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crystal meth

This Week in Tennis Business: ATP World Tour doubtful to have title sponsor by start of 2010 season

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By: Justin Cohen

  • Sportsbusiness Journal reports that the ATP World Tour will most likely not have a lead sponsor to replace Mercedes by the start of the 2010 season.

  • Andy Murray has signed a five-year clothing sponsorship deal with adidas worth an annual $2-3 million (UK). Murray, who currently wears Fred Perry, will start wearing adidas in 2010.

  • The ATP World Tour event in Vina del Mar will be moved to Santiago in 2010. The relocation will coincide with the 200th anniversary of Chilean independence.

    The ATP Tour is doubtful to have a sponsor for the start of the 2010 season
    The ATP Tour is doubtful to have a sponsor for the start of the 2010 season

  • Pilot Pen will end its 15-year sponsorship deal with the ATP and WTA Tour tournaments in New Haven following the 2010 event.

  • Panasonic has signed a three-year deal to sponsor the Australian Open, as well as the tune-up tournaments in Brisbane and Sydney.

  • Andre Agassi’s autobiography “Open” is listed as the No. 3 best seller on Amazon.

  • Marat Safin, a two-time Grand Slam singles champion, said in an interview with L’Equipe that Andre Agassi should give his titles and prize money back because he used crystal meth during his career and lied about it to the ATP Tour. “I’m not defending the ATP, but what he said put it in a delicate position,” said Safin. “The ATP allowed him to win a lot of tournaments, a lot of money. It kept his secret. Why does he need to be so cruel with it?”

  • Richard Gasquet will learn in early December if he will be given a lengthy suspension from the ATP World Tour for testing positive for cocaine. Gasquet told the Court of Arbitration for Sport that he failed a drug test in March because he kissed a woman in a Miami nightclub that was using cocaine.

  • Fabrice Santoro has ended his professional tennis career with a loss to James Blake in the first round at the Paris Masters 1000. “It’s a beautiful defeat,” said Santoro. “Thirty years devoted to tennis. It’s also thirty years that have passed very quickly. When you’re passionate, you don’t calculate the number of hours spent training, travelling, fighting on court. Everything comes naturally. Like today, I’ve always given the maximum.” Despite the possibility of playing the 2010 Australian Open to become the first player to play a Grand Slam singles match in four different decades, Santoro considers this week in Paris as the end of his career.

  • Vera Zvonareva will undergo minor arthroscopic surgery on her right ankle today in Rotterdam to remove scar tissue. Following intensive rehab, she should be cleared to return to the tennis court in 4-5 weeks.

  • Xavier Malisse and 2009 US Open semifinalist Yanina Wickmayer have both received a one-year suspension from the Belgian Anti-Doping Agency for not complying with whereabouts requirements. Both players will appeal their suspensions. However, Malisse will retire if he can’t get reinstated. “I think it’s the end of my career,” said Malisse. “If the suspension is upheld, it means the end of my career.”

  • USTA President Lucy Garvin says a ruling on Serena Williams’ tirade during her semifinal loss at the US Open will be announced within the next two weeks.

  • Melanie Oudin has won the inaugural Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Heart Award. The prize is awarded for courage and commitment in Fed Cup competition. A check of $5,000 will be awarded to a charity of Oudin’s choice.

  • United States Fed Cup Captain Mary Joe Fernandez and Silvia Farina, the winner of the most Fed Cup wins in Italian history, were presented with the Fed Cup Award of Excellence on Sunday, November 8 in Reggio Calabria, Italy during the Fed Cup World Group Final between the United States and Italy. “Mary Joe and Silvia have played an important role in the history and growth of the Fed Cup, with Mary Joe leading Team USA to their first final in nine years and Silvia posting such tremendous results for Italy over the years,” said Francesco Ricci Bitti, the ITF President. “They have both been active contributors to the Fed Cup and we are honored today to present them with the 2009 Fed Cup Award of Excellence.”

  • Advanta, the credit card issuer and title sponsor of World Team Tennis, has filed for bankruptcy.

  • Jose Higueras, Emilio Sanchez, Stan Smith and Dennis Ralston will be the featured speakers at the 25th annual Intercollegiate Tennis Association Coaches Convention at the Naples Grande Beach Resort in Naples, Fla., from December 16 to 19.

  • Former WTA Tour player Sarah Taylor has been named a USTA coach at the USTA Training Center Headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida. “Sarah is a strong addition to our staff,” said Patrick McEnroe, the General Manager of the USTA Player Development. “She brings the experience of playing in Grand Slam events and has succeeded on every level of competition. I think our players will be able to feed off that experience and apply it to their own growth and development.”

  • The USTA announced that its Player Development program is launching the USTA Training Center-East at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. USTA National Coach Tim Mayotte will be based at the facility with additional staff being named soon.

  • IMG player Yuki Bhambri was recently the winner of the “Best Young Male Achiever of the Year” at the Sahara Indian Sports Awards

  • The third annual Mardy’s Tennis and Jake’s Music Fest to benefit the Mardy Fish Foundation will take place in Vero Beach, Fla., on December 11 and 12. Following clinics, a Jake Owen concert and a barbeque, Fish will take on James Blake in an exhibition match.

  • Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki will headline the two-day Barbados Invitational Tennis Exhibition’s “Tennis Pon de Rock,” from November 28 to 29. Following the match, former Top 40 ranked Jeff Tarango will take on Barbados’ No. 1 Haydn Lewis.

ANDRE MADE A BAD MISTAKE, BUT HE HAS MADE UP FOR IT SINCE, AS THE GAME’S LEADING HUMANITARIAN

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By Bud Collins, courtesy of www.BudCollinsTennis.com, the official website of the Hall of Fame tennis personality and the world’s most famous tennis historian.

Is Andre just another book salesman?

By now everybody from here to the Somalian pirates knows that Andre Agassi has come clean in his new memoir (”Open”) about using illegal drugs (crystal meth) and telling a big lie about it. Undoubtedly it will out-sell any other tennis bio. But is milking another cash cow his motive, as some have suggested?

I don’t think so. To me it’s a catharsis that has been aching, festering to come out for a decade — a need to confess his wrongdoings. A relief, even though it may be costly in the matter of endorsements and reputation. As the father of two youngsters, he probably wondered how he could preach honesty to them if he sat on this unsavory truth.

So it’s out in the open, a heavy, thoughtless mistake by a bright man who should have known better. But instead of spouting, “Say it ain’t so, Andre!” I salute him for his candor, doing the right thing. He falls into the “nobody is perfect” category, especially since he hurt no one but himself, and deserves forgiveness.

Will this misdeed tarnish his name? I hope not; it shouldn’t. We love comebacks, and certainly Andre’s progress from punk to paragon over the years is one of the best, particularly his rise from a troubled, drug-tempted No. 141 ranking in 1997 to a genuine humanitarian-with-charitable-foundation today. I see no reason why Admirable Andre won’t be elevated to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2011, his first year of eligibility, catching up with his wife, Stefanie Graf.

My confession is that I haven’t yet read the entire book, only the exerpts. Maybe there are other sins within, like jaywalking, sneaking into the movies or speeding in a school zone?

But Andre’s crime was nowhere near the worst committed by a star tennis player. That would be Vere Goold of Ireland, Wimbledon finalist in 1879. Goold was a murderer, killing a Frenchwoman in France in 1907, and was imprisoned on Devil’s Island for the rest of his days. Alas for Goold — no tennis courts on dreaded Devil’s Island.

Loathsome Secrets Of The Come Back Kid – Agassi’s Confessions Trembles The World Of Tennis

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I have been reading up on the the Agassi hype revolving his drug abuse. I found it slightly entertaining to say the least. Please understand this: I don’t agree with drug abuse , but I don’t condone it either. To each his own.

One of the articles I have read asked the question as to why Agassi used drugs. Well there is only answer to that: Because it makes you feel good. It makes you feel that you are above the other people. It gives you a feeling of superiority, euphoria and it lifts a heavy weight from your shoulders. That’s why people use drugs on such a large scale. Yes, I included alcohol too. Simply because alcohol is a drug. A hard drug too. Even though it’s more socially accepted.

Was it really wrong to have Andre come out and tell people that he has used crystal meth? And that he wants people to learn from his mistakes? Hm, now that’s a tough question. I would say yes but I have to partially agree with Greg Couch from Tennis Fanhouse. Agassi indeed fails the trust test. And he fails it miserably. In no other interviews he shows any remorse of ever using crystal meth. Now how is he trying to make up for his past mistakes? What are we supposed to learn from his confessions? And that’s where the PR comes in: You want to know? Buy the book. They are hyping it up a lot.

One particular sentence from the article by Greg reminded me of The Godfather scene where Michael Corleone offers the Bishop 600 million dollars for shares in Immobiliare. But it only took 5 million dollars for Agassi to confess his sins. He sold himself out. A guy who has more money than he can ever spend in this lifetime. Hey, he’s got money for two or three generations. And he sold himself out. That’s shameful. Especially with the world in deep economical recession. There are lots of things that can be done with 5 million bucks! So many people that can be helped.

If he wanted to clear his soul, to confess to his sins, then why did he need be paid $5 million to do it. – Greg Couch

But it doesn’t end here.

Many players , like for instance Rafael Nadal, who are currently playing on the tour are saying that Andre’s confessions are damaging the sport.

All it shows, in my view, is the weakness of the doping checks from back then. The vulnerabilities of the system that were fully exploited. If you can get away with a silly and simple excuse like “They spiked my drink” then it only shows how easy it is to get away with drug abuse. No double checking, no extra verification, just a simple letter and you are off the hook.

Agassi admitted today that he used crystal meth for about a year or so. Or so? He doesn’t remember clearly but how do you get away with that? How many doping checks are there on an annual basis? Or did he simply write more letters to the ATP Tour saying that his assistant Slim kept changing glasses when Andre went to the bathroom or so? You know, just for fun.

Perhaps they just took a hair sample from his wig to see how much drugs there was left in his body. Who knows?

Question remains: Did the ATP Tour cover this up? Were they affraid to lose one of their main attractions ? If so then the ATP Tour as an organisation has also failed miserably and managed to singlehandedly castrate the integrity of the sport all by themselves.

The ATP however released a statement that they can’t take any responsibility for a doping case. Only an independant tribunal has that kind of power.

Reading the confessions , I think it’s good that he did what he did. It shows that he is just as vulnerable and susceptible as the next guy. He is, after all a human being and not just a poster boy for philantropy and tennis.

This Week in Tennis Business: Mercedes-Benz USA signs $35 million deal with US Open

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By: Justin Cohen

  • The USTA announced on Monday that Mercedes-Benz USA has signed a four-year deal to become the “Official Vehicle of the US Open” starting in 2010. SportsBusinessJournal reports that the deal is worth $35 million. More than 250 players participating in the tournament will receive transportation services from Mercedes-Benz. The partnership includes major media commitments on CBS, ESPN2 and Tennis Channel, as well as significant presence on USOpen.org. “Mercedes-Benz has a world-renowned reputation for excellence and innovation, which make them an ideal fit for the US Open,” said Pierce O’Neil, the Chief Business Officer of the USTA. “As with all of our partners, Mercedes-Benz will play an integral role in the presentation and operation of the 2010 US Open and well into the future.”

  • The New York Daily News has confirmed that Andre Agassi’s soon to be released autobiography reveals that he used Crystal Meth when he was playing on the ATP World Tour in 1997.

  • The USTA announced on Tuesday that United States Fed Cup captain Mary Joe Fernandez has named Serena Williams, Melanie Oudin, Liezel Huber and Alexa Glatch to the roster for the finals. The United States will look to win their first title since 2000 when they take on host Italy on November 7-8.

  • Fabrice Santoro, who played his first Grand Slam singles event in 1989 at the French Open, has confirmed that he is strongly considering playing the 2010 Australian Open so he can become the first player to play in Grand Slams in four decades. “Since a Canadian reporter told me I would be the first to achieve such a feat, I keep on saying to myself that it would be nice, it would be an unusual record,” Santoro said at the ATP tournament in Lyon. “But if I want to be able to play five-set matches in Melbourne, I must not go skiing in December. I won’t make that decision thoughtlessly.”

  • According to The Observer, more than 500 major health experts have sent a letter to Roger Federer asking him to not participate in the upcoming ATP event in his hometown of Basel because it is sponsored by a tobacco brand. While the EU has banned tobacco advertising at sporting events, Switzerland still allows it at events.

  • David Nalbandian will return to the ATP World Tour at the Auckland event in January. The former Top 5 player has been out most of the 2009 season following hip surgery.

  • Pete Sampras defeated Andre Agassi, 3-6, 6-3, 10-8, in an exhibition match in the southern Chinese gambling city of Macau.

  • Thomas Enqvist has been named captain of the Swedish Davis Cup team.

  • On Saturday, October 31, Justine Henin will hold her comeback celebration at the Florida-based 6th Sense Tennis Academy at Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howey-in-the-Hills. Henin and Coach Carlos Rodriguez will hold an open one-hour practice at 9:30 a.m., followed by a 30-minute autograph session and press conference. Following the press conference, there will be tennis demonstrations with Henin and Rodriguez, as well as games and on-court activities with prizes sponsored by Tecnifibre.

  • Tommy Robredo and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez have been confirmed as the sixth team that will participate at the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia from January 2 to 9 at the Burswood Dome.

  • 21-year-old Thiemo De Bakker, the highest ranked Dutch player, has signed a representation deal with Lagardere Unlimited. De Bakker is a former ITF junior World No. 1 and Wimbledon junior champion. De Bakker is currently ranked No. 111 in the South African Airways ATP rankings.

  • Martina Navratilova has signed on to participate in the Chris Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic in Delray Beach, Fla. The event will take place from November 7 to 8 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center. Along with Navratilova and Evert, Lindsay Davenport, Monica Seles, Justin Gimelstob and Vince Spadea are expected to participate in the event. Tennis Hall of Famer Bud Collins will emcee the weekend’s events.

  • An anti-doping prosecutor, who is investigating US Open semifinalist Yanina Wickmayer’s case, has asked for her to only receive a warning. It is unlikely that Wickmayer will receive a suspension since she allegedly failed to fulfill her whereabouts on three occasions.

  • Caroline Wozniacki admitted that she retired from her match against Anne Kremer in Luxembourg after leading 7-5, 5-0, because she knew she wouldn’t be able to compete in her next match. Wozniacki has been under a lot of pressure after her sportsmanship move turned into a possible betting scandal. About $2.5 million was wagered on the Wozniacki/Kremer match on Betfair. Sources indicate that Wozniacki’s conversation with her coach/father during a changeover telling her to stop playing before the match ended was quickly posted online and may have prompted lots of money being placed on Kremer to win the match. “I could possibly have finished the match, but felt there was no way I could get ready for the second round on Thursday, so I chose the sporting way and let her go through. She’s also (playing) at home,” Wozniacki told Danish newspaper, Ekstra Bladet.

  • Tennis Channel has announced that Mayleen Ramey will be the new host of the original tennis-travel series, Destination Tennis. The first episode took place in San Diego and appeared on Tennis Channel on Monday. Other episodes will see Ramey visit Scottsdale, Newport, Vancouver and Buenos Aires.

  • Brian Woods, the Asheville tennis promoter who brought Ashley Harkleroad to play in the Grand Slam of Asheville, was recently charged with a felony for writing a worthless check to Harkleroad. The $3,500 check to Harkleroad was returned because of insufficient funds. Woods did not mention how much money he lost in the exhibition, but he hopes to work out a deal with the prosecutors.

  • According to reports from the Charlotte Observer, the company InsideOut Sports & Entertainment, which runs the Outback Champions Series senior tour, is suing the Palisades complex in South Carolina for more than $350,000 in unpaid sponsorship fees and other contract obligations.

  • The USPTA raised roughly $8,000 in a silent auction during the USPTA’s Tennis Buying Show during the World Conference on Tennis in late September in Marco Island, Fla. Signed racquets by Andre Agassi and Roger Federer were two of the hot items during the auction.

  • Geoff Pollard has been re-elected as the President of Tennis Australia. He said that he will only serve one more year to help finalize plans for the revamping of Melbourne Park.

  • Shamil Tarpishchev has been re-elected for another four-year term as the head of the Russian Tennis Federation. Tarpishchev earned 140 of the 143 votes from delegates.

Agassi Used Crystal Meth, According To Report

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Andre Agassi used crystal meth in 1997 and will describe the experience in his forthcoming autobiography, according to a publicist at Knopf, which is publishing the book on Nov. 9.

The admission will also appear in excerpts of the book – entitled “Open” – (ORDER IT NOW RIGHT HERE) that are scheduled to appear in two magazines, Sports Illustrated and People, later this week.

“Those excerpts contain revelations about Andre’s use of crystal meth when he was a tennis player,” said Paul Bogaards, director of media relations at Knopf, a division of Random House.

Agassi used crystal meth
Agassi used crystal meth

The Australian newspaper in Australia excerpts the book and Agassi’s positive ATP Tour drug test and how he escaped a three-month suspension here – http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,24897,26271190-601,00.html

The information was first made public on Tuesday morning via the Twitter feed of Richard Deitsch, a writer for Sports Illustrated.

“FYI: There’s an off-the-charts book excerpt from Andre Agassi in the forthcoming SI: He admits to taking crystal meth during his career,” said the message, posted at 10:36 a.m. and apparently removed shortly thereafter.

One of the most beloved players in the annals of the U.S. Open, Agassi retired in 2006 after 20 years in professional tennis, having won eight Grand Slam championships, 60 singles titles, and a total of $31 million. His career record was 870-274. The year 1997, however, was a low point in Agassi’s career, when a wrist injury sidelined him for much of the season and his world ranking slipped to 141.

Agassi, 39, often made news for his brash style and high-profile romantic relationships. He is married to tennis great Steffi Graf, and they have two children. He is also an acclaimed philanthropist whose school in Las Vegas for underprivileged kids has become a national model.

In writing the book, Agassi worked closely with Pulitzer Prize-winning writer J.R. Moehringer, author of “The Tender Bar.”