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Serena Williams Shocked In French Open Second Round, Winning Only Four Games

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by Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

 

Not since her very first match as a professional on October 29, 1995 had Serena Williams lost a match in a more convincing fashion that she did Wednesday in the second round of the French Open.

The world No. 1 and defending tournament champion was dismissed in the second round at Roland Garros – winning only four games – losing to No. 35-ranked Garbine Muguruza of Spain 6-2, 6-2.

Williams, described throughout the match as “flat” by ESPN2 commentators Pam Shriver and Mary Joe Fernandez (also her Fed Cup and Olympic coach) as she virtually gave away the match – committed 29 unforced errors (a player only technically needs to win 28 points to win a two-set match with no deuces). Regarded as the greatest server in the history of women’s tennis, Williams made a mediocre 67 percent of her first serves, but only won 55 percent of those points when she got her first ball in. On her second serve, she won only 27 percent of points, illustrating  on her second,

“She left the car in the garage today,” said commentator Brad Gilbert on ESPN2. “She wasn’t getting her free points on her serve today. She looked puzzled.”

“She was flat and Muguruza took it to her,” said Patrick McEnroe, also on ESPN2.

Entering the match, Muguruza had a career record of 0-7 against top 8-ranked players with an 0-14 record in sets played in those seven matches.

The only time Serena Williams lost a pro match by a worse scoreline came in her pro debut in the first round of qualifying of the Bell Challenge in Quebec when she lost 6-1, 6-1 to American Anenie Miller, as excerpted below in the book, digital download and mobile app “This Day in Tennis History” available at www.TennisHistoryApp.com

October 29, 1995 – Fourteen-year-old future world No. 1 Serena Williams makes an auspicious, humbling professional debut, losing in the first round of qualifying of the Bell Challenge in Quebec City, Canada to 18-year-old, Anne Miller 6-1, 6-1. The match is played at Club Advantage, a private tennis club in Quebec with little fanfare. Writes Robin Finn of the New York Times, ”Instead of a stadium showcase, she competed on a regulation practice court at a tennis club in suburban Vanier, side by side with another qualifying match.  There were no spotlights, no introductions, not even any fans. Her court was set a level below a smoky lounge that held a bar, a big-screen television, an ice cream cart and 50 or so onlookers with varying stages of interest in her fate.” Says Williams, “I felt bad out there because I lost.  I didn’t play like I meant to play. I played kind of like an amateur.” Says Miller, “I guess I played a celebrity…She has as much power as anybody around, but maybe she needs to play some junior events the way Anna Kournikova has to learn how to become match-tough. There really is no substitute for the real thing. I felt like a complete veteran compared to her.”

 

Serena Williams
Serena Williams

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.

Winston-Salem to host new ATP event: This Week in Tennis Business

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By Justin Cohen

ATP event in New Haven moving to Winston-Salem

The United States Tennis Association and the ATP World Tour announced on Monday the sale of the ATP World Tour event previously located in New Haven, Conn., to Winston-Salem Professional Tennis. Starting the week before the US Open in 2011, a 48-draw tournament will take place on the campus of Wake Forest University in a soon-to-be constructed tennis facility. The newly-designed state-of-the-art tennis facility will be constructed to host both professional and collegiate tennis events. The facility will be located between the current indoor tennis training center and BB&T Field, home of the Wake Forest Demon Deacon football team. Plans call for the construction of 10-12 Deco-Turf II courts, and will include center court seating with a minimum of 3,500 and two additional show courts which will hold at least 1,500 each. “We are thrilled about the ATP’s new home at Wake Forest University, and thank Don Flow and Winston-Salem Professional Tennis for bringing men’s professional tennis back to North Carolina,” said Adam Helfant, ATP Executive Chairman and President. “Globally, the game is enjoying one of the most exciting periods in its history, and it’s terrific that the tour will visit Winston-Salem as part of its U.S. summer swing.” The event, with a total purse of $625,000, will take place from August 21-27, with qualifying set for August 19 and August 20. The tournament remains the final men’s event of the Olympus US Open Series, and will receive national television exposure via Tennis Channel and ESPN2. The 2011 singles final is expected to be carried by CBS Sports on Saturday, August 27. “We are thrilled this prestigious event is coming to Winston-Salem, a community that has embraced tennis events over the past several years,” said Don Flow, President of The Flow Companies and head of Winston-Salem Professional Tennis. “The entire community will embrace this event and the process has already begun with our corporate community stepping up, and with Wake Forest University being a major supporter of the event.”

Ana Ivanovic

Nadal is the new face of Armani underwear and jeans

Looking to rebound from their profits falling 28 percent last year, Armani has named Rafael Nadal as their new face of the Emporio Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans. Sweden’s Bjorn Borg and Australian Patrick Rafter are the only other previous ATP players to have been the face of underwear brands. The current World No. 1 is said to have earned $21 million over the past year from tournament prize money and sponsorship deals. Nadal already has sponsorship deals with an insurance company, a car company, Nike and Babolat.

Jon Muir named Person of the Year by Racquet Sports Industry magazine

Jon Muir, the worldwide General Manager of Wilson Racquet Sports and President of the Tennis Industry Association, has been named the 2010 Person of the Year by Racquet Sports Industry magazine in the upcoming January 2011 issue. The magazine said it was Muir’s dedication to the tennis business and his “vision and talent in helping this sport to grow and in bringing all industry groups together” that has made him Racquet Sports Industry’s 2010 Person of the Year.

Ivanovic hires Antonio van Grichen on trial basis

Former World No. 1 and 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic has hired Antonio van Grichen as her new coach on a trial basis through at least the Australian hard court season. The Serbian, who is currently ranked No. 17, had been working with Steffi Graf’s former coach Heinz Gunthardt. Gunthardt no longer wanted to travel full-time on the tour, so the pair decided to part ways. Ivanovic will start her 2011 season off by participating in the Hopman Cup.

Tomic hires new fitness trainer

According to the Herald Sun, Australian Bernard Tomic has hired Mario Tudor as his fitness trainer. Tudor is the former trainer for Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, as well as Mirjana Lucic and Karolina Sprem. Tomic’s previous fitness trainer, Yutaka Nakamura, quit in July.

Forget to be French Davis Cup Captain for two more years

Guy Forget, 45, will continue to be the French Davis Cup Captain for at least two more years, according to a French Tennis Federation press release. Forget has been the captain since 1999, which includes guiding the team to four finals, one of which was a title in 2001.

Dusseldorf no longer hosting ATP World Team Cup

The German city of Dusseldorf is pulling out of hosting the ATP World Team Cup after more than 30 years because it can’t find a new sponsor for the annual event which takes places each May. Tournament organizers said that they haven’t been able to find a new title sponsor after the withdrawal of recent title sponsor, ARAG insurance group.

Etlingh and Haarhuis to return in Rotterdam in February

After winning 39 doubles titles as a pair, Jacco Etlingh and Paul Haarhuis will return to play together in the ABN Amro tournament in Rotterdam in February to help raise money for the Richard Krajicek Foundation.

Canadian Valerie Tetreault retires at age 22

At the young age of 22, Canadian Valerie Tetreault has officially announced her retirement from the WTA Tour after just under five years on tour. Tetreault, who plans to pursue a degree in communications, reached a career high ranking of No. 112 in February 2010. “I’ve spent the last month thinking about my future” said Tetreault. “It’s a difficult decision to make—undoubtedly the biggest one of my life. My passion for my sport remains the same, but I want to take on new challenges while maintaining a more stable life.” Tetreault won three ITF singles titles throughout her career, while earning $158,841 in tournament prize money.

Molik granted wild card into Hobart in 2011

Former World No. 8 and former champion Alicia Molik has been awarded a wild card into the WTA Moorilla Hobart International in Australia, which will take place from January 7-15, 2011 at the Domain Tennis Centre. “I’m gearing up for a big summer and the Moorilla Hobart International will give me the perfect preparation for the Australian Open,” said Molik.

Meet Nick Bollettieri on New Year’s Eve

Nick Bollettieri will conduct a tennis clinic and talk at the Miromar Lakes Tennis Club in Estero, Fla. on Friday, December 31 from 11 am to 1 pm. Those interested in attending can RSVP to Mary Meisenbach at MMeisenbach@miromar.com.

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.

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

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By: Justin Cohen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

While You Slept, Top Seed Wozniacki Advances

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It was almost midnight on Tuesday when Caroline Wozniacki and Chelsey Gullickson finally stepped out onto Arthur Ashe Stadium after Rafael Nadal’s three-hour win against Teymuraz Gabashvilli and many fans had already packed it in for the night.

But that didn’t stop Wozniacki from putting on a show.

The top-seeded Dane dispatched Chelsey Gullickson 6-1, 6-1 in just over an hour and will now face Kai-Chen Chang in the second round. Only Flavia Pennetta has played more matches than Wozniacki on tour this year and her experience was evident against the 20-year old American who was making her grand slam debut.

Caroline Wozniacki

“I love being back here, especially in a night session,” she told Darren Cahill of ESPN2. “The first match is always tough, but I’m happy to be through to the second round.

Gullickson received a U.S. Open wild card after capturing this year’s NCAA Division I women’s title for the University of Georgia as a sophomore, but her chances of having a breakout tournament took a dive when she drew the Wozniacki in the first round.

The rookie took that tough luck in stride, saying before the match, “I’m going to be on Arthur Ashe. This is something that I feel everyone looks forward to and everyone wishes that they could do. I’m going to go out there and have fun and play my game and enjoy the experience.”

Despite her loss, it won’t be the last time you hear the Gullickson name this week. Chelsey and her older sister Carly (the 2009 U.S. Open mixed champion) are playing doubles together and will take on Italians Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci in the first round. Chelsey is set to get one more whack at Wozniacki if both make it to the third round of the doubles draw.

Several other seeds struggled in their first round matches on a brutally hot Day Two, including No. 17 seed Nadia Petrova who, just days after losing to Wozniacki in the final at New Haven, fell to Andrea Petkovic 6-2, 4-6, 7-6.

No. 14 seed Maria Sharapova survived a scare at the hands of Jarmila Groth. The Australian came on strong in the first set, fearlessly firing winners from every angle, but Sharapova was able to work her way into the match, eventually emerging victorious 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Earlier in the day, No. 11 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova outlasted 39-year-old Kimiko Date Krumm 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. No. 4 seed Jelena Jankovic also narrowly escaped defeat against 18-year-old Simona Halep of Romania 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

By Blair Henley

FEDERER’S SHOCK LOSS TO SODERLING ENDS RECORD SEMIFINAL STREAK

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Roger Federer’s record streak of 23 straight appearances in the semifinals of a major tournament is over.

Robin Soderling, the Swede who handed Rafael Nadal his first career loss at Roland Garros last year, defeated the world No. 1 and reigning French champion 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 in the French Open quarterfinals Tuesday.

“It feels great,” said Soderling to ESPN2’s Brad Gilbert. “I love to play on his court…It feels great to finally win a match against Roger.”

Soderling, who lost in the final of the French Open last year to Federer by a 6-1, 7-6 (1), 6-4 margin, lost all 12 previous matches against Federer.

“I came close a few times,” he said to Gilbert. “One or two times I was a bit unlucky, but (today) I kept telling myself I could win.”

The last time Federer failed to reach the semifinals at a major came at the 2004 French Open, when he lost in the third round to Gustavo Kuerten.

The loss also may prevent Federer from tying the record for most career weeks ranked No. 1 on the ATP computer with 286 weeks, currently held by Pete Sampras. Federer will lose the top ranking to Nadal in the next ATP World Tour rankings on June 7 if Nadal goes on to win the tournament. Federer’s weeks-at-No. 1 tally currently stands at 285 weeks.

Soderling blasted his groundstrokes through the slow, soggy conditions on the red clay court against the 16-time major title holder. Federer was simply overpowered by the Swede.

“He played the match of his life,” said ESPN2’s Darren Cahill. “I think he played better than he did last year when he beat Rafael Nadal.”

Said Patrick McEnroe on ESPN2, “Federer did not give this up. It was taken from him.”

McEnroe called Federer’s streak of 23 straight major semifinal appearances, “Maybe the greatest streak in the history of men’s tennis.” Ivan Lendl and Rod Laver stand in second place in that category, each reaching 10 straight major semifinals.

Soderling will next face Thomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in Friday’s semifinals. Berdych beat Russia’s Mikhail Youzhy 6-3, 6-1, 6-2.

MONFILS LOSES CONTROVERSIAL CONCLUSION; RODDICK, ISNER ADVANCE

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Gael Monfils lost in the second round of the French Open Thursday, losing the conclusion of his much-discussed controversial match to Fabio Fognini of Italy 2-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 9-7.

The 13th-seeded Monfils had saved three match points before their match was suspended because of darkness on Wednesday at 5-5 in the fifth set.

Fognini was booed when he came back on the court for just 31 minutes on Thursday and withstood the crowd pressure to save a break point on his first game serve.

He made the decisive break in the 16th and last game coming back from love-40.

“He played well and he won,” Monfils said. “I like him. It was a strange match but he was better then me.”

Their relations weren’t so friendly before play was halted around 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

Monfils, a former French Open semifinalist, had served for the match at 5-3 in the third and blown it.

Tempers flared in the fifth set before the ninth game, when Fognini was reluctant to play because of darkness and was deducted a point.

“At 4-4 in the fifth set, the tournament referee (Stefan Fransson) asked Fabio if he wanted to keep playing,” Monfils said. “He said ‘yes’ twice. We could hardly see anything. I had already played in the dark before and both of us wanted to try to finish the match.”

But Fognini changed his mind. Following a long discussion with Fransson about whether to suspend the match, Fognini was still unhappy with the decision to continue and kept arguing, which led to Monfils being awarded a free point.

The conditions were so dark that Patrick McEnroe described the scene on ESPN2 as “One of the most amazing sights that I could barely see.”

Fognini accrued three match points at 5-4, but failed to convert any, and had some more choice words for the chair umpire while packing up his equipment for the night.

Fognini, who had never won a match at Roland Garros before this week, regretted his behavior.

“At 4-4 in the last set, there was a lot of tension,” he said. “At 5-4, 15-40, somebody directed a laser pointer towards me. That’s when I said very bad things in Italian.”

Fognini, through to the third round for the first time in any Grand Slam event, will next face 20th-seeded Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland.

Andy Roddick is into the third round of the tournament after the American endured two delays and difficult conditions to defeat Blaz Kavcic 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.

The damp weather took some zip off Roddick’s biggest weapon, and for much of the match he was dueling from the baseline on his worst surface. But Roddick has become a more patient player in recent months, and he willingly settled into rallies that often lasted more than two dozen shots.

“It was brutal for me out there,” he said. “I couldn’t get my serve to go anywhere, and the ball was just sitting up. It kind of takes away a lot of shots and it makes it just about hitting the ball and running. …

“I don’t know the last time I lost serve seven times and won. So, I mean, it’s bad, but there’s got to be something good in there somewhere, too.”

Roddick hadn’t played a match on clay this year when he arrived in Paris, but he’s now above .500 lifetime at Roland Garros—9-8.

Ana Ivanovic hit another low in her slide since winning the French Open two years ago, losing in the second round to No. 28 Alisa Kleybanova 6-3, 6-0.

A former No. 1 player, Ivanovic was unseeded because she’s ranked only 42nd. The defeat marked her earliest exit in six trips to the French Open.

“It was a combination of a few things,” Ivanovic said. “I don’t think I played that bad, actually. For a while, I think she didn’t miss a ball at all.”

The match lasted barely an hour—brief enough to be completed between showers. Play was delayed for 4 1/2 hours at the start, and there were two later interruptions.

No. 4 seeded man Andy Murray beat Juan Ignacio Chela 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2. American John Isner, seeded 17th, hit 38 aces and defeated Marco Chiudinelli 6-7 (3), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (7), 6-4.

TENNIS CHANNEL’S 2010 FRENCH OPEN COVERAGE BEGINS WITH TOURNAMENT’S FIRST SERVE SUNDAY, MAY 23

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LOS ANGELES, May 17, 2010 – Tennis Channel, the only 24-hour, television-based multimedia destination dedicated to both the professional sport and tennis lifestyle, will carry 77 hours of live French Open coverage during its fourth year in Paris, not including same-day repeats of the men’s and women’s singles semifinals.  As a general rule, seven hours of live match play will air each day, from 5 a.m. to noon ET, with coverage continuing through the men’s and women’s quarterfinals deep into the second week of play (see complete schedule below).

The network’s groundbreaking prime-time show, French Open Tonight, will return each evening with anchor Bill Macatee and Tennis Channel’s signature set overlooking the tournament’s famed Musketeer Plaza.  The nightly three-and-a-half-hour show will again offer interviews, highlights, analysis, encore match replays and coverage from in and around the City of Light.  Macatee will host a variety of tennis personalities, including players, coaches, agents, tennis-industry representatives, past champions, Hall of Famers and other notables in the sport.

French Open Tonight will run from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET, each evening, and immediately re-air twice in its entirety, throughout the night and early morning, concluding with the start of the following day’s live match play at 5 a.m. ET.  In all, Tennis Channel will show more than 140 hours of the nightly show, with 42 hours of first-run airings.

All of Tennis Channel’s coverage from the world’s most prestigious clay-court competition will be produced in high definition.  The network is working with ESPN2 again to bring viewers an almost round-the-clock tournament experience for the fourth consecutive year, with each channel cross-promoting the other’s schedule.  As Tennis Channel’s daily match coverage concludes at noon ET, ESPN2 picks up the action without missing a beat, covering the tournament through 6:30 p.m. ET, when Tennis Channel’s French Open Tonight begins.  Tennis Channel will produce all coverage for both channels, with each making use of its own on-air team.

On-Air Talent

John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova have become fixtures of Tennis Channel’s French Open coverage and will be back in the network’s booth this year as lead on-air analysts.  In their fourth year of providing Hall of Fame insight, the pair will be joined by new correspondent Lindsay Davenport, a three-time Grand Slam singles winner who reached the French Open semifinals in 1998.  Ted Robinson, Ian Eagle and former player Leif Shiras will resume play-by-play duties for the network in 2010, working with Tennis Channel’s long-running team of analysts and former players Katrina Adams, Justin Gimelstob, Barry MacKay and Corina Morariu.

“I’m thrilled that it’s springtime in Paris and the French Open is here again,” said Navratilova.  “Everyone wants to see if Rafael Nadal can return to dominance after his disappointing exit last year.  The women’s side is just as interesting, with so many potential winners.  I can’t wait to get back in the Tennis Channel booth and watch it all unfold.”

Davenport, in addition to her appearances during match coverage, will frequently assist on French Open Tonight with Macatee, along with a roster of new contributors.  Legendary tennis writer, analyst, reporter and all-around expert Bud Collins joins the prime-time team this year, as does long-time tennis journalist Jon Wertheim.  Rounding out French Open Tonight will be Cari Champion, anchor of Tennis Channel’s Court Report nightly newscast, and Danielle Dotzenrod, host of health and nutrition series Fit To Hit.  Combined, this group will offer analysis and commentary, and cover the sights and sounds of the tournament grounds, its fans and various on-site activities – with field reports from the surrounding city sprinkled into the mix.

Broadband Coverage

Tennis Channel’s extensive French Open coverage has never been limited to television.  The network will again offer free live and on-demand broadband streams, with close to 125 matches and 200 hours during the first 10 days of the tournament.  Visitors to the network’s site, www.tennischannel.com, will be able to view any one of five courts for the first eight days of the event, followed by a single court on days nine and ten.  The site will also offer interview archives from French Open Tonight, news, live scores, daily highlights, exclusive tournament photos, blogs, columns, sweepstakes information and the network’s “Racquet Bracket” tournament prediction game.

Tennis Channel’s Live 2010 French Open Match Schedule – Entirely in High Definition

(Men’s/Women’s Singles Unless Otherwise Specified)

Date                                        Time (ET)                   Event

Sunday, May 23                       5 a.m.-Noon                First-Round Action

Monday, May 24                     5 a.m.-3 p.m.               First-Round Action

Tuesday, May 25                     5 a.m.-Noon                First-Round Action

Wednesday, May 26                5 a.m.-Noon                Second-Round Action

Thursday, May 27                    5 a.m.-Noon                Second-Round Action

Friday, May 28                        5 a.m.-Noon                Third-Round Action

Saturday, May 29                     5 a.m.-Noon                Third-Round Action

Sunday, May 30                       5 a.m.-Noon                Round of 16 Action

Monday, May 31                     5 a.m.-Noon                Round of 16 Action

Tuesday, June 1                        8 a.m.-Noon                Quarterfinals

Wednesday, June 2                  8 a.m.-Noon                Quarterfinals

Thursday, June 3                      5 a.m.-8 a.m.                Men’s Doubles Semifinals

Tennis Channel will also offer same-day replays of the men’s and women’s singles semifinals:

Thursday, June 3 – 1 p.m.-6:30 p.m. (ET): women’s singles semifinals

Friday, June 4 – 5 p.m.-midnight (ET): men’s semifinals

Tennis Channel’s French Open Tonight Schedule

French Open Tonight airs Sunday, May 23-Thursday, June 3, and typically runs from 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m. ET, and is then repeated twice from 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. and 1:30 a.m.-5 a.m.  The following exceptions are ET:

Monday, May 24; Saturday, May 29; and Sunday, May 30 – 3 p.m.-6:30 p.m., followed by 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m., 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. and 1:30 a.m.-5 a.m.

Additionally, shortened encore editions of French Open Tonight will air Tuesday, June 1, and Wednesday, June 2, from 5 a.m.-8 a.m.

VENUS WILLIAMS WINS BNP PARIBAS SHOWDOWN AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

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NEW YORK – Venus Williams won the title at the BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup exhibition tennis series Monday at Madison Square Garden, defeating Kim Cljisters 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in the final.

Williams won $400,000 for winning the one-night, four-player event that featured players who won the previous year’s major titles or ranked No. 1 in the world.

Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters
Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters

Williams, the former world No. 1 and the five-time Wimbledon champion, defeated French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4 in the one-set, no-ad scoring semifinal match earlier in the evening. Clijsters, the 2009 US Open champion, saved a match point in defeating former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic 7-6 (7-2) in the other semifinal. Ivanovic substituted for defending champion Serena Williams, the 2009 Australian Open and Wimbledon champion, who withdrew due to a leg injury.

Cljisters earned $300,000 for the runner-up showing. Losing semifinalists Ivanovic and Kuznetsova earned $250,000 each.

A healthy crowd of approximately 10,000 fans attended the event, but attendance waned at the later stages of the night, that concluded at approximately 11:30 am.

The event is in its second year after Serena Williams defeated Venus in last year’s final, with Jelena Jankovic and Ivanovic being the other two participants in the 2009 debut year.

Jerry Solomon of StarGames, Inc., organizers of the events, said that he hopes the event can be transformed into a two-day event featuring all four winners of the major titles for men and women, with two men’s and two women’s semifinals being played on one day and the finals being played on a second day. John McEnroe, during the ESPN2 telecast of the final, also promoted that a multi-day event featuring the four men’s and women’s winners of all four majors would be a great stage for tennis. McEnroe noted a similar event for men that he played in the late 1970s, early 1980s called the Pepsi Grand Slam. The International Tennis Federation ran an event called the Grand Slam Cup from 1990 to 1999 that featured the 16 men who fared the best over the Grand Slam tournaments over a calendar year. A women’s Grand Slam Cup was held in 1998 and 1999.

IS MURRAY POISED TO BREAK THROUGH DOWN UNDER?

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Is Andy Murray headed for destiny Down Under?

The great British hope is looking to become the first British man to win a major singles title since Fred Perry won the last of his eight majors at the 1936 U.S. Championships. His abbreviated 6-3, 7-6, 3-0, ret., victory over No. 2 seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open quarterfinals Tuesday night moved him within two matches of breaking through and achieving the distinction for himself and his country.

Seeded No. 5, Murray will face No. 14 seed Marin Cilic in the semifinals and, if victorious, would reach his second career major final to go with his runner-up showing to Roger Federer at the 2008 U.S. Open.

After battling through to take a two-sets-to-love lead against Nadal, Murray benefitted from the Spaniard injuring his right knee that required him to quit the match.

“It was so sudden” said Murray of Nadal’s injury to his former coach Brad Gilbert during a post-match interview on ESPN2. “He was moving well at the second set. It is obviously a shame.”

Murray will look to avenge his 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 loss to Cilic in the fourth round of the U.S. Open last September. That loss to Cilic was, in the words of ESPN’s Patrick McEnroe, “The worst Murray played at a major last year.”

“I am hoping I can turn it around,” Murray told the American cable television network of his U.S. Open loss to Cilic. “I am feeling good here.”

Perry was also the last British man to win the Australian title when he won in 1934, his second career major title. The last Brit to reach the men’s singles final Down Under was John Lloyd, the current British Davis Cup captain, who reached the Australian final in 1977, losing a five-set final to Vitas Gerulaitis.

As a result of the loss, Nadal, the defending Australian Open champion, will lose his No. 2 ranking.

In the quarterfinals in the top half of the draw, top seed Roger Federer will face Nikolay Davydenko and Novak Djokovic will take on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Wednesday.

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

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By: Justin Cohen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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