play this tournament.” Family Circle Cup Ticket Packages will be on sale very soon, and ticket patrons who buy early will be able to secure the best possible seats. Fans can visitfamilycirclecup.com for ticket information and player commitment updates as the tournament approaches.

* Lonnie Nielson, part owner of the Sacramento Capitals World Team Tennis franchise, has been arraigned on charges that he embezzled more than $760,000 from nearly a dozen clients over an eight-month period last year, according to authorities cited by the Sacramento Bee newspaper. The Bee reports that Nielson was arraigned on 12 felony counts of grand theft, according to a news release from the office of District Attorney Jan Scully.

* According to the Las Vegas Sun, Andre Agassi, his wife Steffi Graf and his former coach Darren Cahill have filed a lawsuit against their co-owners of the Las Vegas night club Pure. The Sun is reporting that Courthouse News Service reported that the lawsuit claims the managers of Pure in Caesars Palace mismanaged finances and used the nightclub’s money to fund competing venues in Las Vegas, such as LAX at the Luxor, the recently closed Christian Audigier at Treasure Island and other several bars and restaurants. “None of these other properties approached the success of profitability of Pure,” the Sun quotes the lawsuit stating. “In fact … the overwhelming majority of these properties have experienced extended periods of unprofitability.” Andre’s lawsuit also claims he’s been charged for non-Pure related expenses and that they tripled in 2007 from previous years. The lawsuit says the allegedly improper allocations prompted the IRS to raid Pure in February 2008, “the result of significant improprieties involving … employees’ failure to report income.” The Sun quotes that the lawsuit says defendants then used Pure’s money to defend Pure’s principals to the tune of $1 million in legal fees. The plaintiffs say they have requested to examine the financial books, but the defendants have refused.

When Federer was the “Savior of Shanghai”

by

Is Roger Federer “The Savior of Shanghai?”

Rene Stauffer, the author of the Federer book ROGER FEDERER: QUEST FOR PERFECTION ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.RogerFedererBook.com) labeled him that from his appearance at the 2005 Tennis Masters Cup, held at the same venue – Qi Zhong Stadium – where this week’s Shanghai Rolex Masters is taking place.

The chapter of Stauffer’s book, called “The Savior of Shanghai” is excerpted below.

With the Grand Slam season of 2005 behind him, Roger Federer now focused on achieving his goals for the remainder of the calendar year. He wanted to play Davis Cup for Switzerland and help his homeland stay in the elite 16-team Davis Cup World Group and also protect his No. 1 ranking. He also wanted to defend his title in Bangkok, finally win the title in his hometown of Basel and, for the third year in a row, end the year with a victory at the Tennis Masters Cup. While he was at it, why not win titles in Madrid or in Paris at the Bercy tournament for the first time?

Federer’s plan got off to a good start, beginning with the Davis Cup. He rejoined the Swiss team for its Play-off Round match against Great Britain in Geneva. Federer easily defeated Alan Mackin in the opening singles match, and after he and Yves Allegro defeated Andy Murray and Greg Rusedski in four sets in the doubles, Switzerland clinched the victory that allowed the nation to remain in the Davis Cup World Group for a 12th straight year.

Roger Federer

Federer encountered Murray, the talented Scottish teenager, one week later in the singles final in Bangkok, when he won his 24th straight match in a singles final. The win in Bangkok clinched the year-end No. 1 for Federer, giving him the distinction of being ranked No. 1 in the world for every week of the 2005 season—a feat only achieved by four other players (Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras and Lleyton Hewitt.) As a reward, he and girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec treated themselves to a few days of vacation in Bangkok where they toured temples and Buddha statues and enjoyed the Thai cuisine. If not for Federer, Rafael Nadal was the clear cut No. 1 player for the 2005 season. The Spanish teenager won an astounding 11 tournaments, including the French Open and the Tennis Masters Series events in Monte Carlo, Rome, Montreal and Madrid. Nadal’s point total for the season ranked higher than four of the last five year-end No. 1 ranked players—Gustavo Kuerten (2000), Lleyton Hewitt (2001, 2002) and Andy Roddick (2003). In the era of Federer, this was only good enough for second place.

In October 11, Federer was in Allschwil, Switzerland training with countryman Michael Lammer, when he was once again struck by the “Curse of Basel.” At the same facility where he suffered a muscle tear the previous year, Federer injured his right ankle. He felt a searing pain and fell to the court and could not get back up. “At first I thought I had broken something,” he explained. The diagnosis was not that bad, but it was bad enough. Federer tore ligaments in his ankle and while surgery was not required, it forced him to withdraw from the events in Madrid, Basel and Paris. It was debatable if there was enough time for him to recover to play in the year-end Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai in a month’s time.

Federer’s foot was in a cast and he was on crutches for two weeks. He did everything he could to accelerate the therapy to enable him to play in Shanghai. He underwent ultrasound, lymph drainage, massages, elevated the legs, special exercises—everything. To his benefit, he was not the only top player who was injured as the top 10 rankings at the time read more like a list of casualties. Three former Grand Slam tournament champions withdrew from Shanghai—Marat Safin was out with a bad left knee and Andy Roddick withdrew with a bad back. Lleyton Hewitt chose not to compete in Shanghai so he could spend time with his new wife, Bec Cartwright, who was expecting the couple’s first child.

A fourth former Grand Slam tournament winner, Andre Agassi, arrived in China still gimpy after injuring ligaments in his left ankle around the same time as Federer’s injury. After losing in his first round-robin match to Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 6-2, Agassi also withdrew from the event. Since he won the tournament in Madrid in October, Nadal was troubled with a left-foot injury that caused him to withdraw from the events in Basel and Paris. Although he was in China with the expectation of competing, he also withdrew from the tournament just before his first scheduled match. Within a matter of hours, the tournament lost two of its most popular draws—Agassi and Nadal—and Federer’s start was still doubtful as well. The two-time defending champion arrived in Shanghai early to prepare, but he still didn’t know until two days before the event began whether he would compete at all.

The typhoon-proof stadium in Shanghai was nearly sold out—but for the ambitious Chinese organizers—the situation was far worse than a typhoon. After a highly successful staging of the 2002 Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai, Chinese officials were able to lure the event back to their country for three years starting in 2005. During the two-year stint of the tournament in Houston, the Chinese built the magnificent Qi Zhong Stadium that seats 15,000 spectators in the Minhang district in southwestern Shanghai. The facility features a retractable roof that is shaped like a blooming magnolia—the city’s emblem. It is an eight-ton structure with eight retractable pieces that open and close. Since eight is Federer’s favorite number—because his birthday is on the eighth day of the eighth month—it made for a special connection between him and the tournament. Shanghai was also special for Federer since it was the site of his Tennis Masters Cup debut in 2002—and the memories were still fond. He even made an extra trip to take part of the official opening in the stadium in early October.

Federer’s injury was definitely the most serious of his career to date. While he was healthy enough to play in the tournament, his expectations were low. He did not properly prepare for the event and did not rule out the possibility of losing all three of his round-robin matches. In his opening match, Federer surprised himself when he was able to defeat David Nalbandian 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. He described the victory as one of the finest wins of his career, which gave some indication how ill-prepared for the tournament he actually felt.

Federer’s next match with Ivan Ljubicic became a high-point of the tournament. Ljubicic was regarded as a threat to win the title after posting the best indoor record of any player during the year. After Federer gave fans—and organizers—a scare when he called for a trainer to treat him on court before the third set, he saved three match points before prevailing in a 7-4 final-set tie-break. The win clinched Federer’s spot in the semifinals as the winner of his group.

In the semifinals, Federer registered an incredible 6-0, 6-0 thrashing of Gaston Gaudio of Argentina that not only moved him into the Tennis Masters Cup final for a third straight year, but gave him an 81-3 record for the year. He was within one match victory of tying John McEnroe’s record for the best won-loss record in the history of men’s tennis. In 1984, McEnroe won both the US Open and Wimbledon and achieved a record of 82-3. Nalbandian, whom Federer defeated in his opening round-robin match, was the only barrier that stood in his way of tying this important record. However, unlike round-robin play, the final was a best-of-five set affair, making the achievement that much more difficult for the out-of-match-practice Federer. Tie-breaks decided the first two sets, with Federer winning a first-set tie-break 7-4 and a second-set tie-break 13-11. With two hours of arduous tennis needed to take the two sets-to-love lead, Federer began to look weary in the early stages of the third set. Nalbandian took advantage and crawled back into the match. During a stretch in the fourth and fifth sets, Federer lost 10 straight games to trail 0-4 in the fifth set. At 0-30 in the fifth game of the final set, Federer, perhaps motivated by chants of “Roger! Roger!” as well as by his own will and pride, began to rally back into the match. Forty-five minutes later, he was just two points from victory serving for the match at 6-5, 30-0. Nalbandian, however, turned the tide again. Federer would later say, “I wasn’t playing to win any longer but just to make it as hard as possible for him.”

After breaking Federer back to force the final-set tie-break, Nalbandian rallied to win the match 6-7 (4), 6-7(11), 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (3). Federer watched Nalbandian sink to the ground after the greatest victory of his career and as the first Argentinean Masters champion in 31 years. “I came closer to winning the tournament than I had thought,” said Federer. “Under these circumstances, this was one of the best performances of my career. This tournament was probably the most emotional one for me this year.”

Whether satisfied with his effort or not, the loss, nonetheless, meant the end of several of Federer’s streaks. It was his first defeat since the semifinals of the French Open in early June—a streak of 35 matches and the fifth-longest match winning streak in ATP history. (Nalbandian’s countryman Guillermo Vilas is the record-holder with 46 straight victories). The loss also marked his first defeat in a tournament final since July of 2003—a streak of 24 straight final-round matches. Although he only lost four matches, he ranked his 2005 season worse than 2004, since two of his four defeats happened at Grand Slam tournaments. “But this season was unbelievable as well,” he said. “At some stages, I felt invincible.”

Thanks to the star power of Federer, the Tennis Masters Cup was not a complete disaster for the Chinese promoters. The fledgling tennis movement in Asia continued. A few months later, the ATP renewed its contract for Shanghai to assume organization for the Masters through 2008. “If the tournament had been damaged by the many forfeits, then it was compensated for by one of the most exciting matches of the year,” the Shanghai Daily wrote the day after the epic Federer-Nalbandian final. John McEnroe was also satisfied. “It was nice to see how hard Federer fought to break my record,” McEnroe said. “Perhaps people will now realize that it’s not so easy to achieve a record of 82-3.”

Around The Corner: Shanghai Hosts Masters 1000 Event

by

By Mike McIntyre

The best men’s tennis players in the world are once again assembled as the ATP World Tour showcases their talent in Shanghai. The Masters 1000 event boasts all top twenty players in the world.

In the first quarter we have world number one Rafael Nadal who recently completed his career Grand Slam at the U.S. Open. Since then Nadal has lost a semi-final match in Thailand and is currently set to play Gael Monfils in the finals in Beijing.

Nadal gets a first round bye this coming week and will play the winner of the Gilles Simon vs. Stan Wawrinka match.

Rafael Nadal

While Nadal seemed to pace himself this year by playing fewer tournaments, he has been going full throttle during the Asian tennis swing and is perhaps due for an early round upset. Either of Simon or Wawrinka could trouble him. After his opening match Nadal could face the likes of Mardy Fish and Fernando Verdasco in the third and fourth rounds. I feel it is time for Nadal to come back down to earth with a humbling loss to one of the above players.

Andy Murray leads the next quarter and has had a less than successful 2010 season on tour. While he did finally grab his first tournament victory in Toronto in August, he failed to advance past the third round at the U.S. Open. Murray also bombed out early this past week in Beijing where veteran Ivan Ljubicic thrashed him 6-3, 6-2.

Murray could be challenged by the likes of Marcos Baghdatis, Sam Querrey or Mikhail Youzhny in his section. His recent results do not inspire confidence in his chances here this week.

On the other side of the draw Novak Djokovic has regained the number two position on the tour and likely will open in the second round against Ivan Ljubicic who has had a terrific week in Beijing making the semi-finals. Djokovic will have Gael Monfils and potentially Tomas Berdych to deal with in his quarter as well.

Finally, world number three Roger Federer will play in his first tournament since New York. It is hard to tell what we can expect from Federer after his month-long layoff, although he has played strongly since Wimbledon where he unexpectedly lost in the quarter finals.

Federer has the best draw of the top four and should get a couple of wins under his belt before having to face Robin Soderling in the quarter-finals.

I expect a strong showing from Federer who will certainly be well rested. I foresee a Federer vs. Djokovic semi-final on one side with more of an upset on the other between Verdasco and Youzhny.

Any way it ends up, it’s another great opportunity to see all of the best players in the world show us their skills. Tennis fans in Asia and those willing and able to watch at odd hours around the globe will enjoy this late season competition.

Australian Open Singles Champions Will Each Pocket Record $2.1 Million in 2011: This Week in Tennis Business

by

By: Justin Cohen

  • Tennis Australia announced on Tuesday that it would offer a record $24.2 million ($25 million AU) in prize money at the 2011 Australian Open in Melbourne, which is up 3.8 percent from the 2010 event. The men’s and women’s singles winners will take home a champion’s check of $2.1 million ($2.2 million AU). In the recently completed US Open, Rafael Nadal and Kim Clijsters each earned $1.7 million for winning the singles title. Tennis Australia officia
    Justine Henin

    ls also announced a 10-year television rights deal with ESPN for North and South America for their tournament, which will take place from January 17-30.

  • The ATP World Tour has announced that they have commissioned the world’s top players to create a series of one-of-a-kind self portraits in honor of their qualification for the 2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, which will be played in London at The O2 from November 21-28. The world’s top players used their tennis skills to create individual masterpieces by hitting paint covered tennis balls against large art canvases. Each canvas was overlaid with a stenciled image, which, when removed, revealed a unique self-portrait showing one of the player’s signature moves on court. The final artwork that each player created will be on display for public viewing in Central London in early November, and during the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the new Fan Zone at The O2. Following the completion of the tournament, the artwork will be auctioned off for charity.
  • Martina Navratilova has been added to the field for the WTT Smash Hits presented by GEICO, which is the annual charity event hosted by Sir Elton John and tennis legend Billie Jean King. Navratilova joins a star-studded field which already includes Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Anna Kournikova and James Blake. The WTT Smash Hits event will take place on Monday, November 15 at 7 p.m. at the Bender Arena on the campus of American University in Washington, D.C.
  • Andre Agassi, Mike Davies, Thelma Coyne Long, Christine Truman Janes and Fern Lee “Peachy” Kellmeyer lead the list of nominees for induction into the 2011 International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday, October 13 at 10 a.m., for members of the International Tennis Hall of Fame for the 2011 Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. General public tickets go on sale on Tuesday, October 26 at 10 a.m. The ATP World Tour tennis tournament will be played from July 4-10, while the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Saturday, July 9. For more information or to become a member call 866-914-FAME (3263) or visit http://www.tennisfame.com/node/988.
  • Tennis officials in Serbia announced that they will play on a hardcourt surface for its Davis Cup final against France at the beginning of December.
  • According to Inside Tennis, Jim Courier will likely be named the next captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team. The magazine cites sources that Courier will be named the captain over other American tennis greats Todd Martin and Brad Gilbert. Patrick McEnroe stepped down as captain last month following 10 years on the job.
  • Liezel Huber, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone are finalists for the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Heart Award of 2010. The Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Heart Award is a joint initiative between BNP Paribas and the ITF. It aims to recognize players who have represented their country with distinction, shown exceptional courage on court and demonstrated outstanding commitment to their team. The winner, which is decided by a public vote on FedCup.com andFedCup.com/es, receives a silver Baccarat bracelet and a check worth $10,000 to be donated to a charity of the player’s choice. A total of six Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Heart Awards are being presented in 2010. Earlier in the year, Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium, Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, Maria-Fernanda Alves of Brazil, Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan, and Katarina Srebotnik of Slovakia were all recognized.
  • The Hopman Cup organizers announced the pairings for the 2011 event for next January:

o        Australia: Alicia Molik and Lleyton Hewitt

o        Belgium: Justine Henin and Steve Darcis

o        France: Kristina Mladenovic and Gael Monfils

o        Italy: Francesca Schiavone and Potito Starace

o        Serbia: Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic

o        United States: Serena Williams and John Isner

o        Kazakstan: Yaroslava Shvedova and Andrey Golubev

  • The USTA announced that Chief Medical Officer Brian Hainline, M.D., has been elected as a Board Member of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the independent anti-doping agency for Olympic related sports in the United States. Dr. Hainline will serve as one of two National Governing Body (NGB) representatives, and his four-year term is effective immediately. “True sport means fair play, respect for one’s competitor and respect for the fundamental fairness of competition,” said Lucy S. Garvin, Chairman of the Board and President of the USTA. “As a NGB representative to the USADA’s Board, Brian provides a key link between our great sport of tennis and the USADA’s vision.”
  • Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters became the third and fourth players to qualify for the year-end WTA Championships in Doha, Qatar, from October 26-31, joining Caroline Wozniacki and Vera Zvonareva. For the third straight year, the season ending championships will take place at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex. The world’s top eight singles players and top four doubles teams will compete for the desirable WTA Championships title and a share of the $4.5 million in prize money.
  • Christophe Rochus announced that he plans to retire at the end of the 2010 season. Rochus, who was ranked No. 38 in the world in 2006, will play a challenger inMons in his home country of Belgium, followed by the event in Valencia, Spain, before hanging up the racquets for good. “I don’t have the capacity to aim for a place in the top 100,” said Rochus. “To play to be 200th in the world rankings doesn’t interest me.”
  • Svetlana Kuznetsova announced on her Twitter account that she is pulling out of next week’s event in Moscow and will not play the remainder of the 2010 season.“My health issues won’t al(low) me to play in my home country tournament in Moscow! I have to end this difficult season now and recover,” said Kuznetsova.
  • Following her first round loss in Beijing, Agnieszka Radwanska says she is done competing for the rest of the 2010 season because of stress fracture in her foot. She also said that there is a chance she may not be ready in time for the Australian Open in January. “I’m done for this year with a very serious injury, a stress fracture,” said Radwanska. “It’s a complicated injury and there’s some chance it won’t be healed in time for Australia. I just realized how serious the injury was just before I came to Asia to play in Tokyo and Beijing.”
  • Anastasia Pivovarova will be out for the remainder of the 2010 season with an elbow injury. Pivovarova reached the third round at the French Open this year.
  • Justine Henin, who has not played since getting injured during her loss against Kim Clijsters at Wimbledon, will make her return during an exhibition match at the Diamond Games against Clijsters on December 9 in Antwerp, Belgium. Belgian Yanina Wickmayer and 2010 French Open Champion Francesca Schiavone of Italywill also participate.

The ATP Tour Continues its Swing in Asia – Around the Corner

by

By Mike McIntyre

The ATP Tour continues its swing in Asia with stops in both China and Japan this coming week. All of the top players in the game with the exception of Roger Federer will be making an appearance in either Beijing or Tokyo. Both events are at the 500 level which means bigger pay-days and bigger competition. The first Masters 1000 event of the fall is just a week away as well.

China Open:

Defending champion Novak Djokovic takes the top seed in Beijing and makes his first appearance on the Tour since falling to Rafael Nadal in the U.S. Open final a month ago. Djokovic need not worry about facing the Spaniard this week but will still be pushed hard in order to advance to the finals.

Mao-Xin Gong, a Chinese wildcard, will be Djokovic’s first opponent. Given Gong’s world ranking of 353rd, I don’t think we have to worry about any potential upsets here. He gets the winner of the Mardy Fish vs. Janko Tipsarevic match in round two which will surely be a much bigger test of his abilities.

Novak Djokovic

Tomas Berdych the fifth seed could be Djokovic’s quarter-final opponent, while both Nikolay Davydenko and Fernando Verdasco could await in the semis. It’s about time that Davydenko has a strong result and he has typically played well this time of year.

Gilles Simon and Sam Querrey are also lurking in the top half of a very strong draw and must face each other in the opening round.

David Ferrer and Sweden’s Robin Soderling are seeded to meet in the quarter-finals of the bottom section of the draw. Meanwhile Andy Murray will try to get back on track as the second seed and could end up meeting Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the final eight of his quarter.

Some great first round matches in Beijing include Alexandr Dolgopolov against Marcos Baghdatis, Youzhny vs. Ivan Ljubicic and the already mentioned Querrey vs. Simon.

Fans are going to be treated to some top-level tennis without a doubt this year in Beijing.

Rakuten Japan Open:

Nadal appears as the top seed in Tokyo and will try to improve upon his semi-final result this past week in Thailand where he was defeated by Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.Nadal opens against little-known Santiago Giraldo in the opening round. Next he could face either Florent Serra of France or a qualifier.

The draw here in Tokyo is not quite as strong as the one in Beijing, which should allow Nadal a clear path to the finals.

Names in his half of the draw that could cause some hurdles include Ernests Gulbis, Jurgen Melzer and Richard Gasquet.

In the bottom half, Andy Roddick is the second seed. Roddick will try to return to the form that helped him knock-off the likes of Djokovic and Soderling in Cincinnati earlier this summer, rather than his lackluster performances at the last two Grand Slams. Tatsuma Ito will be the American’s first opponent followed by the winner of either Jeremy Chardy or a qualifier. I foresee Chardy giving Roddick some trouble, especially if Andy has not been getting in a lot of court time lately.

Frenchman Gael Monfils, Jo-Wilfried Tsong and Michael Llodra have all been slotted into the bottom half of the draw and one of them should be advancing to the semi-finals. Perhaps Tsonga can rekindle some magic from a year ago where he won this very tournament. He is making his first tournament appearance since a quarter-final loss at Wimbledon.

This week’s tournaments boast a strong contingent of the world’s best competitors with only two players missing from the top twenty. Oddly enough both of those players, Federer and Stan Wawrinka, come from Switzerland.

The push for the final spots at the season ending Tour championships in London is about to kick-off. Time to see who has been preparing the best game plan since the U.S. Open ended.

Potential Eighteen-Game NFL Season Could Impact US Open; French Open To Stay at Roland Garros: This Week in Tennis Business

by

By: Justin Cohen

  • Sources, including Indianapolis Colts Team President Bill Polian, have said that it is a done deal that the National Football League will switch from 16 regular season games to 18 games, starting the season the weekend before Labor Day weekend. If this were to go through, it would likely seriously impact the US Open tennis championships, which is televised in the United States by CBS, the network that owns the NFL rights to broadcast AFC Conference games. Opening night of the US Open and Labor Day Monday night at the US Open,  broadcast in the USA on ESPN2, would then go head-to-head against with Monday Night Football, broadcast on ESPN. Rather than only one day of the US Open going head-to-head against a full NFL Sunday (the final day of the tournament when the men’s final is played), both Sundays at the US Open will be impacted, which will impact television ratings in the United States.
  • Last week, the Head of the French Tennis Federation confirmed that the French Open will stay at its current location at Roland Garros rather than relocate to a Paris suburb as the tournament was hoping to expand the venue. The French Federation of Tennis has agreed to use the other tennis courts next to the Roland Garros stadium, which is expected to be enough for the Grand Slam tournament to stay at Roland Garros instead of moving to any other place. Despite all the talk of the French Open staying put at Roland Garros for now, the big decision on whether it will be staying in its present location will be made at a French Federation of Tennis meeting, which will be held in February 2011.
  • SportsBusinessJournal’s DanKaplan is reporting that the ATP World Tour approved a $100,000 payment to the New Haven tournament and in return can now schedule another event in its spot on the calendar, which is held the week before the US Open. Sources close to the situation said that tournament is “likely to move out” of New Haven. Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament Director Anne Worcester recently said that the tournament has extended the search for a new title sponsor with the initial “self-imposed deadline to announce a title sponsor just three days away.” Last month, Worcester said that nine companies were very interested in becoming the title sponsor of the event. “While we initially indicated that September 30 was our deadline for securing financial support to conduct a tournament in 2011 and beyond, that window has been extended into October.”
  • At least four full-time staffers were let go at Tennis Magazine over the past few days, according to the twitter feed of TennisWire.org. Photo Editor David Rosenberg posted on his twitter feed that he “Got canned.” According to TennisWire, the magazine will now be mainly out-sourced to 10TenMedia.com.
  • Jon Muir will remain on as President of the Tennis Industry Association for a second term, following recommendations from the TIA Board of Directors and its Executive Committee, to help see through platforms and projects under way that help support growth for tennis and industry businesses. “I’m happy to continue our collective, ongoing efforts supporting the three platforms we have been developing: increasing the number of frequent players, measuring and impacting more clearly the economic growth of the collective tennis industry, and developing our communication channels to distribute clear, consistent messaging about our industry and most importantly about tennis and the reasons to play,” said Muir. Muir, whose second term will continue through December 31, 2012, is currently the worldwide General Manager of Wilson Racquet Sports. The TIA is the not-for-profit trade association for tennis, made up of tennis businesses that cross all sectors of the industry, including manufacturers, court builders, teaching pros, facilities, retailers, professional tours, media and organizations, such as the U.S. Tennis Association. TIA also welcomed three new members to its Board of Directors including:

o        Gordon Boggis is the CEO of Prince Sports Inc., based in Bordentown, N.J. He has been an executive in the sports and fitness areas for many years, including senior management positions with Dunlop Slazenger Group.

o        Greg Mason is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for HEAD Penn Racquet Sports, based in Phoenix, Ariz. Mason has spent more than 25 years in the sporting goods industry in senior management roles, including with Reebok USA and Puma North America.

o        Meredith Poppler is the vice president of industry growth for IHRSA-International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, based in Boston. She has represented IHRSA since 1992 and holds a dual degree in marketing and finance from Syracuse University.

  • In the annual Babolat Sales Awards, Michael Lynne’s Tennis Shop in Minneapolis, Minn., was named the Babolat Retail Shop of the Year, while Rick Walsh was named the Top Sales Representative of the Year. Walsh covers the Missouri Valley territory. New for 2010, the “Tennis Runs in Our Blood” award is given to the individual or business that stands out in promoting, supporting and elevating the Babolat brand in an unparalleled and passionate way. That award was given to Tennis Warehouse, which is known for going the extra mile to promote Babolat products.
  • Russian-born Anna Kournikova has become a U.S. citizen according to her interview in Maxim magazine, where she is featured on the cover in this month’s issue. “I’ve always considered myself half-Russian and half-American. It never seemed to really matter if I had a passport or not,” said Kournikova. “But when I started working with the (United Services Organizations) and the troops overseas, it just seemed the logical next step.”
  • According to his official website, Robby Ginepri had surgery last week after breaking his arm in a bike riding accident. Ginepri will miss the rest of the 2010 season, but plans to return at the start of next season.
  • According to his official website, Fernando Gonzalez will sidelined for up to nine months after deciding to undergo hip and possible knee surgery in New York in early October.
  • Evgeny Korolev will have elbow surgery this week and is expected to miss four months, ending his 2010 season.
  • Mikel Sanchez, the surgeon who treated Rafael Nadal’s knees earlier in 2010, tells the media outlet, Medca, that even though Nadal’s injury is healed, the physical toll of training and playing could cause it to re-occur at some stage in his career. “The tendon is cured — wider, with a different physical appearance, but cured,” said Sanchez. “At the moment I’m not doing anything, but will probably have to return.” Nadal received injections of enriched blood plasma in his knees in May and July. After winning Monte Carlo, he missed Barcelona to undergo treatment. Since then, he has lost only three matches and won five tournaments, which includes the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. “He’s going to continue at the same rhythm and there is a risk that his tendons will degenerate again. That is why you cannot say this is a permanent treatment. Plus, it could occur in other tendons such as the Achilles.”
  • The USTA Nominating Committee announced the nomination of Jonathan Vegosen as USTA Chairman of the Board and President to serve a two-year term beginning January 1, 2011. Vegosen, who has served on the USTA Board of Directors for four years and is currently completing a two-year term as First Vice President, is a long-time volunteer who, for over 25 years, has raised funds for tennis causes. He has also devoted more than 16 years of volunteer service to the sport of tennis at the district, sectional, national and international levels. When elected, Vegosen will become the 50th Chairman of the Board and President of the USTA. In addition to his USTA Board responsibilities, Vegosen will continue to serve as a member of the Compensation and International Committees and continue representing the USTA on the Grand Slam Committee and the ITF Constitutional Committee. Vegosen will continue to serve as a board member for both USTA Serves, the charitable arm of the USTA and the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Vegosen is a former collegiate tennis player at Northwestern, where he was the captain of his team. He was selected to the 1973 All-Big Ten Conference Team. Vegosen received his B.A. from Northwestern University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law, graduating Cum laude. In addition to the Vegosen nomination, the following individuals have been nominated as the slate of new officers and directors of the USTA Board:o David A. Haggerty, of Pennington, N.J., and the USTA Middle States Section, is currently a Vice President on the USTA Board of Directors and has been nominated as First Vice President.

    o Katrina M. Adams, of White Plains, N.Y., and the USTA Eastern Section, is currently an Elite Athlete and a Director at Large on the USTA Board of Directors and has been nominated as Vice President.

    o Carol J. Welder, of Austin, Texas, and the USTA Texas Section, is currently a Director at Large on the USTA Board of Directors and has been nominated as Vice President.

    o Donald L. Tisdel, of Lake Oswego, Ore., and the USTA Pacific Northwest Section, is re-nominated for his third consecutive term as Secretary-Treasurer of the USTA Board of Directors.

    o Seth G. Abraham, of New York, N.Y., and the USTA Eastern Section, is nominated for his first term as Director at Large of the USTA Board of Directors.

    o Dale G. Caldwell, of New Brunswick, N.J., and the Eastern Section, is nominated for his first term as Director at Large of the USTA Board of Directors.

    o William J. Kellogg, of La Jolla, Calif., and the USTA Southern California Section, is nominated for his first term as Director at Large of the USTA Board of Directors.

    o John N. Korff, of Key Biscayne, Fla., and the USTA Florida Section, is nominated for his third term as Director at Large of the USTA Board of Directors.

    o Delaine B. Mast, of Lancaster, Pa., and the USTA Middle States Section, is nominated for her first term as Director at Large of the USTA Board of Directors.

    o Andrew A. Valdez, of Salt Lake City, Utah, and the USTA Intermountain Section, is nominated for his first term as Director at Large of the USTA Board of Directors.

    o Patrick J. Galbraith, of Bainbridge Island, Wash., and the USTA Pacific Northwest, is nominated for a third term as an Elite Athlete and a Director at Large of the USTA Board of Directors.

    o Chanda Rubin, of Lafayette, La., and the USTA Southern Section, is nominated for her first term as an Elite Athlete and a Director at Large of the USTA Board of Directors.

    o Jeffrey G. Tarango, of Manhattan Beach, Calif., and the USTA Southern California Section, is nominated for his first term as an Elite Athlete and a Director at Large of the USTA Board of Directors.

Around the Corner: Tennis on the Rise in Asia

by

By Mike McIntyre

The ATP Tour crosses several time zones this week and sets up shop in Thailand and Malaysia where it hopes to attract new fans and sponsors in an effort to spread its global presence.

World number one and the dominant force in men’s tennis in 2010, Rafael Nadal was treated like royalty when he arrived a few days ago in Bangkok.

Juan Martin del Potro

While both stops on the schedule are ATP World Tour 250 events, the fact that the region has attracted the likes of Nadal and other young stars such as Juan Martin Del Potro, Robin Soderling, Tomas Berdych and Fernando Verdasco shows that they are committed to hosting premium quality tournaments.

Malaysian Open

Robin Soderling is the number one seed at the Malaysian Open and receives a first round bye. He should have an enticing semi-final match against Berdych if the draw holds true to form. Speedster David Ferrer of Spain is also in the top-half of the draw and should win a few rounds.

In the bottom-half, Marcos Baghdatis faces up and coming Kei Nishikori in the first round in what could provide the tournament with its first upset. Nishikori will have the crowd behind him and has been playing the best tennis of his season towards the late stages of the summer hardcourt swing. Ranked 123rd in the world, the 20 year old Japanese sensation made it through qualifying at the U.S. Open before advancing to the third round. In the process he defeated top-twenty player Marin Cilic before having to retire with an injury to Albert Montanes.

Russians Nikolay Davydenko and Mikhail Youzhny are also in the bottom half of the draw. Davydenko has had some big struggles since returning to the Tour in June after a lengthy injury layoff due to wrist surgery. He has not resembled his old self and has a 10-10 record since that time.

Meanwhile, Youzhny made it to the semi-finals of the U.S. Open and jumped in the rankings to 9th in the world – one spot away from his career high that he reached in 2008. I wouldn’t be surprised if he overtook Davydenko as the highest ranked Russian before the year is out.

PTT Thailand Open

Rafael Nadal is making his first ever appearance at the Thailand Open. While he was scheduled to play the event the past two years in a row, injuries derailed his plans and he was forced to withdraw. He comes in as the clear favorite following his impressive performance in New York where he captured the only missing Grand Slam from his already incredible tennis resume. Nadal gets a first round bye and will play the winner between two qualifiers in his opening match.

After tumbling down the rankings to the 35th spot in the world, Juan Martin Del Potro emerges from his nearly year-long wrist injury and holds the 5th seed here in Bangkok. His potential third round opponent is Nadal which will be a most difficult match in his first tournament back on the Tour. Let’s hope Del Potro can remain healthy and get a few tournies under his belt before the conclusion of 2010. Having him back in the mix next season will be a huge boost to the current Roger and Rafa show we have been watching this year.

Jurgen Melzer and Fernando Verdasco represent the talent in the bottom half of the draw but neither one should be able to knock-off a healthy and in-form Nadal.

The Asian tennis swing continues next week with level 500 events in both Japan and China and then we have the Masters 1000 event in Shanghai that should have all the big names out in full force.

Rafael Nadal To Return To Familiar British Territory Again in 2011: This Week in Tennis Business

by

By Justin Cohen

  • Rafael Nadal, who became the first man to win consecutive French Open, Wimbledon and US Open titles since Rod Laver did so in 1969, has announced that he will play in the AEGON Championships at Queen’s Club in London in 2011. “I love playing at The Queen’s Club because it is a traditional club,” said Nadal. “Every time I have played there I have felt very welcome because of the British people and their support, and because of the tournament organizers who are so good at their job.” The AEGON Championships will take place from June 6-12, 2011.
  • On Tuesday, it was announced by BNP Paribas Open Tournament Director Steve Simon that a site improvement project has begun at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, which is the site of the BNP Paribas Open, an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Premier tennis tournament, to be held March 7-20, 2011. Among the improvements at the tournament site will be, the addition of four lighted practice tennis courts, new and upgraded sport lighting on match courts, and viewing platforms adjacent to the main practice courts. In addition, court lighting will be added to Courts 7 and 8, which means all tournament match courts will include lighting, and lighting is being upgraded on Stadium 2 and 3. This will give the tournament site eight lighted match courts for the BNP Paribas Open, and 10 lighted courts for the year-round members.  “Our goal is to continually seek ways to improve the Indian Wells Tennis Garden,” said Steve Simon, BNP Paribas Open Tournament Director. “Adding courts, lighting and additional upgrades will offer players and fans a better experience at the BNP Paribas Open and make it a more attractive destination for future events.

    Rafael Nadal
  • The USTA announced on Tuesday that eight of the nation’s top junior players will play against some of the top collegiate players in a unique round-robin tournament in the Land Rover Napa Valley Tennis Classic at the Meadowood Napa Valley in St. Helena, Calif., from Setpember 24-26. 2010 US Open Boys’ Champion Jack Sock leads the junior entry list, while four players will be represented from six NCAA Division I schools including the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Florida, the University of Illinois, the University of Kentucky, the University of Texas and the University of Southern California. Each school will send four players to compete alongside the eight juniors, and the 32-man field will be split into eight pools featuring three collegiate players and a junior.  Following three matches in pool play, the eight pool winners will compete in a single-elimination, 10-point tiebreak tournament.  The winner of the tournament will receive a USTA-sponsored wild card into a USTA Pro Circuit event that is yet to be determined. The event, which was founded 10 years ago by Cal-Berkeley coach Peter Wright and Meadowood Tennis Director Doug King, will feature junior players for the first time after being held exclusively for college players the first nine. “I’m very pleased that juniors are now being incorporated into this event and will be competing against some of the country’s top collegians,” said Patrick McEnroe, General Manager of USTA Player Development.  “Collegiate competition is a key component of the pathway from junior tennis to professional tennis, and letting our juniors compete with college veterans will help with their physical and mental development.” This will be the tenth consecutive year the event has been held at Meadowood, and the third year Land Rover has served as the title sponsor.
  • The exclusive presale ticket offer for the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden in New York City featuring exhibition matches between Andre Agassi vs. Pete Sampras and John McEnroe vs. Ivan Lendl, went on sale on Tuesday, September 21 at 12pm and will last until Sunday, September 26 at 11:59pm. Tickets can be ordered by calling 866-858-0008 or by going on the Ticket Master website at:  http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1D0044BC946346DF. Be sure to use the code STAR11. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, September 27.
  • The ATP Champions Tour has added an event in Sydney at the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre and John McEnroe and Australian tennis legend Patrick Rafter will participate in the tournament. The tournament, which will take place from November 11-14, will also feature former World No. 1 Mats Wilander, 2001 Wimbledon Champion Goran Ivanisevic, and Pat Cash.
  • The International Tennis Federation announced over the weekend that BNP Paribas will continue its sponsorship with Davis Cup and Fed Cup for an additional five years through 2016. The new agreement also includes sponsorship of Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas, Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas, ITF wheelchair tennis activities, and the biennial Worldwide Coaches Conference and regional coaches workshops. The recent announcement was made at the Davis Cup semifinal match between France and Argentina in Lyon. “BNP Paribas is an outstanding partner for the ITF’s international team competitions,” said Francesco Ricci Bitti, ITF President. “As one of the world’s largest banks, with a network in over 80 countries, it is a perfect fit for both Davis Cup and Fed Cup with its global reach. Added to this is BNP Paribas’s love of and commitment to tennis around the world, which is a responsibility that we at the ITF are proud to share with them. We look forward to a long and successful relationship with BNP Paribas, now through at least 2016.”
  • Bob and Mike Bryan will host the “All Star Tennis Fest & Wine Tasting benefiting the Bryan Brothers Foundation” on Saturday, September 25 at the Spanish Hills Country Club in Camarillo, Calif. The event will feature nine-time Grand Slam doubles champions Bob and Mike Bryan, Mardy Fish and Sam Querrey. The event will run from 1:00pm -5:00pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the official website: http://www.bbtennisfest.com.
  • Sir Elton John and Billie Jean King will bring their annual WTT Smash Hits charity night of tennis to Washington, D.C., for the first time in the events 18-year history on Monday, November 15 at the Bender Arena on the campus of American University. Tennis legends Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Anna Kournikova and James Blake will join other top players for the WTT Smash Hits presented by GEICO. “We are so thrilled to bring Smash Hits to our nation’s capital this year,” said Billie Jean King, WTT co-founder. “This is the perfect venue for us to raise the awareness of HIV and AIDS and we are excited to build upon the growing support in the community for WTT.”
  • Former World No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam singles champion Jim Courier, as well as former World No. 10 Mikael Pernfors will headline the Third Annual Magarino Ford, Lincoln, Mercury Pro Tennis Classic Presented by Merrill Lynch on September 26 at the Lake Mohawk Tennis Club in Sparta, N.J., benefiting the Newton Memorial Hospital Foundation for improvements and upgrades to its Maternity Unit and Women’s Health Initiative.
  • The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum has announced the election of eleven new members to the Board of Directors. The new directors were recently elected at the Hall of Fame’s Annual Meeting in New York City. The new directors are John P. Arnhold of New York; Mark D. Ein of Washington, D.C.; Renée A.R. Evangelista of Lincoln, R.I.; James (Jim) L. Farley of Cincinnati, Ohio; Philip H. Geier, Jr. of New York; Madam Sun Jinfang of China; Katherine Burton Jones of Newton, Mass.; Geoff Pollard AM of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Will Prest of Minneapolis, Minn.; Michelle Sicard of New York; and Ken Solomon of New York. Additionally, George Gowen, who served as General Counsel for the Hall of Fame for the past 30 years, has been recognized as a Hall of Fame Life Trustee. Gowen is a partner at the firm of Dunnington, Bartholow & Miller in New York.
  • Billie Jean King was inducted into the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame during a ceremony that took place in New York City during the 2010 US Open. “It’s an honor to be a part of the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame, and to follow in the footsteps of Dennis Van der Meer, Howard Head and Alan Schwartz,” said King.
  • Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) CEO Dan Santorum received the ITF Service to the Game Award at the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., and at the USTA Annual Meeting in New York City. The award is given to an individual who has rendered long and distinguished service to the game of tennis.
  • Miles Maclagan, Andy Murray’s former coach, will take over as Philipp Kohlschreiber’s new coach. Maclagan started coaching Murray in 2007 and helped him reach two Grand Slam singles finals before losing his job this past July. Maclagan is a former Great Britain Davis Cup player and reached a career high No. 172 in the ATP Rankings in 1995.
  • According to the Daily Mail, Laura Robson has split with her coach Martin Bok, though the two may continue to work together until the end of the season. The paper indicated that Bok did not want to increase his traveling as Robson plays more tournaments starting next year.
  • Richard Gasquet has stopped working with coach Gabriel Markus. “I’ve been happy to work with Richard and we’ve had success,” Markus told L’Equipe. “He has improved his ranking and his tennis. I tried to show him my way of seeing things and I did a little, but I think it’ll be more confortable to continue as before, with Eric Deblicker. They have a very good relationship, and I wish them the best.”
  • According to Nielsen, Rafael Nadal’s four-set win over Novak Djokovic in the championship match of the US Open averaged 2.17 million viewers between CBS and ESPN2. That’s down 36 percent from 3.39 million from last year’s five-set final between Roger Federer and Juan Martin del Potro, all shown on CBS. This year’s final was pushed from Sunday to Monday because of the rain and was then rain-delayed for two hours forcing CBS to push their coverage to ESPN2.
  • The top six Spanish WTA Tour players announced that they will boycott the opening round of Fed Cup next year because of dissatisfaction with the Spanish Federation’s “total lack of support and interest towards Spanish women’s tennis.” The letter was sent to the Federation by players Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Anabel Medina Garrigues, Arantxa Parra Santonja, Carla Suarez Navarro, Nuria Llagostera Vives and Lourdes Dominguez Lino. Among the complaints was the lack of funding and the decision to hold the Spanish national championships on clay during the hardcourt season. More recently, the Spanish Federation released a statement saying they are committed to putting more money into the women’s game. Parra Santonja has told the EFE that the top Spanish women players are sticking to their plans to boycott their first round Fed Cup match next year despite the Spanish Federation trying to counter their concerns.
  • Lleyton Hewitt may be sidelined for up to three weeks with a right hand injury that forced him to pull out of Australia’s Davis Cup World Group playoff against Belgium last weekend.
  • Zheng Jie of China will likely miss the rest of the year due to left wrist surgery.
  • According to Russian press, 2004 French Open champion Anastasia Myskina gave birth to her second child, a boy, two weeks ago. Myskina already has a 2 ½ year old son, Zhenya.
  • Bob Bryan announced on his Twitter page that he got engaged to girlfriend, Michelle Alvarez, an Attorney, at Pfeifer Falls in Big Sur, Calif.
  • Mahesh Bhupathi and former Miss Universe Lara Dutta are officially engaged according to his Twitter page and India press. However, a publicist for Dutta said that “there are no plans for a wedding for the next couple of years.” Bhupathi divorced his former wife earlier this year after six years of marriage.

Around The Corner: ATP Tour Shifts Focus to Europe

by

The forgotten tennis season of the fall begins this week with two European events taking place. In Metz, France, there is an indoor hard-court event while in Bucharest, Romania, there is an outdoor event on clay. None of the big names are playing this week but that should come as no surprise following a hectic summer schedule and the lack of major prize money at these two ATP World Tour 250 events.

Open de Moselle

The Open de Moselle in France is a tournament that was resurrected in 2003. Previously played every two years it disappeared from the schedule in 1988. French tennis fans have much to be excited about these days with 6 players in the top 50 in the world, and 12 players in the top 100.

Gaels Monfils

Gael Monfils is the defending champion and defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber in the finals a year ago. Seeded second, he is the favorite in my opinion, especially after a strong showing in New York at the U.S. Open.

Marin Cilic is seeded first but has had such an inconsistent season that I can’t see him coming through here this week.

Other notable names include 2005 winner Ivan Ljubicic who is seeded third and fourth seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

BCR Open Romania

Romania hosts a rather sparse draw of clay-court talent led by top seeded Albert Montanes. Montanes captured the title a year ago and has the luxury of a first round bye. He could very well face Jeremy Chardy in the quarter-finals, a match that I believe will produce the champion in this year’s edition. Chardy could have played the hard court event in his home country of France but made the wise tactical move to enter the field in Bucharest instead.

Third seeded Potito Starace and fourth seeded Juan Ignacio Chela are also in the mix.

Looking further ahead on the ATP World Tour schedule reveals two tournaments in Asia next week in Thailand and Malaysia followed by larger events in China and Japan. The Masters event in Shanghai begins October 10th and that is where I expect we see all of the big names together again.