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ESPN’s Wimbledon television ratings up eight percent in 2012: This Week in Tennis Business with Justin Cohen

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More people watching Wimbledon this year on ESPN than last year

During last year’s coverage of Wimbledon on ESPN, the network enjoyed an eight percent increase over its household audience through the first six days of marathon telecasts. After six days this year, the ESPN/ESPN2 presentation is up eight percent in household impressions to 569,000 homes compared to last year. ESPN/ESPN2 are even with last year’s ESPN2/NBC rating of 0.5 (US rating) to date. Nevertheless, the audiences for the key male demos are all seeing an advantage over last year — M18-34 is up 13 percent, M18-49 is up 20 percent, and M25-54 is up 11 percent. On Saturday, the ten-hour, ten-minute ESPN telecast (the third longest Wimbledon telecast ever, behind only an ESPN2 telecast in 2010 and Day One this year) – earned a 0.9 US rating, the best for the “middle Saturday” since 2007 (1.0). The ESPN coverage rating of 1.0 ties the ESPN Wimbledon record (two previous 1.0 ratings: ESPN2 on July 4, 2007 for the Ladies’ Quarterfinals, and ESPN on July 4, 200 for a Gentlemen’s Semifinal). The telecast ended with Andy Murray’s victory over Marcos Baghdatis in the latest-ever finish at Wimbledon (11:02 p.m. in London). Digital consumption of Wimbledon action on ESPN3 and WatchESPN through six days has soared over the usage a year ago. Through the first week of Wimbledon, there was a total of 46.6 million live minutes consumed across all platforms (computer, smartphone, tablet and Xbox), up 67 percent from 2011 through the same point.

Fines Handed Out to 14 Players at 2012 Wimbledon

Through July 1 at Wimbledon, 14 players have been slapped with fines due to misbehavior, including 11 men and three women. Two of the offenders given $2,500 fines were rising Australian star Bernard Tomic for racquet abuse and Belgian doubles specialist Dick Norman for unsportsmanlike behavior. Two-time Grand Slam singles champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, was fined $2,000 for illegal coaching.

2012 Wimbledon Attendance Facts

On the first Monday of Wimbledon this year, nearly 42,000 were in attendance, up 3,000 from last year on that day. As usual, celebrities continue to fill the seats on Centre Court. This year celebrities spotted include Harry Potter Author J.K. Rowling, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Hall of Fame golfer Jack Nicklaus, NHL star Alex Ovechkin, former NBA World Champions Scottie Pippen and Dirk Nowitzki, and current PGA Tour golfers, Ernie Els, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey.

Legendary Florida Junior Tournament Organizer Bobby Curtis Steps Down

According to the USTA Florida section, Bobby Curtis – the face of Florida junior tennis for more than 30 years – will step down immediately due to age and health considerations following the 64th USTA Florida Bobby Curtis Junior State Championships. “This was the tournament to retire on,” said Curtis. “It’s a good year, this was the first edition that the tournament was renamed the Bobby Curtis Junior State Championships – it’s an honor and it’s very humbling.” As early as the 1960s, Curtis was taking players to the Florida state junior championships as a coach, and then in the 1970s was working as a tournament organizer. Curtis says he never missed a state junior championship he was involved in due to injury or illness, noting a hip replacement and heart stint were his only medical issues. “I never missed an event as the tournament used to move around some – we were in St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami, Orlando, all over the place,” said Curtis. In 2002 the Florida Tennis Center was constructed in Daytona Beach, and Florida’s top junior event moved to the 24-court facility. “I know all the players, parents, and coaches who have been involved in junior tennis in Florida will always be thankful for all the efforts Bobby made over the years,” said Doug Booth, USTA Florida Executive Director. “Naming the premier junior event in Florida after Bobby highlights his importance to junior tennis in Florida over 32 years.”

Orange County Breakers Celebrating 10th Anniversary with Special Events

The Orange County Breakers of World TeamTennis are celebrating the team’s 10th anniversary by offering a series of special events, VIP tickets packages and group sales options, including a clinic with former Wimbledon and U.S. Open finalist Mark Philippoussis. Round up the girls for a “Ladies Night Out” at UC Irvine’s Bren Events Center on July 28, when the Philadelphia Freedoms and former ATP top-10 player Philippoussis arrive in town. “Ladies Night Out” tickets for the special event range from $30-$45 and include one reserved space in a clinic with the popular Australian and current Southern California resident Philippoussis, a Macy’s gift bag, and one ticket to the Breakers vs. Philadelphia Freedoms match that night. As a special treat, Macy’s will also host a fashion show at halftime. Fans are also invited to come out to support the Orange County Breakers’ own supermom and mother of three, Lindsay Davenport, as well as celebrate all moms through special “Mom’s Night Out” packages. Gather up a group of 15 or more to receive a 15% discount on either Courtside or Upper Reserved tickets for any of the home matches (July 9, 11, 14, 23, 25, 27 and 28). Grand Slam champion and Orange County resident Davenport is scheduled to play all seven home matches at the Bren Events Center on the campus of UC Irvine. As an added bonus to the moms purchasing this package, Davenport will be available for group photos before the match. VIP ticket packages make every match into a special event by featuring courtside seats along with access to a private baseline-area buffet and bar with complimentary food and drink for the duration of the match. The VIP Baseline Table ticket package accommodates up to six guests and is available for purchase for the seven home matches at $5,500 for the season, or $1,000 per match. The VIP Bar Table package seats up to four guests per match and is available for the season at $3,500, or for individual matches at $700. To purchase any of these ticket packages, or for additional information about group sales or special events, please call the Orange County Breakers office at (949) 205-9526 or email tickets@breakerstennis.com.

Boston Lobsters Kick-Off World TeamTennis Season against Sacramento on July 9

The Boston Lobsters are set to kick-off the 37th season of World TeamTennis with a home match against the Sacramento Capitals presented by Coco Key Hotel and Water Park. The Lobsters will enjoy a fan-favorite line-up of veteran players this year including John Isner, Robby Ginepri, Eric Butorac, Jan-Michael Gambill, Irina Falconi and Carly Gullickson-Eagle. Ginepri will be the featured player for the Lobsters clash with the Capitals on opening night at the John Norton Stadium at the Ferncroft Country Club. Match time is set for 7 p.m. EST. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling Darlene Hayes at (508) 435-2023 or by emailing her at Darlene@BostonLobsters.net. Box seats are $60 each, which includes premium courtside seating, name on seat and VIP parking privileges. Reserve seats run for $30 each and include an assigned bleacher seat. New in 2012, you can add a VIP Hospitality Access Ticket for just $15 each. This additional ticket includes a player meet-and-greet, up close photo opportunities and higher end concessions. The Lobsters will host many exciting matches this summer including against Leander Paes and the Washington Kastles on July 13, Lindsay Davenport and the Orange County Breakers on July 17, Martina Hingis and the New York Sportimes on July 22 and the final match of the season against the Philadelphia Freedoms.

Tennis Hall of Fame to Investigate ATP Doubles Legend Bob Hewitt

According to an article written by Bob Hohler of the Boston Globe, the International Tennis Hall of Fame, reversing course after months of inaction, is investigating allegations that Bob Hewitt, one of the greatest doubles players in the history of the sport, sexually abused nearly a dozen girls he coached in South Africa and the United States from the 1970s to 1990s, according to several of the alleged victims. The Hall of Fame launched the inquiry after drawing criticism throughout the tennis community for dropping its plan last year to investigate the scandal. The organization has hired a Boston law firm — Hinckley, Allen & Snyder — to conduct the investigation and present its findings before the hall’s board of directors meet later this month in Newport, R.I. The law firm was commissioned “to submit a confidential report to the executive committee to assist in deciding whether to suspend or take other action against Mr. Hewitt’s status as a Tennis Hall of Fame’’ member, according to an e-mail sent from the firm’s attorney, Michael J. Connolly, to one of the women Hewitt allegedly abused in South Africa. A copy of the e-mail was provided to the Globe. The inquiry was welcomed as long overdue by Hewitt’s alleged victims, five of whom called last year for his removal from the hall after a Globe story detailed his history of alleged sexual misconduct. “This is half our battle won,’’ said Suellen Sheehan, who was 12 when, she said, Hewitt first had sex with her in South Africa. The statute of limitations has expired on most of the allegations in the United States, but not in South Africa, where the National Prosecuting Authority is investigating Hewitt. Hewitt, 72, who lives in rural Addo, South Africa, has not been charged with a crime. He has not spoken publicly about the case since last year, when he told the Globe, “I just want to forget about it,’’ and was quoted by the Weekend Post in South Africa as saying, “I only want to apologize if I offended anyone in any way.’’ The hall’s executive director, Mark Stenning, said in May that the organization dropped its plan to investigate Hewitt in favor of drafting a policy to address similar issues in the future. The decision triggered a backlash against the organization, as several prominent tennis figures voiced their support for the alleged victims. Among those who have spoken out is Billie Jean King, an inductee and life trustee of the hall. While hundreds of supporters of Hewitt’s alleged victims have petitioned the hall to remove him, Massachusetts Citizens for Children and its South African counterpart, Men & Women Against Abuse, have been considering joint efforts to pressure the hall to oust him, including picketing the organization’s induction ceremony July 14. But news of the inquiry prompted them to suspend their protest plans. Instead, the advocates said, they will wait for the law firm to present its report and the hall to respond. The hall’s earlier backpedaling posed a striking contrast to the US Gymastics Hall of Fame’s swift expulsion last year of an inductee facing similar allegations of sexually abusing girls he was coaching. Hewitt’s alleged victims and their supporters viewed the tennis hall’s inaction as emblematic of leaders throughout professional tennis distancing themselves from the scandal.

Brian Baker Awarded Atlanta Main Draw Wild Card

Following a lengthy hiatus from the ATP World Tour due to five surgeries between 2003 and 2008, American Brian Baker is back and stronger than ever. Following a runner-up performance on the red clay in Nice just before the French Open and a recent fourth round showing at Wimbledon, Baker is a lock to receive many wild cards throughout the United States hardcourt season this summer. His first stop will be in Atlanta after he just accepted a main draw wild card for the BB&T Atlanta Open. This year’s tournament will be played from July 14-22 at Atlantic Station in Midtown Atlanta.

Ryan Harrison Accepts Final Newport Wild Card

World No. 48 Ryan Harrison has accepted the final main draw wild card for the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, which is the only professional tennis tournament played on grass courts in North America. This year’s tournament will take place from July 9-15 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I. Harrison’s appearance in Newport will give the young American one last chance to prep for the London Olympics, which will be played on the grass courts at Wimbledon.

Richard Gasquet Receives Wild Card into next week’s Vegeta Croatia Open Umag

Richard Gasquet, who this week reached the fourth round at Wimbledon, requested and received a main draw wild card into the Vegeta Croatia Open Umag. This year’s tournament, which will be played from July9-15, will feature many household names including Marin Cilic, Fernando Verdasco, Ivo Karlovic, Alexandr Dolgopolov and Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Serena Williams Has Best First Serve in Women’s Tennis, According to Steve Flink’s New Book

Serena Williams, currently in contention for a fifth Wimbledon women’s singles title, has the best first serve in the history of women’s tennis, according to tennis historian Steve Flink in his new book THE GREATEST TENNIS MATCHES OF ALL TIME. “Watching Serena Williams serve when she is in peak form is astonishing,” writes Flink in the book in a special chapter that ranks the greatest strokes of all time. “Her motion is the most natural of any woman player I have ever seen. Her toss is reliable, her velocity impressive, her ability to rack up free points ever apparent. It is a daunting first serve, delivered with power and panache. As the serve goes, so goes Serena Williams.” Rounding out Flink’s top five women’s first serves of all time are five-time Wimbledon champion and Serena’s older sister Venus Williams at No. 2, four-time US champion Alice Marble at No. 3, nine-time Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova at No. 4 and two-time US and Wimbledon champion Althea Gibson at No. 5. THE GREATEST TENNIS MATCHES OF ALL TIME features profiles and rankings of the greatest matches of all time dating from the 1920s featuring Bill Tilden and Suzanne Lenglen up through the modern era of tennis featuring contemporary stars Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. Flink breaks down, analyzes and puts into historical context the sport’s most memorable matches, providing readers with a courtside seat at these most celebrated and significant duels. Other champions featured in the book include Don Budge, Maureen Connolly, Rod Laver, Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf among many others. Flink’s fascinating “greatest strokes of all time” section ranks and describes the players who best executed all the important shots in the game through the years. Williams also ranked No. 2 all time in the second serve category, No. 5 in forehands and No. 3 in mental toughness. Other 2012 Wimbledon contenders featured in this section include Novak Djokovic (No. 4 all time backhand, No. 3 return of serve, No. 5 passing shot), Roger Federer (No. 1 forehand of all time, No. 5 first serve, No. 4 overhead), Andy Murray (No. 5 all time return of serve, No. 5 lob) and Victoria Azarenka (No. 4 return of serve of all time.) Incidentally, Flink ranked Samantha Stosur’s second serve as the best of all time, with Williams placed at No. 2 in that category. THE GREATEST TENNIS MATCHES OF ALL TIME, a hard-cover book that retails for $28.95, can be purchased via this link http://m1e.net/c?96018505-iLYStDWtYOSUU%407657030-OHHZOwxMnE6yk at www.NewChapterMedia.com and where ever books are sold. The book is available in electronic formats, including on Amazon.com’s Kindle. Flink, one of the most respected writers and observers in the game, is currently a columnist for TennisChannel.com. A resident of Katonah, N.Y., he is the former editor of World Tennis magazine and a former senior columnist at Tennis Week. The book has received high praise from some of the most respected names in the sport, including Chris Evert, a winner of 18 major singles titles, who wrote the foreword to the book.

French Open television ratings steady during 2012 tournament: this week in tennis business with Justin Cohen

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By Justin Cohen

French Open Television Ratings for 2012

Despite a rain-interrupted men’s French Open final between Rafael Nadal and current world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, NBC earned a 2.4 overall rating on Sunday morning, down eight percent (2.6) from the 2011 final between Roger Federer and Nadal. It was up 50 percent from the Robin Soderling versus Nadal final in 2010, which had a 1.6 rating. The complete telecast window on NBC earned a 2.0 overnight rating. The 2.4 rating from this year is now tied as the second highest rating for a French Open final since the Andre Agassi versus Andrei Medvedev match in 1999, which was a 4.0 rating. The women’s final on Saturday, which saw Russian Maria Sharapova defeat Italian Sara Errani in straight sets to capture her first title in Paris and complete the career Grand Slam, drew an overnight rating of 1.7, equaling last year’s match between Na Li and Francesca Schiavone (1.7) and Schiavone’s victory over Samantha Stosur in the 2010 title match (1.7). From the period of Sunday, May 27 through Saturday, June 2, Tennis Channel’s live coverage of the French Open averaged a 0.67 rating according to Nielsen Media Research, or 319,738 homes, up 17 percent from last year’s 0.52 rating. The daily premiere of prime-time news, interview and analysis show French Open Tonight also established new highs, exceeding 2011’s performance by 51 percent every day, and is averaging a 0.52 rating vs. last year’s 0.35 for the first seven days, equal to 272,563 homes. Serena Williams’ historic first round loss to hometown French hero Virginie Razzano, which was televised live on Tennis Channel, reached a 1.02 rating. It was rated first place among all cable networks in Tennis Channel’s household coverage area and averaged 533,170 homes during the time period. Peaking at a 1.60 rating, the match generated more than one million viewers at its height, and is the highest-rated early round tournament play in network history.

ESPN to announce Wimbledon coverage plans today

According to an article by Michael Hiestand of USA Today, ESPN will announce a Wimbledon coverage plan today which includes a decades-old NBC tradition of “Breakfast at Wimbledon.” The article mentions that ESPN will become the sole United States television outlet for grass court Grand Slam tennis this month when the tournament kicks off June 25. ESPN will use the “Breakfast at Wimbledon” title for its new hour long pre-show that will air at either 7 or 8 a.m. ET, depending on action, during the tournament’s middle Saturday and last four days. “Throughout the (TV) negotiations with the All-England Club, they asked us to look at bringing back the moniker,” said ESPN programmer Jason Bernstein. Today’s announcement will also see ESPN name Mike Tirico as host. ESPN already announced that John McEnroe has joined the broadcast team as lead analyst. However, the biggest change this year will be in scheduling. On second-week coverage in past years, NBC and ESPN juggled time slots, with NBC sometimes picking matches and airing them on tape-delay rather than pre-empting its Today show. This year, ESPN Vice President Jamie Reynolds said everything will be aired live and “multi-plexed rather than patchwork” as the station will focus on Centre Court action and ESPN2 on everything else. Coverage this year will be up to 820 hours, compared to just 650 in 2011.

John McEnroe Tennis Academy to hold Open Tryouts on July 21 for Fall 2012 Scholarships

The John McEnroe Tennis Academy announced this week that they will hold open tryouts at Sportime Randall’s Island on July 21 for junior players ages 8 to 14 for a chance to earn full and partial scholarships to the academy. McEnroe will be on hand that day to observe and evaluate the players, and winners will be offered an opportunity to receive scholarships for a year of training at the JMTA. The tryout day will begin with registration at 8 a.m., and is scheduled to conclude by 3 p.m. All scholarship recipients will formally be recognized at halftime of the July 25 World TeamTennis match at Sportime Stadium on Randall’s Island between the NY Sportimes, featuring McEnroe and fellow Hall of Famer Martina Hingis, and the defending WTT champions Washington Kastles. This is the second opportunity for young players to participate in open tryouts for spots in the JMTA. In July 2010, over 300 young people participated in try-outs, with five boys and seven girls awarded full or partial scholarships to the JMTA. “The Academy is all about giving young people, some of whom may not have had a chance to excel at tennis, an opportunity to do so, in an environment that encourages a balanced lifestyle, and we are proud to be able to offer talented players the chance to join us,” said McEnroe. “The New York area has some of the greatest young people in the world playing a whole myriad of sports, and we aim to give some of those young athletes the chance to embrace tennis and to help us grow the game. It is very exciting to be able to provide the opportunity. I look forward to being there and helping in the process.” All interested players will need to pre-register in order to attend the tryout day on July 21. For more information and to get a registration application, email the Academy at Tryout@SportimeNY.com or call (212) 427-6150 and ask for Tennis Central. For further details on the Academy and on the July 21st tryout day, visit www.sportimeny.com/JohnMcEnroeTennisAcademy.com.

Todd Martin to serve as Spokesman for USTA Florida 10 and Under Tennis

Former world No. 4 and long-time Florida resident Todd Martin has been announced as the new spokesman for USTA Florida 10 and Under Tennis. 10 and Under Tennis starts very young players on smaller courts (compared to an adult 78-foot court) with age-appropriate, lighter racquets and low-bounce balls. 10 and Under Tennis is designed to provide children the optimal conditions for learning proper strokes, accelerated swing speed, and the development of a variety of tennis shots that are difficult for children to master with high-bouncing heavy regular balls and large adult racquets on full-size adult tennis courts. “I made the mistake of teaching my first son with regular yellow tennis balls,” said Martin. “Once I learned about the orange balls, and got him playing the right way, it was so much fun to watch him play, and be on the court with him. Now he plays the game the right way.” Commercials featuring Todd Martin discussing 10 and Under Tennis will be aired in select Florida media markets throughout 2012, as well as on the Internet and in select schools. USTA Florida was one of the first sections in the United States to fully integrate 10 and Under Tennis. “10 and Under Tennis makes great sense from the physical standpoint for children, but it also makes good sense from an emotional and developmental standpoint,” said Martin. “It’s a great way to get kids involved, and keep them involved in the great sport of tennis.”

USTA Serves to grant more than $410,000 in College Scholarships

USTA Serves, the National Charitable Foundation of the United States Tennis Association, announced they will be granting 59 high school students with a variety of college scholarships, totaling more than $410,000. An objective of USTA Serves is to encourage children to pursue their goals and highest dreams by succeeding in school and becoming responsible citizens. Each year, USTA Serves awards scholarships to deserving youth who have participated in USTA and other organized youth tennis programs, have demonstrated high academic achievement, and require financial assistance for college matriculation. “It is with great pleasure that USTA Serves is awarding more than $410,000 in scholarships to assist such exemplary students as they prepare to embark on their college journey,” said Deborah Slaner Larkin, Executive Director, USTA Serves. “These young men and women have not only excelled on the tennis court, but have served as role models for others in their schools and communities. It is our hope that as they enter the next chapter of their lives, that they continue to aspire to greatness for themselves and for the betterment of society.” Scholarships that were made available to high school students included the Marian Wood Baird Scholarship Award (Student receives $15,000 award), Dwight F. Davis Memorial Scholarship (Students each receive $10,000 award), Dwight Mosley Scholarship Award (Students each receive $10,000 award), Rosalind Walter Scholarship Award (Students each receive $10,000 award), Eve Kraft Education & College Scholarship (Students each receive $2,500 award), USTA Serves College Education Scholarship (Students each receive $8,000 award), USTA Serves College Textbook Scholarship (Student each receive $1,000).

45th Annual Easter Bowl USTA Junior Spring Nationals Documentary to run on Tennis Channel

According to a press release, the annual Easter Bowl USTA Junior Spring Nationals one-hour documentary special will appear on Tennis Channel for the first time this year, tournament chairman Bryan Fineberg has announced. The Easter Bowl has long prided itself as being the only national junior tennis tournament with its own television show. The documentary has traditionally been aired on regional sports networks such as Fox Sports Network in Los Angeles and the Midwest, Sun Sports in South Florida and the Madison Square Garden Network in New York. “We are proud and honored this year to have our show appear on Tennis Channel,” said Fineberg, who serves as the show’s executive producer. “The show has always focused on issues and trends surrounding junior tennis, as well presenting highlights from all our finals in the boys’ and girls’ 18s, 16s and 14s.” The documentary will be shown on Tennis Channel on Monday, June 11 at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT, Saturday, June 16 at 6 a.m. ET/3 a.m. PT, and Tuesday, June 19 at 12 a.m. midnight ET/9 p.m. PT. For the fourth consecutive year, Mercury Film and Television has produced and edited the show led by Mercury President James Salisbury (director) and Vice President Pam Hudgens (producer). Former ATP Touring pro Zack Fleishman is the host of the show. This year’s 45th annual Easter Bowl was one of the best ever with world No. 1-ranked Taylor Townsend winning the ITF girls’ 18s division.

Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport to Host Military Appreciation Day

Friday, July 13 will serve as Military Appreciation Day at the 2012 Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, R.I. The tournament, which will be played at the historic site of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, is the only ATP World Tour grass court event held in North or South America. Tickets for Military Appreciation Day will be half-price for all active military, veterans, and their families, and the tournament will host a Center Court Salute to the Armed Forces between all matches. “The Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships is truly a treat of the summer for Newport, and with a great player field, this year is shaping up to be one of our best tournaments ever. We are very pleased to welcome our neighbors from Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island National Guard, and the many other service men and women and veterans in the region to be part of the festivities,” said Mark L. Stenning, Tournament Director. “We intend to make Military Appreciation Day an enjoyable experience for all the fans who come out. The celebration is just a small token of appreciation for all that these men and women do for us and our country every day.” During Military Appreciate Day, the tournament will welcome representatives from all branches of military to participate in the Center Court Salute to the Armed Services. Local service men and women will be honored, a Navy vocalist will perform the Star-Spangled Banner, and a joint service Color Guard with representatives from all branches of the service will present the colors. Presentations in honor of the military will take place before all four Center Court matches to be played that day, which will be the quarterfinal round of the tournament. Additionally, South Stand tickets will be just $17.50, rather than the normal $35, for active military, veterans, and their families. Tickets for the tournament, which will be held from July 9-15, are on sale now and can be purchased by calling (401) 849-6053. Additional tournament information can be found on www.TennisFame.com.

Hewitt, Haas, Shvedova, Razzano awarded Wimbledon Main Draw Wild Cards

Wimbledon officials announced that past singles champion Lleyton Hewitt, former Top 10 Tommy Haas of Germany and surprise French Open fourth rounder David Goffin of Belgium lead a list of men who were awarded Wimbledon main draw wild cards for this year’s tournament. Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova, who made a surprise run to the quarterfinals at this year’s French Open, and France’s Virginie Razzano, who beat Serena Williams in the first round two weeks ago in Paris, each received a wild card on the women’s side.

A dip in tennis TV viewership, but with platinum linings

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There was a significant drop-off in daily TV viewership for the Sony Ericsson Open, which ended last week, but it’s not related to the declining fortunes of U.S. tennis players and, as bad as the numbers look at first blush, there’s some platinum linings in there.

That’s the conclusion of Jason Bernstein, ESPN’s senior director of programs and acquisitions, and after all the years he has spent closely monitoring the viewing habits of American tennis fans, you have to trust his insight.

Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning at the Sony Ericsson Open (REUTERS/Andrew Innerarity)

“Fans are following the most meaningful matches, the best players and the best events, and sometimes when those are played in the best time zones. When top players (say Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Rafa Nadal of Spain), the top players lead to ratings success,” says Bernstein. “When Americans are in the upper echelon, we can see an even greater ratings uptick, but good ratings are not predicated on American participation.”

There’s a conventional wisdom that the success of tennis on TV in the U.S. is closely linked to the success of American players and, if you accept that, things can’t be going well right now, particularly on the women’s side, with the slow decline of the Williams sisters and no other star quality Americans flirting with the top 10.

That wisdom may have once been true, but Bernstein believes as tennis on TV has gotten more sophisticated and is now supplemented with streaming right to your computer, tennis audiences have evolved as well.

So why was the average audience for the six ESPN2 telecasts at the critical Key Biscayne tournament down 12 percent (from 301,000 to 264,000 viewers) this year? That’s a difficult question to answer, but the point is that it has nothing to do with Andy Roddick going out early and Mardy Fish going out in the quarters.

Plus, the numbers are a bit deceptive. As Bernstein pointed out, the reach was about equal to the previous year with nine million people watching the tournament at some point and the average length of time spent watching up 9 per cent from 32 to 35 minutes.

Digitally, the daily average was also down, but ESPN3 and WatchESPN delivered 95,000 unique viewers and 18.8 million minutes consumed via computers. Those minutes consumed were up 70 percent and the average time spent viewing on the computer was 198 minutes per unique viewer.

Among the things these numbers tell you is that streamed tennis has an enormous upside. In the U.S., there are essentially two ways to have tennis piped directly to your computer. One is on Tennis TV, a subscription program ($129 per year) which delivers hundreds of men’s and women’s matches per year (but no Grand Slam matches) and WatchESPN (espn.go.com/watchespn/player), which is free.

Both deliver exceptional pictures. I’ve had moments where I’ve placed my laptop on (where else?) my lap while kicking back in bed and gotten a better view of a match that if I was sitting in a typical stadium court press facility.

Plus, you have the capability of scrolling back during a streamed broadcast to look at a particularly important point or controversy.

If you accept Bernstein’s premise that matching up the best players produces the best ratings, regardless of nationality, then things seem fairly well in hand on the men’s side. What happens on the women’s side is less clear.

You’ve got four or perhaps 3.5 clear elite stars on the ATP tour with Djokovic, Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray, who could be much more of a must-see tennis personality if he could win a major.

On the women’s side, Victoria Azarenka is 26-1 with four titles in five tournaments this year, including the Australian Open, and TV fans have a natural interest in a player who almost never loses. But TV and WTA Tour have work to do getting beyond Azarenka’s tennis. Who is she? What’s her story? Does she have a temper? Crises in her life? She needs a third dimension and she needs a rivalry.

Djokovic, on the other hand, was already something of a personality with non-tennis fans, but when he did a segment on 60 Minutes two weeks ago about his childhood in war-torn Yugoslavia, which was watched by millions, he literally boomed off the screen. That’s the sort of publicity that will punch up tennis viewing on TV.

For Azarenka, who is from Belarus, she can be a strong attraction. But she needs a rival, probably Maria Sharapova. That would give women’s tennis the top players he’s talking about. . . except that Sharapova is going to have to do better than 6-3, 6-0 and 6-2, 6-3 — the scores of her last two losses to Azarenka.

If those daily viewing numbers don’t increase right away, it won’t be for lack of effort. Bernstein and WTA president Stacy Allaster have a close working relationship. “She’s always looking for ways to grow the sport, whether we’re having a standing dialogue or an off-the-cuff conversation at Indian Wells or Australia. We have these conversations regularly and we’re not shy about offering opinions,” said Bernstein.

Azarenka, Sharapova, Caroline Wozniacki, Djokovic, Nadal, Federer . . . none of them are Americans, but that’s OK. We’re all evolving a bit in our viewing habits. We’re all better understanding that tennis is a global sport and that, while it would be great to have some Americans in the elite mix, the No. 1 object here is good tennis — no matter where the players come from.

Charles Bricker can be reached at nflwriterr@aol.com

PowerShares QQQ to be title sponsor of Champions Series beginning in 2012: This Week in Tennis Business with Justin Cohen

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PowerShares QQQ becomes Title Sponsor of Champions Series starting in 2012

InsideOut Sports + Entertainment recently announced that PowerShares QQQ has signed a multi-year agreement with the Champions Series to become the new title sponsor of the national 12-city tennis circuit starting in 2012. Already a title sponsor on the recently completed PowerShares QQQ Challenge tournament at the United Center in Chicago, PowerShares QQQ will ultimately become the umbrella sponsor of the entire series starting next fall. The Chicago-based organization will join GEICO, ASG Software Solutions, Tennis Magazine, Donnay, Kimpton Hotels, Citation Shares, Izod and the USTA as official patrons of all twelve annual tournaments. “We are thrilled to expand our partnership with PowerShares QQQ to include the title sponsorship of the entire Champions Series starting in 2012,” said Jim Courier, Founding Partner of the Champions Series. “The deeping of our partnership with PowerShares QQQ today is a testament to both the effectiveness of the Champions Series format for our corporate partners and the commitment and competiveness of our fantastic group of tennis legends.” During the just completed 2011 Champions Series circuit, Pete Sampras won the ultimate $500,000 bonus check after winning five events. Courier finished second, while Andre Agassi finished third. The Champions Series is a New York-based tennis circuit for tennis legends over the age of 30, created in 2005 by InsideOut Sports + Entertainment, which is co-owned and operated by former SFX Executive Jon Venison and 2005 International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee Jim Courier.

ESPN signs 6-year multi-platform rights deal with the WTA Tour

Jim Courier for the Champions Series

ESPN and the WTA Tour have signed a six-year multi-platform rights deal through 2016, adding more than 150 hours of live women’s tennis coverage on television per year including at this week’s year-end WTA Championships in Istanbul, Turkey on ESPN2 and ESPN3. The deal also includes live coverage of more than 70 matches from 11 WTA Premier Events on ESPN3. The network already carries all four Grand Slam events as well as all the ATP World Tour 500 and ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events on the men’s calendar. “This new agreement with the WTA says a lot about the power of ESPN’s multi-platform scale and its ability to serve passionate tennis fans. We have a long history with professional tennis in our 32 years, and now we are slated to carry all the top-tier tennis events from around the world across our networks,” said Jason Bernstein, Senior Director of Programming and Acquisitions, ESPN.

Allaster set to stay as WTA Tour CEO through 2017

Stacey Allaster will stay on as the Chief Executive Officer of the WTA Tour through 2017 after it was announced on Monday that she received the unanimous backing of the WTA’s board of directors. Allaster, who became the head of the WTA Tour in 2009, is expected to become the second-longest serving CEO in the Association’s history. Since taking over, she has overseen record revenues, broadcast exposure and prize money increases, despite having to maneuver the WTA Tour through very tough economic times. Allaster has also helped bring sponsorship revenues to a 60 percent increase since 2009. Allaster said she was “honored to have the opportunity to continue to lead women’s tennis and work with the world’s best female athletes on continuously improving our fans’ experience.” She added: “Together with our players, tournaments, lead global sponsor Sony Ericsson and our roster of world class partners, my management team and I plan on building on our great momentum to service our fans, sponsors and members.”

US Open could change to Monday finish as early as 2012 tournament

According to USA Today’s Doug Robson, US Open Tournament Director Jim Curley told the Associated Press last week in a telephone interview that the USTA started discussions last month with CBS about possibly having the tournament finish on a Monday, which would allow a day off in between the men’s semifinals and final. Currently, the US Open is the only Grand Slam tournament that plays its semifinals and final matches on consecutive days, Saturday and Sunday. Under the possible consideration which would add a 15th day to the tournament, the men’s final would be moved from Sunday to Monday, and the women’s final from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon. This would also allow the women to rest for a day before their championship match. The USTA is also considering keeping the men’s championship match on Sunday afternoon, but moving the two semifinal matches to Friday. “We’re just getting into this process,” said Curley, “And right now, everything is on the table.”

American Bogomolov Jr. wants to finish career playing Davis Cup for Russia

American Alex Bogomolov Jr. said on Tuesday that he wants to play Davis Cup for Russia starting in February. The 28-year-old was born in Moscow before moving to Mexico with his family when he was 9 and to the United States in 1992, eventually settling down in Florida at age 11. Although he is the fourth-highest ranked American in the current rankings, he has yet to represent the United States in Davis Cup action due to strong play by players like Mardy Fish, Andy Roddick, John Isner and Sam Querrey. “It was my dream (to play for Russia) and I want to finish my career playing for Russia,” Bogomolov Jr. said after winning his first-round match at the St. Petersburg Open. Davis Cup rules state that if a player is eligible to represent more than one country, the national association that wants to select him must apply to the International Tennis Federation six months before the match and await a ruling from the Davis Cup Committee. Bogomolov Jr. has dual citizenship in Russia and the United States. Russia plays Austria in the first round of Davis Cup from February 10-12.

Canadian Rebecca Marino splits with coach Larose after two years

World No. 60 Rebecca Marino has decided to cut ties with her coach of two years, Simon Larose. After reaching the Memphis final in the spring, Marino struggled to put together consistent results. “We decided we should mutually stop. It was going quite well, we had two good years together, and he’s a really good coach, but sometimes things come to an end,” said Marino. “We got to that stage in our relationship where we thought we didn’t want to drag things out and not make things work, so we decided to stop while we were having a good go.”

Clijsters to return in December exhibition match against Wozniacki in Antwerp

Former world No. 1 and 4-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters announced on her official website that she has resumed training and will participate in an exhibition match at the Diamond Games in Antwerp against Caroline Wozniacki in December.

Christine Frost named Chief Development Officer at International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum

On Monday, Christine Frost was named the new Chief Development Officer at the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum in Newport, R.I. Frost brings to the position more than 20 years of experience in fundraising, strategic planning and marketing. Most recently, she served as the Associate Director, Regional Development in the Office of University Advancement at Brown University. For nearly a decade prior, Frost worked in direct marketing at several global marketing agencies, including McCann Relationship Marketing and J. Walter Thompson Direct. In her new role in Newport, Frost will be responsible for developing donor relationships, leading targeted fundraising campaigns, and advancing the organization’s annual fund, planned giving and membership programs. These fundraising programs support the Hall of Fame in the growth and maintenance of an extensive tennis Museum and archives, preservation of the buildings and grounds, which are a National Historic Landmark, and various other programs to support the non-profit’s mission to preserve the history of the tennis, honor the greatest champions of the sport, and inspire future generations. “We are delighted to welcome Christine to the International Tennis Hall of Fame,” said Mark L. Stenning, CEO. “Between the effective skills she has shown in fundraising and development, and her enthusiasm for our mission, we are confident she will play a key role in the organization’s growth.” Frost is a graduate of Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. She currently resides in Newport, R.I. with her husband and their two children. She is a member of the Board of Trustees at The Pennfield School in Portsmouth, R.I.

Conflicts of interest in tennis, part II

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Not surprisingly, I received an email from an agent at International Management Group, displeased with the piece published Sunday about Mary Joe Fernandez’s television conflict of interest in commentating matches involving clients of her husband, who is a top executive at IMG.

Justin Gimelstob

“Do you really believe that Mary Joe thinks about IMG when she is commentating? You don’t think she is more professional than that?” the representative wrote, then went on to make some solid observations that several other people involved in commentating matches for ESPN also have a personal interest in certain players.

There was Patrick McEnroe, he pointed out, head of the USTA player development program. He mentioned John McEnroe, because he’s Patrick’s brother. He pointed out that Darren Cahill has a contract with Adidas, and he does matches involving players who are sponsored by Adidas.

So it isn’t just Mary Joe Fernandez, who was doing analysis for ESPN2 for Sunday’s Cincinnati final between Jelena Jankovic and Maria Sharapova, who is IMG’s most lucrative client, and he saw nothing wrong with Fernandez, the McEnroes, Cahill or anyone else doing TV commentating.

If you could crystallize the point being made by the IMG spokesman, it would be that (in my words), “Lots of people do it, so it’s OK.”

No, it’s not OK. Not just the tennis public, but the public in general is entitled to know if the people purporting to present them with media information have a vested financial interest in the people on whom they’re reporting. It doesn’t mean any of those people are doing a dishonest job, but at the very least the public deserves to know about their associations.

When talk-news maven Keith Olbermann made a financial contribution to a Democratic congressional candidate and never disclosed it to the public, he was suspended when MSNBC found out. Late last year, the Reuters news wire business branch ordered an investigation of its reporters’ possible financial interest in companies they interviewed.

No one at Reuters necessarily thought reporters were on the take, but the deep concern is how their association would be perceived by the public.

Why should it be any different in sports? Don’t tennis fans (or football, baseball, hockey, etc. fans deserve to know if there is a serious connection, particularly a financial connection, between on-air talent and players or coaches they’re presenting?

You’ve probably seen network TV news programs where information flashes on the screen or where commentators announce that they have a relative or an investment with a company which is the subject of a story. Tennis needs to do the same.

What’s wrong with a commentator disclosing information before the match. As in, “Hi, I’m Darren Cahill, and I have a contract with Adidas. One of the players today is sponsored by Adidas.” OK, now that we all know that, let’s get on with the match.

Or, “Hi, I’m Mary Joe Fernandez. My husband is a leading executive with IMG and both players today (Jankovic and Sharapova) have representation contracts with IMG.”

Or, “I’m Jim Courier, captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team. Andy Roddick, who is playing the semifinal this afternoon, is one of the players the U.S. depends on to be on the Cup team.”

Or, on the Tennis Channel, “Hi, I’m Justin Gimelstob, and I’m a member of the ATP board of directors.”

And so on and so forth. Of course, there are so many of these commentators with suspect player or corporate connections that it might leave viewers wondering whether anyone doing tennis on TV is free of a conflict.

This is a significant problem for tennis fans, but there is a broader problem as well, and that’s the incestuous relationship between the hierarchies at the women’s and men’s tennis tours and the financial interests, like IMG, who have their fingers all over the game.

IMG not only represents players, but owns tournaments, including the Sony Ericsson Open on Key Biscayne, Fla., the second most important tournament in the U.S. Would an IMG player get special consideration at an IMG-owned tournament? Tennis fans have to answer that question for themselves.

It wasn’t so many years ago that Jan-Michael Gambill, who was represented by SFX, sought a wild card into the IMG-owned tournament in Scottsdale, Ariz. — a tournament he won the previous year. It was denied and the three cards given to IMG clients.

There needs to be a wide-ranging discussion about the whole range of conflicts which infect tennis and there’s no time like the present to start talking.

More media conflicts of interest in ESPN TV coverage

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I did want to see if Maria Sharapova could win an important WTA tournament and I did want to see if Jelena Jankovic has rediscovered the formula that once took her to a U.S. Open final.

But it was more important Sunday to see how ESPN analyst Mary Joe Fernandez, whose husband is an executive with the agency that represents Sharapova, would perform in what seems to me to be one massive media conflict of interest.

I’ve previously written extensively about ESPN using Fernandez to interview Roger Federer, who is personally represented by Fernandez’s spouse, and I thought the network had gotten the message after other media mavens also issued criticism.

Mary Joe Fernandez

But there was Fernandez again on Sunday working the telecast of the Cincinnati final. It leaves you wondering how ESPN, which has pretensions of being a great international sports media outlet, could allow this sort of obvious conflict to take place, which calls its integrity into question.

Let’s get one thing clear before we go any further. Fernandez is a fine person who was committed to representing the U.S. in international tennis events. And it’s not her fault that she’s assigned to matches involving players who are represented by the company that helps pay the family bills.

But she should have recused herself. She shouldn’t be commenting on Federer, Sharapova or any other player who is in the IMG stable. It diminishes the credibility of ESPN’s tennis coverage and leaves fans wondering if they can trust any announcers doing tennis on television.

In all fairness, Fernandez had a few mildly critical remarks to make about Sharapova. At 3-3 in the second set, Sharapova had a gimme backhand at the net and whacked it wide. Both Fernandez and commentator Pam Shriver pointed out there was no need to go for so much.

But there also was a controversy in the seventh game of the opening set, in which Mary Joe defended Sharapova and took a rip at Jankovic.

Jankovic was about to deliver a second serve when Sharapova put up her racket, an indication that she wasn’t ready — even though she was squared up at the baseline to receive. Jankovic went to the chair umpire to complain.

The chair umpire sided with Sharapova and, if this had been a men’s match, there would have been a great deal of analysis of this controversy from ESPN. There was virtually nothing, however, from Fernandez, thhough she did make a couple of remarks.

She said Sharapova had “a ritual” she goes through before serving and she wasn’t trying any gamesmanship here. Then, inexplicably, she commented that Jankovic had once been accused of quick-serving another player.

Maybe that’s true and maybe it’s not, but by attacking Jankovic she illustrated exactly why she shouldn’t be involved in telecasts of players represented by IMG. Even if that was an honest defense of Sharapova and an honest criticism of Jankovic, if you know Sharapova is a client of her husband’s company, you’re left wondering about her motives.

There should be no room in tennis for conflicts of interest — real or perceived. Period.

Wimbledon leaving NBC, likely headed to ESPN: This Week in Tennis Business with Justin Cohen

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ESPN close to finalizing deal with All England Club to end NBC’s 43-year coverage of Wimbledon

According to the SportsBusiness Journal, ESPN is close to finalizing a deal with Wimbledon to end NBC’s 43-year television coverage of the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. A deal has not been signed yet and contract specifics have not been released to the public, but SportsBusiness Journal has learned that the All England Club has decided to sell its full rights package to ESPN. An announcement could come as soon as this week. The deal means that all Wimbledon matches during the two-week tournament would be shown live on cable, which has not been the case on NBC due to conflicts with the Today show. ESPN plans to make matches available via its broadband (ESPN3) and mobile (Watch ESPN) applications. NBC’s four year contract, which was worth about $13 million per year, ended on Sunday at the conclusion of this year’s tournament. This year was NBC’s 32nd anniversary of “Breakfast at Wimbledon”. ESPN’s Executive Vice President of Content John Skipper led negotiations last week in London, along with ESPN’s Executive Vice President of Programming John Wildhack.

Wimbledon

Ivanovic hires Nigel Sears as new coach

Former world No. 1 and 2008 French Open singles champion Ana Ivanovic has hired Nigel Sears to be her new coach on a long-term basis. Sears will step down as the Head of Women’s Tennis Coaching for Britain’s Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to focus solely on his work with the Serbian. Sears, who is the father of Andy Murray’s longtime girlfriend, Kim, previously coached Top 10 players Daniela Hantuchova and Amanda Coetzer. “I couldn’t be happier,” Ivanovic said in a statement. “I’ve admired Nigel for some time now, and I can’t wait to start working with him on court. It was important that I waited for the right coach, and we are both excited about the challenges ahead.” Ivanovic is currently on vacation and will begin working with Sears when she returns in a couple weeks. This summer, she is scheduled to play Stanford, San Diego, Toronto, Cincinnati and the US Open. “We’re really sad to lose Nigel because he’s a great guy, a great coach and he’s brought a lot,” said Roger Draper, Chief of the Lawn Tennis Association.

Davis Cup final dates earlier for 2012, 2013

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced that they will hold the Davis Cup finals earlier in 2012 and 2013 to accommodate the shorter calendar for men’s tennis. The ITF said on Monday that next year’s Davis Cup final will be held from November 16-18, two weeks earlier than originally planned. The new dates are the weekend after the year-end Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. The 2013 Davis Cup finals will be held from November 13-15.

Reebok Junior Tennis Academy in NYC celebrating 25 Years of Free Scholarship Training Program

Founded in 1986, the City Parks Foundation’s Reebok Junior Tennis Academy in New York City is celebrating its 25th year in which they have provided free scholarship training programs for local junior residents with intermediate or advanced playing ability on the tennis court. Each summer, the Academy gives 50 players the opportunity to realize their potential through the free scholarship training program. Over the last 25 years, over 5,000 youngsters have tried out with 1,250 having been accepted since the start of the Academy. Over 200 of these players have gone on to earn a USTA ranking, at least five have played in the US Open and hundreds have played collegiate tennis through a scholarship. The Academy provides a savings value of year-round free training, equipment and court time of about $3,500 per participant. Players get the opportunity to participate in specialized clinics with world-class professionals such as Virginia Wade and Billie Jean King.

Tennis-Depot launches online tennis pro shop and academy

Tennis-Depot recently announced the launch of their online tennis pro shop tennis-depot.com that specializes in online tennis services and sale of high-performance tennis equipment, as well as an extension to the well respected Oceanside Tennis Academy in Santa Barbara, Calif. The scheduled virtual launch is set for Thursday, July 7. What differentiates tennis-depot.com from their competitors is their strong specialization in high-performance tennis gear and the combination of online professional store and a virtual tennis academy. In addition, Tennis-Depot is an Authorized Exclusive Dealer for HEAD tennis racquets, bags and shoes and Penn tennis balls. “I am very excited about the prospect of extending our tennis academy services to include the online offering of specialized tennis programs, like camps, college placement and video analysis, combined with top-quality tennis equipment for intermediate and advanced tennis players,” said Dimitar Yazadzhiev, Co-Founder of Tennis-Depot and Owner and Tennis Director of Oceanside Tennis Academy. “We are a very motivated and expert team of professionals that love the game of tennis…so that is a great next step for us.” For more information you can go to tennis-depot.com or call at (805) 746-3644.

Ashaway Racket Strings launches new website

Ashaway Racket Strings has officially launched their new website at www.AshawayUSA.com. AshawayUSA.com is totally redesigned to provide a better user-friendly experience. Site navigation has been simplified and enhanced, product information has been recognized and detail added, and several more items has been included on product selection and use. Ashaway Racket String is made by Ashaway Line & Twine Manufacturing Company, the only U.S. manufacturer of string for squash, tennis, racquetball, and badminton. Operated by the Crandall family since 1824, Ashaway has been making racquet strings since 1949, and is responsible for several important technical innovations.

Tomic moving to Monaco to avoid paying taxes

After a splendid quarterfinal run at Wimbledon where he earned a pay check of $210,000, 18-year-old Australian Bernard Tomic has reportedly filed an application for residency in Monaco, which has traditionally been a haven for ATP and WTA Tour players who want to avoid paying taxes. Australian press is reporting that he will rent a $1.5 million studio apartment in Monte Carlo. “Monaco is a beautiful place,” said Tomic, who will also earn additional bonus money from endorsement contracts. “Maybe one day I’ll have enough money to live here but property is about 30,000 euros per square meter, so it’s a way off. [But] my citizenship will always be in Australia. I’ve gone to Monaco for a different reason. If you want to have a good career and a long-lasting career, you’ve got to do what’s right for your business, I guess.” Novak Djokovic, Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka all have places in Monaco.

Caroline Wozniacki named most stylish tennis player according to Nielsen/E-Poll N-Scores

According to Nielsen, top-ranked WTA Tour star Caroline Wozniacki is the most stylish on tennis player on the planet according to the E-Poll N-Scores. The N-Score measures name and image awareness, appeal and personality attributes such as sincerity, approachability, experience and influence, both at the U.S. national and local levels. Through the court of public opinion, 2011 Wimbledon finalist Maria Sharapova is the second most stylish player, while recently retired Elena Dementieva is fourth, while Roger Federer came in at eighth and Serena Williams rounded out the Top 10 at tenth. Venus Williams had the highest N-Score (169) than any Top 10 Most Stylish Tennis Player, but she finished 11th. “From Venus Williams designing her own outfit to Bethanie Mattek-Sands’ tennis ball jacket, tennis stars are redefining tennis whites at Wimbledon,” said Stephen Master, Vice President, Nielsen Sports. “Unlike football or soccer stars consigned to wearing their team uniforms, tennis players can and are expressing themselves through their diverse duds. It makes for a fun element to the sport.”

Wimbledon champion commits to WTA Mercury Insurance Open at LaCosta Resort and Spa

Recently crowned Wimbledon ladies singles champion Petra Kvitova has committed to play in the Mercury Insurance Open presented by Tri-City Medical Center at the LaCosta Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif., from July 30-August 7. “We are very excited to have the new Wimbledon champion play in our tournament,” said Raquel Giscafre, Mercury Insurance Open Tournament Director. “She is an incredible and talented player to watch and I’m sure tennis fans will enjoy the opportunity to see her play at the La Costa Resort and Spa.”

McEnroe, Bryans headline 2011 Esurance Tennis Classic in September

The Esurance Tennis Classic at Mill Valley’s Harbor Tennis Club in Mill Valley, Calif., which benefits the Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation and Youth Tennis Advantage, will feature an all-star line-up including John McEnroe, Bob and Mike Bryan, Gigi Fernandez, Tracy Austin and Murphy Jensen. This year’s event will be played on September 24 and 25. Tickets went on sale on July 1 and can be purchased by visiting www.tennisclassic.org or by calling (415) 383-6114. More than $700,000 has been raised for charities at this spectacular event since 2004.

Chris Evert and Mike Greenberg lose in US Open National Playoffs

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Six-time US Open champion Chris Evert and ESPN’s Mike Greenberg came up short in their bid for a wild card into the 2011 US Open Monday, losing their mixed doubles second round match at the US Open National Playoffs USTA Eastern Sectional Qualifying Tournament at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. Evert and Greenberg lost to a pair of local teaching pros, Bea Bielik, the 2002 NCAA singles champion, and Darrin Cohen, a former standout at the University of Virginia, 6-1, 6-4. Bielik made her return to the site of the US Open, where she reached the third round in 2002 and lost to Justine Henin.

Evert and Greenberg were eight matches away from reaching the main draw of the 2011 US Open.

“It has always been Mike’s dream to play in the US Open and I was happy to help him with his dream,” said Evert, who admitted that her partner exceeded her expectations.

“Also, I’m impossibly charming,” added Greenberg to Evert’s point. “You know, she was my first love, Chris Evert. I’ll come back every year and play in this event, provided I get to team with her. We had a great time.”

The US Open National Playoffs USTA Eastern Sectional Qualifying Tournament is the second of 16 Sectional Qualifying Tournaments taking place nationwide through June. The winners of each of the 16 sectional qualifiers advance to the US Open National Playoffs – Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Doubles Championships held during the New Haven Open at Yale, an Olympus US Open Series women’s event, in August.

The US Open National Playoffs mixed doubles champions receive a main draw wild card into the 2011 US Open. The US Open National Playoffs men’s and women’s singles champions again earn a wild card into the US Open Qualifying Tournament, held the week prior to the US Open.

Photocredit to Jennifer Pottheiser/USTA

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Chris Evert to play mixed doubles with ESPN’s Mike Greenberg in US Open National Playoffs: This Week in Tennis Business with Justin Cohen

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Registrations now open for US Open National Playoffs Sectional Qualifying Tournaments

On Tuesday, the USTA announced that registration opened for all 16 US Open National Playoffs Sectional Qualifying Tournaments. Registration for each of the 16 sectional qualifying tournaments is available at www.usta.com/tennislink. The entry fee for each of the sectional qualifying tournaments is $125 for singles and $150 for each mixed doubles team ($75 per player). All players competing must have a current USTA membership valid through August 29, 2011. Players who are at least 14 years old can register for the singles competition and/or the mixed doubles event, which is brand new to the US Open National Playoffs in 2011. The deadline for each event varies by tournament. “The US Open National Playoffs provides a unique opportunity for tennis players to get closer to the US Open,” said Jon Vegosen, USTA Chairman of the Board and President. “Now in its second year, we expect to attract some of the top talent, including junior players, from communities across the country to compete for this one-of-a-kind experience.” Players may only enter one singles sectional qualifying event per year, but can also play one mixed doubles event. Players can opt to play singles and mixed doubles at different locations. The draw size at each sectional qualifying tournament will be a maximum of 256 for each singles event and a maximum of 128 teams for mixed doubles. Participants can be of any playing level, from aspiring novice to seasoned professional, giving everyone an equal opportunity to advance. The 16 men’s, women’s and mixed doubles champions from each sectional qualifying tournament will advance to the US Open National Playoffs – Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles and Mixed Doubles Championship. All three tournaments will be held in conjunction with the New Haven Open at Yale, an Olympus US Open Series event.  The US Open National Playoffs – Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles Championship will be held August 18-21. The US Open National Playoffs – Mixed Doubles Championship will be held August 24-27. The US Open National Playoffs mixed doubles champions will receive a main draw wild card into the 2011 US Open. The US Open National Playoffs men’s and women’s singles champions again earn a wild card into the US Open Qualifying Tournament, held the week prior to the US Open. As registration opened up on Tuesday morning, Mike Greenberg of ESPN2 and ESPNRadio’s Mike and Mike in the Morning sports talk show announced live on the air that he would be teaming up with former world No. 1 and 18-time Grand Slam singles champion Chris Evert in the mixed doubles tournament. Evert also won three Grand Slam doubles titles. “I know Mike is a big tennis fan and loves the US Open,” said Evert of her mixed doubles partner. “The US Open was the first tournament that sort of started my career and I have great memories of it and I love to support it. We’ll just go out there and have some fun. That’s the main thing.”

Ana Ivanovic

Renée Richards documentary to be featured at Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival

Renée, a documentary exploring the story of Renée Richards, the first transgender tennis player to compete in the women’s draw at the US Open in New York, will be featured at the fifth annual Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival in Lower Manhattan from April 20-May 1. The documentary will feature rare archival footage and interviews with close friends and family members, as well as tennis legends such as Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King and John McEnroe.

Ivanovic parts ways with trainer

Former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic announced that she has split from her trainer Marija Lojanica, who is also a childhood friend from Serbia. Ivanovic made the decision within the last couple days while playing at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. Lojanica has been on site in Indian Wells but was not seen in Ivanovic’s box during her win over Jelena Jankovic on Tuesday. “We are still friends, but it just was a little bit time for me to consider certain things because we had a little bit of different view of my stage and where I should be at,” said Ivanovic. “I just felt like I needed to get a little bit stronger. I was feeling very weak on the court and I had quite a few injuries. I just want to take a little bit different approach, and gain some more muscles, because my game is so powerful. I felt weak, and that caused a lot of stress on my body.” The 23-year-old Serbian, who won the French Open in 2008, is currently traveling to tournaments with just her hitting partner Olivier Morel and her manager.

Vandeweghe hires fitness trainer

American teenager Coco Vandeweghe has hired, Chuck Williams, as her full-time traveling fitness trainer. Williams has worked with several NBA players and was recommended to her by her Uncle Kiki, a former NBA all-star who most recently coached the New Jersey Nets. “A lot of people were telling me I was out of shape and that was tough for me because I’m a young girl and I was working so hard on and off the court,” said Vandeweghe. “When you are putting in four hours on court and then more off court and not getting results it makes you crazy in the mind. But it wasn’t a constant regimen I was getting and I needed it, especially at the tournaments. I wasn’t eating right and now I have a different workout plan. I’m feeling pretty quick and am staying in rallies longer.” Vandeweghe said she has already lost 10 pounds since she started working with Williams.

Miami main draw wildcards announced

Veteran James Blake, as well as 20-year-old Canadian Milos Raonic, Australian Bernard Tomic and American teenagers Ryan Harrison and Jack Sock have received main draw wildcards for the upcoming Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, which will be played at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park from March 21-April 3. Women’s main draw wildcards were awarded to Dinara Safina, Sorana Cirstea, Sabine Lisicki, Heather Watson, Coco Vandeweghe and Madison Keys.

Tennis players to unite next week in Miami to eliminate poverty in Latin America

In an effort to eliminate extreme poverty in Latin America, Un Techo Para Mi País (UTPMP) will host “Break Point: Let’s win the match against poverty”, an event that will help raise funds to help needy families throughout Latin America. The event will feature tennis stars that will be in Miami already playing in the Sony Ericsson Open. The players who are expected to make appearances include Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco, Feliciano Lopez, David Nalbandian and Juan Martin del Potro. Break Point will be held at the Novecento Brickell on March 22 at 8:30 p.m. UTPMP is a nonprofit Latin American organization that started in Chile over a decade ago by a group of university students moved by the need to eradicate the extreme poverty conditions that affect millions of people in Latin America. They decided to take action by carrying out social inclusion plans and building transitional housing. Since then, UTPMP’s noble mission has reached many corners of Latin America. Today, UTPMP operates in 19 countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haití, Honduras, México, Panamá, Paraguay, Perú, Uruguay, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. UTPMP has built over 70,000 transitional houses in 19 Latin American countries. The organization has over 300,000 mobilized young volunteers, who work shoulder to shoulder each year to transform the sad face of poverty.

Federer to play for Switzerland in Davis Cup tie against Portugal in July

World No. 2 Roger Federer announced on his official website that he plans to play for Switzerland against Portugal in his home country in Davis Cup in the Europe/Africa Zone Group I second round from July 8-10. The 16-time Grand Slam singles champion and former world No. 1 made his Swiss Davis Cup debut in 1999 and has since compiled a 37-11 record over 18 ties.

Roddick returning to Queen’s Club this summer with hopes of winning record fifth singles title

American Andy Roddick announced that he will return to Queen’s Club in London from June 6-12 to participate in the AEGON Championships, hoping to win a record fifth singles title at the famed tennis complex. Roddick, who won the singles title at Queen’s Club in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, could potentially face Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic en route to the title, both of whom have already committed to the tournament. “Over the years I’ve had a lot of success at The Queen’s Club, it has real tradition and I love the whole month in London,” said Roddick. “Queen’s has the best grass courts in the world, they play perfectly and so the AEGON Championships is a great way to prepare for Wimbledon.”

Fish to return to Newport in July to defend title

World No. 15 Mardy Fish announced that he will return to Newport, R.I., to defend his title at the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships from July 4-10, which is played on the famous grass courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. Fish will be making his ninth appearance in Newport. “Newport was a great week for me last year. It was good to see all the work I’d put into training pay off with a title,” said Fish. “The Hall of Fame is a special place to compete and I look forward to returning to the tournament this summer.” In previous appearances in Newport, Fish reached the quarterfinals in 2000, 2002 and 2006, while capturing the doubles title in 2008 with John Isner. “Mardy has clearly worked very hard over the past year, and it’s been great to see his success continue following his Newport victory. He’s always been a strong competitor in Newport and we look forward to welcoming him back to defend his title this summer,” said Mark L. Stenning, CEO of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Gonzalez to return to ATP World Tour at Belgrade event

Fernando Gonzalez, who has been sidelined from the ATP World Tour since injuring his hip at the 2010 US Open, will return to competition at the end of April at the ATP event in Belgrade. The Chilean and his new coach, Horacio Matta, will begin on-court training in the United States in March.

Kuerten honored during famous Rio de Janeiro carnival

Brazilian tennis legend Gustavo Kuerten, a former world No. 1 and three-time French Open singles champion, was recently honored at the famous Rio de Janeiro carnival to celebrate the ten year anniversary of his final Grand Slam title in Paris. As a part of the celebration in front of 75,000 people, Kuerten crossed Sapucaí Avenue on a float designed as the French Open trophy and hit several tennis balls into the crowd.

Nalbandian undergoes surgery for hernia problem and torn adductor muscle

Former Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian underwent surgery last Thursday for a hernia problem and torn adductor muscle and will be sidelined for two months, according to a member of his team. The current world No. 19 re-injured himself during Argentina’s Davis Cup tie last weekend against Romania. Nalbandian is expected to return to the ATP World Tour in time to participate in the Masters 1000 event in Madrid or Rome followed by the French Open in Paris.

Völkl Tennis launches Organix Racquet Technology

Epic Sports International, Inc., a global sports brand management firm and worldwide licensee for Völkl Tennis and Boris Becker Tennis recently announced the launch of their Organix Racquet Technology, a revolutionary product line featuring combinations of high technology carbon nano tubes and organic materials and a cutting edge handle system, designed to enhance power and feel for all players. The Organix product line by Völkl, debuted on March 8th in specialty stores and pro shops worldwide with a suggested retail price between $230 – $250. “Organix is the next generation technology platform which gives Völkl customers a comprehensive, highly technical and superior performing racquet to fully connect the players’ mind, body and racquet,” said Brian Dillman, Vice President and General Manager of Epic Sports International. “We look forward to another year of fast growth and high-level consumer visibility with Völkl on track to be the fastest-growing tennis brand worldwide,” said Dillman.

Gamma Sports adds two new co-polyester strings

Gamma Sports (GAMMA) announced that they have released two new co-polyester strings, Zo Verve and Zo Black Ice, which are designed with a combination of materials that maintain tension and play more consistent than mono-polyester strings. GAMMA Zo Verve has a unique two-part construction consisting of a red high-energy co-polyester core and three diamond-shaped black filaments of high molecular weight polyester providing maximum spin and durability. The result is a string for hard-hitting players who want maximum power, greater spin and deeper more penetrating shots. GAMMA Zo Black Ice is a co-polyester string that offers tremendous ball bite for hard-hitting players looking for consistency, more spin and greater accuracy. “Zo Verve is a blend of stiff and soft materials so it strings tight, maintains tension and plays like a poly but gives the player more power, exceptional spin and control for deeper shots,” said Chuck Vietmeier, Product Manager.

Hawk-Eye to be used at Davis Cup and Fed Cup ties starting this year

The Hawk-Eye system will be used during the Davis Cup quarterfinal matches, as well as the Fed Cup semifinals starting this year according to the International Tennis Federation. The Hawk-Eye technology, which was first used for Davis Cup matches during the Russia vs. Argentina final in 2006, will only be used on hard courts and grass court matches. “The increased use of electronic review at ties reflects the importance of these competitions, and creates added interest and entertainment for spectators,” said Ricci Bitti, President of the International Tennis Federation.

Kazakhstan Davis Cup team robbed in Czech Republic

Despite winning their Davis Cup tie against the Czech Republic 3-2 in Ostrava, Czech Republic, the Kazakhstan team was robbed at their hotel by unknown thieves and had their laptops, cash and other items with a value of $25,000 stolen. The tennis players were not the only ones who were robbed, according to CTK news agency. Czech Tennis Federation officials were also victims to the thieves according to the news agency. Hotel management believes a foreign guest was responsible for the thefts.

First Lady Michelle Obama and USTA create “Let’s Move!” campaign to encourage tennis for kids: This Week in Tennis Business with Justin Cohen

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First Lady Michelle Obama and USTA team up to make difference for kids

First Lady Michelle Obama and the USTA have teamed up to create the “Let’s Move!” campaign to encourage young people across the United States to get active, play tennis and lead healthy lifestyles. Components of the campaign include a new public service announcement with tennis legends Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf that ran on Monday night during the BNP Paribas Showdown, as well as the construction of thousands of tennis courts throughout the country and commitment to 20,000 children to participate in the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award. “It’s important for kids to get the hour of active play they need every day, and there are so many fun things that each of us can do to be healthier,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “Thanks to programs like the USTA’s 10 and Under Tennis initiative, it’s easier than ever for kids to get active and have fun.  And that’s a big part of what we’re doing with ‘Let’s Move!’, America’s campaign to raise a healthier generation of kids.” The USTA plans to create both a 60-second and a 30-second version of this PSA. Initial plans call for the PSA to be used in tennis programming on CBS Sports, ESPN and Tennis Channel. The PSA will go into more rotation during the summer months leading up to the US Open in New York, which takes place from August 29 through September 11. “Tennis is the sport of opportunity. With our new 10 and Under initiative, tennis is also the newest ‘pick-up sport’ where kids can play in schools, in parks, at clubs, and even at home,” said Jon Vegosen, USTA Chairman of the Board and President.  “Our new collaboration with the First Lady and ‘Let’s Move!’ will help us reach more families to teach them that tennis is easier to learn and access than ever before.”

Michelle Obama

BNP Paribas Open owner buys $42.9 million golf course estate at discount

Oracle Co-Founder and CEO Larry Ellison, the sixth-richest man in the world and owner of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, just purchased a 249-acre estate called the Porcupine Creek in Rancho Mirage, Calif., for a reported $42.9 million that once belonged to Edra Blixseth, which is about 20 minutes away from the tennis tournament site. The original asking price for the property was $75 million, according to the Desert Sun. Ellison’s new property features an 18,430-square-foot Mediterranean-style main house with hand-painted ceiling murals, an amphitheater and a resort style pool. It also has eight two-bedroom guest houses, a gym, spa, an outdoor party grotto and an 18-hole golf course.

Nadal to open evening session at Sony Ericsson Open in Miami on Saturday, March 26

World No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Rafael Nadal will play his opening round match at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami on Saturday, March 26 at 8:00pm, which is Session 10. Nadal’s potential opponent will not be determined until the draw is made on Monday, March 21 at Noon. Tickets to the Sony Ericsson Open are still available and can be purchased by phone at (305) 442-3367 or via internet at www.sonyericssonopen.com. The Sony Ericsson Open will be played from March 21-April 3 at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park.

ESPN2 joining Tennis Channel and CBS to cover Sony Ericsson Open

The Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, which is considered one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world outside of the four Grand Slam events, has announced that ESPN2 will join Tennis Channel and CBS this month to cover an event record 77-hours of domestic coverage of this year’s tournament. Television coverage of the tournament will begin on March 26 on Tennis Channel and will move to ESPN2 beginning March 30. Both the men’s and women’s final will be shown live on CBS. In 2010, more than 2,400 hours of Sony Ericsson Open action was shown worldwide to more than 153 million viewers.

Wild Cards announced for BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells

On Monday, Tournament Director Steve Simon announced that rising stars Milos Raonic, Kei Nishikori, Ryan Harrison, Bernard Tomic, as well as American veteran James Blake were awarded main draw wild cards into the BNP Paribas Open, to be held from March 7-20 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif. Ryan Sweeting, Steve Johnson and Greg Ouellette accepted qualifying draw wild cards. Coco Vandeweghe, Christina McHale, Vania King, Jill Craybas, Sloane Stephens, Lauren Davis and Sania Mirza were awarded main draw wild cards into the women’s draw, while Sabine Lisicki, Madison Keys, Madison Brengle, Monica Puig, and Maria Sanchez were given qualifying draw wild cards. There are two more qualifying draw wildcards to be distributed and will be given to the men’s and women’s winner of the BNP Paribas Open Pre-Qualifier, which began on Tuesday in Indian Wells and runs through March 6. Between the men and women, the Pre-Qualifier had a record 145 entries.

Stolle receives commemorative ring from the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Delray Beach

Australian tennis legend Fred Stolle, who won 2 Grand Slam singles titles and 10 Grand Slam doubles titles, was presented a commemorative ring from the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Friday at the ATP World Tour Delray Beach International Tennis Championships. The newly developed one-of-a-kind rings will presented to Hall of Famers over the next several years at tennis tournaments around the world to mark their achievement of Hall of Fame induction. Stolle was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985. Christopher E. Clouser, Chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, presented the ring to Stolle. Also participating in the ring ceremony was Peggy Woolard, a member of the Hall of Fame Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and Delray Beach ITC Tournament Director Mark Baron, who co-founded the tournament with Stolle in 1993. “As a Hall of Famer, Fred is among an elite group of athletes. His contributions to tennis have a permanent place in the history and heritage of tennis and we are pleased to be able to recognize this achievement with this special ring, which only the best tennis players and contributors in the world will have the honor of wearing,” said Christopher E. Clouser, Chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum.

World Team Tennis announces staff promotions

World Team Tennis recently announced the promotions of Kerry Schneider to Director of Marketing and Sponsorship Services, and Isaac Leamer to Director of Advanced Media and Internet Technology. Schneider, of New Castle, Del., joined WTT in January 2004 after holding positions with both the New York Power of the WUSA and Pam Shriver’s Charity Tennis Event, where she was ticketing manager in addition to handling event promotions. Schneider graduated from Loyola College with a BBA in Marketing in 2000. Leamer, who lives in New York City, joined WTT in 2009 after working in philanthropy at Public Interest Projects where he supported the day to day operations of several funds and was responsible for establishing and maintaining the web presence. Prior to that, Leamer was a Teach for America corps member where he taught students from the New Orleans 9th Ward. He is a 2004 graduate of the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Foreign Affairs with a Middle Eastern concentration and a B.S. in psychology.

Levy officially retires from ATP World Tour

Israeli Harel Levy has officially retired from the ATP World Tour at the age of 32. The Ramat Hasharon native, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 30 in June 2001 and won more than $1.4 million in tournament prize money, suffered a hip injury early in his career and never managed to recover. A regular Davis Cup player for Israel, Levy reached the second round at all for Grand Slam events in singles and was a singles finalist at the Masters 1000 Canada event in Toronto in 2001, losing to Marat Safin. Levy, a winner of one ATP doubles title, earned singles victories during his career over Pete Sampras, Michael Chang, Andy Roddick, Sebastien Grosjean, Nicolas Kiefer and Wayne Ferreira. “I had the honor to be ranked among the top players in the world and experienced amazing things that were only cut abruptly by my injury,” said Levy. “I battled my injury hoping for some more success and got it with the Davis Cup team in recent years. Tennis has given me so much, but now it is time for me to dedicate myself to my family.”

Italian Tennis Federation offers Capra spot on Fed Cup team

Up and coming American teenager, Beatrice Capra, was recruited by the Italian Tennis Federation to play on Italy’s Fed Cup team, according to Zootennis. Capra, who is currently playing pro circuit events and will soon play collegiate tennis at Duke, turned down the offer. “After I won the Italian Open (juniors), they got in contact with me, and they want me to represent Italy,” said Capra. “After the US Open, they had some meetings with my parents, and they offered for me to play on the Italian Fed Cup team, against the U.S. But I said no, I don’t think I could do that. But they’re really interested in me and they’ve helped me out a lot, and whenever I go over there, there’s always someone there to hit with. They’re really helpful, but I don’t think I’ll be switching federations.” Capra, who is currently ranked No. 233 in the WTA Rankings, has been offered a wild card into the main draw at the Italian Open.

ATP and WTA launch official live scoring application for Android phones

The ATP and WTA recently announced the launch of the “ATP/WTA LIVE” – an Android mobile application that allows users to follow scores as they happen on their mobile phones from all the ATP and WTA tournaments around the globe. The new and official live scoring mobile application is available for free on the Android market and allows fans to follow the progress of their favorite professional tennis players competing around the globe across 115 events in 43 countries throughout the season. The application is available in 20 different languages and features live scores, live match statistics, completed matches, draws, order of play, rankings, player bios and head-to-head records.

Gasquet not available to play in France’s Davis Cup tie due to shoulder injury

Frenchman Richard Gasquet will be sidelined for France’s upcoming Davis Cup tie against Austria in Vienna due to recent shoulder problems. Gasquet joins Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who both earlier announced that they will not participate in the tie due to injury. Gilles Simon, Michael Llodra, Jeremy Chardy, and Julien Benneteau will make up the French team. Austria will be led by Jurgen Melzer and Stefan Koubek, who is coming out of retirement to play. The match will be played on a clay court in an airport hangar.

Dubai location added to Peter Burwash International

Peter Burwash International (PBI), the most well known tennis management company in the world, has announced that Dubai will be a new location for the organization. The Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, a property with two tennis courts, is a beautiful beachside resort located in the western crescent of the iconic Palm Jumeirah, with breathtaking views of the Arabian Sea. There are 402 rooms, 38 additional villas situated on the beach and around a lagoon pool, 10 restaurants, a night club, boutiques, lush gardens, infinity pool with two Jacuzzis and an ultramodern fitness center. “Dubai has become one of the most important tennis destinations in the world,” said Peter Burwash, President of PBI. “We are very appreciative of being given the opportunity to continue to grow and develop the sport in that region of the world.” PBI will begin directing the tennis program in February after which the season will be from October 1 to May 15 each year.

Hasselhoff to be featured on Celebrity Tennis on Tennis Channel on March 6

Actor and singer David Hasselhoff will be featured in the upcoming episode of the original series, Celebrity Tennis, on Tennis Channel on March 6 at 7pm ET. The episode will re-air multiple times the following week. In each episode of Celebrity Tennis, former ATP World Tour player and actor Vince Van Patten gives the viewer an inside look of a celebrity who has a burning desire for the game of tennis. Hasselhoff tells Van Patten that he started playing tennis with his dad as a small child and has remained an avid fan and player throughout his life, although he describes his on-court style as that of a “Swatter… like Dr. Seuss on the court.” While Hasselhoff can be found courtside at numerous Grand Slam tournaments, he suggests that the sport could afford to be more entertaining for its viewers.  If ever named commissioner of tennis for a day, he would pattern the events after WWE wrestling by making the games shorter and allowing the fans in the stands to be more vocal. Previous celebrities to be featured on Celebrity Tennis include Dr. Phil McGraw, Christie Brinkley, Gus Hanson and Brandy.

Sign up for a 1-year USTA Adult Membership and get a FREE 2011 US Open long sleeve t-shirt

For a limited time, you can sign up for a 1-year USTA Adult Membership and receive a free 2011 US Open long sleeve t-shirt. By signing up before March 15, 2011, you will also enjoy annual subscriptions to top tennis publications, the opportunity to participate in USTA tennis leagues, discounts on travel, tennis gear, hotel reservations, entertainment and dining, and special benefits and discounts on tennis instruction.

Thomas Hogstedt to be Maria Sharapova’s Only Coach – This Week in Tennis Business with Justin Cohen

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CBS to continue broadcasting US Open through 2014

The US Open will be staying put on CBS through 2014 under a new agreement in principle with the United States Tennis Association for a slight increase in rights payments. Currently, the USTA gets paid between $20 million and $25 million after each tournament. The current contract expires after the 2011 tournament is completed. CBS has aired the US Open since 1968. “We have a really good lineup of events that are spread throughout the calendar and the US Open fits perfectly into our schedule,” said Sean McManus, the President of CBS News and Sports. “Most of it takes place before the NFL season starts and after our golf season ends.” The US Open is also carried on cable by ESPN and Tennis Channel in deals through 2014. CBS’s ratings for the US Open have been on a long downward trend. Last year, the tournament’s overall rating fell a bit to a 1.5. The men’s final was delayed a day by rain and its rating fell 22 percent, while the women’s prime-time final was the lowest-rated on CBS since it moved to the evening.

Courier to play exclusively with Donnay racquets

U.S. Davis Cup Captain and Tennis Hall of Famer Jim Courier will exclusively play and represent Donnay and its new ultra-thin-beamed X-Series Red 99. “I am proud to become a Donnay brand ambassador,” said Courier, a former world No. 1. “After basically playing with the same model for the last 25 years I realized I was missing out on the technological advancements in racquets in recent years and it was time for me to join the 21st Century. With a larger head size, bigger sweetspot and more power, the Donnay X-Series Red 99 gives me what I need without taking away from the one area I won’t sacrifice — control.” Courier will use the Donnay X-Series 99 during all his matches in 2011 including in Champions Series events.

Maria Sharapova

Sony Ericsson launches Xperia Hot Shots entertainment show for WTA players

On January 13, Sony Ericsson announced the launch of a new-format entertainment show to be streamed online and on mobile headsets called Xperia Hot Shots. The series, airing from March, will follow the lives of six globetrotting, aspiring stars of the WTA as they strive to build their profile both on and off the court and gain a support deal with WTA sponsor and leading entertainment brand, Sony Ericsson. Xperia Hot Shots will give fans an inside look at the WTA players’ life off-court at all types of events as their journey towards superstar status begins. “At Sony Ericsson we love tennis, and with Xperia Hot Shots we’re bringing entertainment in to this world, making it even more appealing to youth audiences globally,” said Stephan Croix, VP, Head of Global Marketing Partnerships at Sony Ericsson. “We’re taking cues from reality TV and are combining it with edgy and exciting entertainment to create a pioneering new genre of online TV show that innovates in the world of sport.”

ATP Sunrise Challenger cancelled due to funding problems

According to the Sun-Sentinel, the ATP Sunrise Challenger in South Florida, which attracts many top players who lose early in Indian Wells, will not happen in 2011 before the Sony Ericsson Open because sponsorships were not enough to cover the $125,000 given out as tournament prize money. The problem to find funding to build seating for the courts was also a factor.

ATP tennis returning to Singapore next week

Organized by events promoter Sports Management Group (SMG), Singapore Tennis Association (STA) and supported by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC), ATP World Tour tennis will be returning to Singapore next week as the Singapore ATP Challenger 2011 will take place at the Kallang Tennis Centre from January 23-30. ATP tennis hasn’t been played in Singapore since the ATP Heineken Open 250 event was played at the Singapore Indoor Stadium from 1996-2000 and the Honda-Kah Singapore Men’s Open, an ATP Challenger tournament was played from 1989-2001. Men’s singles and doubles will be featured at the Singapore ATP Challenger 2011 and will have players ranked between 90-250 competing for the title. Somdev Devvarman, Jan Hajek and Go Soeda are among the players already entered in the singles main draw. “Despite Singapore not having hosted a professional tennis event of this nature in ten years, I am glad that we are able to, with the immense support of the Singapore Sports Council, pool together a strong and competent team to stage this event,” said Uthrapathy Shunmugam, Tournament Director. “My team and I will endeavor to deliver a quality event not just for the enjoyment of the public but a great experience for the players and officials as well.”

Roddick, Verdasco, Monfils, Isner and Fish headline Memphis field in February

The Regions Morgan Keegan Championships announced their player field for the 2011 singles event, which will take place from February 14-20 at the Racquet Club of Memphis in Memphis, Tenn. Two-time champion Andy Roddick, Fernando Verdasco, Gael Monfils, John Isner, Mardy Fish, Radek Stepanek, Juan Martin del Potro, Lleyton Hewitt, James Blake and Tommy Haas will all compete for the title. Defending champion Sam Querrey will also be in the singles field. For tickets calls (901) 765-4401 or visit the official tournament website at: www.memphistennis.com.

World Team Tennis set for July 4 start this summer

On January 13, World Team Tennis officials announced that the 36th season of the World Team Tennis Pro League presented by GEICO will begin on Monday, July 4, 2011 with 73 matches to be played between July 4-24. The regular season will take place from July 4-21 in ten different United States cities, with the World Team Tennis Conference Championships scheduled for July 22. The World Team Tennis Finals presented by GEICO will take place on July 24. The finals site will be determined at a later date. On February 15, teams will be allowed to put together their 2011 lineups with the World Team Tennis Marquee Player Draft. Teams draft in reverse order from how they finished in the 2010 season. The Kansas City Explorers, champions from 2010, will select 10th in the draft. The final team rosters will be completed on March 15 when the 2011 World Team Tennis Roster Player Draft is conducted.

Hogstedt to be Sharapova’s only coach

It was announced before the start of the Australian Open that Maria Sharapova’s long-time coach, Michael Joyce, will no longer be working with her. Thomas Hogstedt, who was hired in the offseason, will work one-on-one with the former world No. 1 and three-time Grand Slam singles champion. Fox Sports reported that Joyce flew back to the United States after Sharapova lost in the tune-up tournament in Auckland, New Zealand. “After a really long period of time, I think a few things become a routine,” said Sharapova. “I think from both of our perspectives it was really a good move to bring in a new voice, a fresh perspective into the team. Obviously it’s different not having him at a tournament after so many years. But it’s part of an athlete’s career…It’s been going really well with Thomas.” Sharapova won her opening round match in Melbourne over Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand in straight sets.

Kuznetsova working with Cuadrado in 2011

Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, a former world No. 2 and two-time Grand Slam singles champion, announced that she began working with new coach Carlos Cuadrado in the offseason. Kuznetsova most recently worked with Amelie Mauresmo’s former coach Loic Courteau for a short period in 2010.

Dokic dumps coach just days before Australian Open

Former world No. 4 Jelena Dokic split with her coach Glenn Schaap just days before the start of the 2011 Australian Open in Melbourne. “We split a couple days ago, right before the Australian Open,” said Dokic. “Nothing special. No hard feelings, you know. There are certain people that suit you for your game and for your personality. I feel like, you know, he didn’t suit the type of tennis that I wanted to play…Maybe he’s good for somebody else, but I didn’t feel that click, basically. That’s it, you know, nothing else.” Dokic, who won her opening round match at the Australian Open, will be coached for the remainder of the tournament by Tennis Australia’s Louise Pleming.

Tsonga hires Mauresmo’s former physiotherapist

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga announced the hiring of Michael Franco, a physiotherapist who previously worked with former world No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam singles champion Amelie Mauresmo. Franco will travel with Tsonga to help reduce the number of injuries the Frenchman has been recently suffering while on tour.

Davis turns pro at Australian Open

Lauren Davis, the 17-year-old American who won the Junior Orange Bowl and the Eddie Herr International Junior Championships in 2010, turned pro on Tuesday evening at the Australian Open in Melbourne when she faced world No. 6 Samantha Stosur. Stosur easily dispatched Davis 6-1, 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena. Davis, who is the No. 4 ranked girls junior player in the world and also ranked No. 443 in the WTA Rankings, currently trains at the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Fla. Davis, who is from Cleveland, is coached by Evert Tennis Academy Executive Director, John Evert, and Director of Coaching, Federico Ricci. Davis is being represented by CAA Sports, a division of Creative Artists Agency, the world’s leading entertainment and sports agency.

Nicolas Lapentti retires from ATP World Tour

Nicolas Lapentti has officially announced his retirement from the ATP World Tour at the age of 34 after struggling with a knee injury for the past two years. “I’ve worked with great doctors but could not get a full recovery,” said Lapentti. “It’s an important decision so I didn’t want to rush, I wanted to be 100% sure.” Lapentti, who won turned pro in 1995 and won five singles and three doubles titles throughout his career, had already delayed his retirement when Ecuador reached the Davis Cup World Group. The former world No. 6 won more than $6.3 million in tournament prize money, while winning 321 singles matches and losing 299. Lapentti, who reached the semifinals at the Australian Open in 1999 and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 2002, earned wins during his career over Rafael Nadal, Gustavo Kuerten, Carlos Moya, Marcelo Rios, Michael Chang, Lleyton Hewitt, Fernando Verdasco, Thomas Muster, Alex Corretja, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Tim Henman.

Gunterman holding workshops and tennis clinics in Ghana

Kelly Gunterman, Director of Tennis at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation, author of the book “Tennis Made Easy” and Founder of “Tennis without Borders” foundation is currently in Ghana holding workshops for coaches and tennis clinics at the Accra Sports Stadium Tennis Courts. Gunterman and the Ghanaian coaches are organizing practice sessions with young players and speaking about opportunities for college tennis scholarships. Having worked with some of the top names in the teaching world, Gunterman started his own tennis school in 1991. He fulfilled a long-held dream in August of 2009 when he founded “Tennis without Borders” to help children in developing countries with tennis instruction and equipment.

ESPN/ABC to Television Indian Wells and Miami; Nissan Becomes Official Car of Barclays ATP World Tour Finals; Xerox Becomes Sponsor of US Open: This Week in Tennis Business

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By Justin Cohen

  • Starting in 2011 for three years, ESPN and ABC will provide television coverage of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and Sony Ericsson Open in Miami according to an article written by Daniel Kaplan of the SportsBusiness Journal. Previously, Fox Sports Net and Tennis Channel televised the tournaments. Tennis Channel will still televise some matches from both events starting in 2011. “Tennis doesn’t necessarily have to buy its way onto TV, but you have to buy to get the best TV time for our product,” said Adam Barrett, Tournament Director of the Sony Ericsson Open. The acquisition of Indian Wells and Miami strengthens ESPN’s tennis portfolio as the Grand Slam Network. ESPN2 will televise the Indian Wells’ men’s and women’s semifinals with ABC airing the Indian Wells’ finals. ESPN2 will show live coverage of the Miami quarterfinals and semifinals, with CBS retaining its rights for the Miami finals.
  • ATP officials announced that Nissan will be the official car of the 2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, which will be held from November 21-28 at The O2 in London. The partnership is just a one-year agreement. Not only will Nissan be transporting the top eight singles players and doubles teams, they will also receive on court brand exposure during the year-end championships. “We are thrilled to be involved in such a significant event, which extends Nissan’s proud partnership with The O2. The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals offers a brilliant opportunity to showcase our diverse range of cars, including the soon to launch Nissan LEAF, the world’s first, mass market family 100% electric vehicle,” said John Parslow, the Marketing Manager for Nissan Motor Limited. Nissan, a founding partner of The O2, will be using a combination of Qashqai, Murano, X-TRAIL, Navara, Pathfinder and LEAF vehicles to manage player transportation during the tournament.
  • On Monday, the Xerox Corporation and USTA announced that the world’s leading enterprise for business process and document management, has agreed to a five-year partnership to officially sponsor the US Open and Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day presented by Hess, starting in 2011. Xerox will serve as the exclusive office equipment and document technology and services provider for both the US Open and Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day.  The comprehensive partnership includes on-site presence, media support of tournament television broadcasts and a robust relationship with USOpen.org, the official website of the US Open. On-site at the US Open, Xerox will be provided with both courtside and ring signage in Arthur Ashe Stadium and the Louis Armstrong Stadium as well as other tournament courts. “The USTA does a masterful job of creating on-court excitement for tennis fans around the world,” said Christa Carone, Chief Marketing Officer of Xerox. “Off the courts is a hub of activity to serve up fast and accurate communication with officials, administrators, press, players and guests.  That’s where Xerox comes in. Through our document technology and services, we’ll give the USTA more freedom to focus on their real business – on the court and off.”
  • Klip America, Inc., a global sports brand management firm which is the worldwide licensee for Völkl Tennis and Boris Becker Tennis announced on Tuesday that they had been renamed to Epic Sports International, Inc. In addition, Epic has announced a new long-term, global logistics deal with Samsung C&T America, Inc., a global trading and investment firm. As a result of the deal, SCTA will be responsible for all domestic “pick and pack” functions and logistics management between Epic’s Far East suppliers and the firm’s global distribution networks. “Our new Samsung partnership provides us with the expertise and resources of a proven, global business leader to efficiently service our growing number of distribution channels worldwide,” said Brian Dillman, Vice President and General Manager of Epic Sports International. “In addition to company-wide growth and expansion initiatives, the Völkl brand has enjoyed high-level consumer visibility with a US Open mixed doubles win by No.1 WTA doubles player Liezel Huber, and Völkl spokesperson,” said Dillman. “Coupled with the launch of new, premium technology product next year, the Völkl brand is on track to becoming the No. 5 premium tennis brand in the United States in 2011.”
  • American Taylor Dent officially announced his retirement from the ATP World Tour on Monday following back problems for the last five years. The 29-year-old, who reached a career high No. 21 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings in August 2005, won four singles titles and earned just over $2.5 million in tournament prize money throughout his career. “I had the privilege to compete at the highest level for 12 years, see places in the world I would have never been able to see without tennis, and meet people along the way that have become lifelong friends,” said Dent in a statement. “I am looking forward to spending more time with my family, especially with my wife Jenny and our son Declan. I want to continue to stay active in the tennis industry and I am excited to explore opportunities in the world of tennis that my full tournament schedule never allowed me to do.”
  • On Sunday, November 7 in San Diego during the Fed Cup finals between the United States and Italy, Billie Jean King was presented with the Fed Cup Award of Excellence by the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and International Tennis Federation. The Fed Cup Award of Excellence was developed by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the ITF in 2001, and is presented annually to a person who represents the ideals and spirit of the Fed Cup competition and has been an active member of a past or present Fed Cup team. ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti and International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum CEO Mark Stenning presented the award. “Billie Jean King is one of the sport’s all-time greats, both on court and in all her accomplishments away from tennis,” said Francesco Ricci Bitti, the ITF President. “She has been an active and successful contributor to Fed Cup, and her fight for equality in sports and society has had an immensely positive effect on the competition. In recognition of all that she has achieved, we are honored to present Billie Jean King with the Fed Cup Award of Excellence.”

    Caroline Wozniacki
  • World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki has been named to the WTA Player Council, replacing the outgoing Patty Schnyder. Other players on the council include Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Francesca Schiavone and Akgul Amanmuradova.
  • 2010 US Open doubles finalist Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi has been named a UN Goodwill Ambassador by the UN Development Program.
  • Former World No. 5 doubles player Martin Damm of the Czech Republic has officially retired from the ATP World Tour and will now take on a full-time position as rising American Ryan Harrison’s coach. Throughout his career, Damm won 40 doubles titles including the 2006 US Open with Leander Paes.
  • The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum has launched their new website with the help of internationally known digital agency, VML, which is based in Kansas City, with principal offices in New York, London, Geneva, Milan, and Seattle. “We are grateful for VML’s  generous contributions, which enabled the Hall of Fame to more efficiently communicate with tennis fans and to support our mission of honoring the historic legends of the game, but in a modern style,” said Christopher E. Clouser, Chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. “We look forward to continuing to develop our online presence, in order to grow interest and awareness for tennis.” The new website is easy to navigate and features stunning historic pictures and increased video presence. In addition, the new website also features profiles of all 218 individuals who have been inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. You can visit the official website at: www.tennisfame.com.
  • On Tuesday, it was announced that The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum had been selected as one of three candidates from Rhode Island in the Hampton Save-A-Landmark program, a national campaign to restore historic landmarks in all 50 states. If selected, the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum will receive a cash donation as well as volunteer service from Hampton Hotels employees to work on a restoration project at the property. The winning three candidates will be determined by public vote on www.HamptonLandmarks.com. Voting runes from now until November 30 at 11:59 EST. No registration is required to vote. “From the remarkable architecture to the historic tennis courts, along with the diverse Museum collection, the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum holds a fascinating history of American sport, society and architecture,” said Mark L. Stenning, CEO of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. “Maintenance of this property, like historic landmarks across the nation, requires an immense amount of resources, but it is vital to preserving the fabric of American history, which is why the Hampton Save-A-Landmark program is so important. It is an honor to be nominated, and we are grateful for the commitment to preservation that Hampton Hotels has shown.”
  • Former World No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam singles champion Amelie Mauresmo finished Sunday’s ING New York City Marathon in 3:40:20, while tennis legend Yannick Noah posted a time of 4:01:38. Former Top 70 player and current Tennis Channel broadcaster Justin Gimelstob finished in 4:09:58. Gimelstob will receive a $10,000 donation to his charity from Andy Roddick. The two had made a much-publicized bet on whether Gimelstob could finish under four hours and 45 minutes.
  • Recreational tennis teams from California, Florida, Hawaii, Minnesota, Missouri, New York and Virginia captured national championship titles at the World Team Tennis Recreation League National Finals, which concluded Sunday afternoon at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif. A record 59 recreational tennis teams representing 17 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, competed for national championship titles in 11 divisions during the three-day tournament. The teams advanced to the national finals by qualifying from their respective division in seven World Team Tennis Recreation League national qualifying tournaments held throughout the year. Corporate League teams qualified by winning their local league. The weekend kicked off with a players’ Wilson Clinic hosted by tennis legend and WTT co-founder Billie Jean King. All matches were played using the World Team Tennis format, a fun, fast-paced co-ed team format that encourages equal contributions from both genders. A team has a minimum of four players, two men and two women. The World Team Tennis format uses five or six no-ad sets: men’s and women’s doubles, men’s and women’s singles and one or two sets of mixed doubles.