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legg mason tennis classic

Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati renews title sponsor through 2014: This week in tennis business with Justin Cohen

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Western & Southern Open renews title sponsor through 2014

Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, OH

The combined Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati has extended its relationship with the Western & Southern Financial Group for three more years, keeping the Cincinnati-based company as the title sponsor through 2014. Specific financial terms of the multi-million dollar agreement were not disclosed. “The Western & Southern Open is a world-class event that brings national and international recognition and incredibly positive economic impact to Cincinnati. We’re proud to continue our title sponsorship and help keep this terrific tournament such a valuable part of our community,” said John F. Barrett, President, Chairman and CEO of the Western & Southern Financial Group. The USTA is a majority of the Western & Southern Open, which is one of only five professional tennis tournaments outside the Grand Slams to host a top-tier men’s and women’s event during the same week. “Western & Southern has been a true partner of the event for more than a decade,” said Elaine Bruening, Tournament Chief Executive Officer. “It’s a perfect marriage between an iconic Cincinnati company and our historic event, first played here in 1899.” The prestigious Emirates Airline US Open Series event, which will be played this year from August 11-19, is the only tennis facility in the United States outside of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York to have four permanent stadiums. The Lindner Family Tennis Center, located in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, is in the final year of a $24 million, three-year expansion. Andy Murray and Maria Sharapova are the defending champions.

Legg Mason Tennis Classic in D.C. changes name to Citi Open; Merges with WTA Tour event

Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal first reported that the ATP World Tour Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington D.C. will change its name to the Citi Open. The lower-level WTA Tour event, which was played last year at the site of the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Md., will merge with the men’s tournament effective immediately. The new title sponsor deal with Citigroup will be for five years. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. World No. 9 Mardy Fish said on Tuesday that he will compete in the Citi Open this summer, which will be played from July 28-August 5.

San Jose ATP World Tour tournament to be eliminated in 2013; Rio de Janeiro gets event

Matt Cronin of TENNIS.com reports that the ATP World Tour tennis tournament in San Jose will be eliminated after the 2013 event. San Jose Sports & Entertainment Enterprises, which owns the NHL San Jose Sharks, will move its tournament from San Jose to the tournament week currently occupied by Memphis, which it also owns. The ATP Board of Directors approved last week in Monte Carlo the sale of the Memphis 500-level tournament to IMG, which alongside Brazil-based EBX will operate an ATP 500-level event in Rio de Janeiro, starting in 2014. The San Jose Sports organization also sold its WTA Memphis tournament to IMG, which will host a combined event in Rio de Janeiro. There have been talks that the tournaments in Rio will be played on hard courts, but nothing has been determined yet. The San Jose ATP event, which began in 1889 as the Pacific Coast Championships, was the second oldest tournament in the United States. Memphis will continue to operate as an ATP World Tour 500-level event in 2013 and then as a 250-level event from 2014 onwards.

BB&T becomes title sponsor of ATP World Tour Atlanta tournament

BB&T has agreed to become the title sponsor of the ATP World Tour Atlanta event, renaming it the BB&T Atlanta Open. The hard-court tournament was previously known as the Atlanta Tennis Championships. The partnership terms are for a minimum of three years and include official sponsorship of the USTA Southern Section, which represents approximately 25 percent of the national USTA membership. The Emirates Airline US Open Series ATP event will be played from July 14-22 at the Atlantic Station, a hot spot in the heart of Midtown Atlanta. “A solid sponsorship base is critical to the sustainable success of a professional tennis event in the Atlanta market,” said Bob Bryant, Tournament Director. “In BB&T, we gained a sponsor and a true partner in supporting this event and the avid Atlanta tennis community. We could not have found a better partner and look forward to BB&T’s active participation in the efforts of USTA Southern and the BB&T Atlanta Open.” 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick, John Isner, Kei Nishikori, Kevin Anderson and Jack Sock are all expected to compete in this year’s tournament.

Champions Series Tennis Circuit renamed PowerShares Series

On Tuesday morning, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment announced that their highly popular Champions Series tennis circuit has been renamed the PowerShares Series. As the marketing agent for PowerShares QQQ Trust, an ETF based on the NASDAQ 100 index, Invesco PowerShares signed a multi-year agreement in 2011 to become the title sponsor of the InsideOut owned tennis tour. InsideOut Sports + Entertainment Founding Partners Jim Courier and Jon Venison commemorated the renaming by joining Invesco PowerShares Managing Director of Global ETF’s Ben Fulton at this morning’s Opening Bell Ceremony at the NASDAQ MarketSite in Times Square in New York City. Event details for the 2013 season including tournament dates and venues will be announced this summer. Players expected to once again compete include Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe and Courier. “We look forward to a fantastic season of PowerShares Series tennis,” said Jon Venison, Founding Partner of InsideOut Sports + Entertainment. “With legendary players competing across the United States this fall, PowerShares Series events will bring top flight tournament tennis and star power to the greatest sporting arenas in the country.” “The name change to PowerShares Series tennis reflects our ongoing support for this highly successful tour which has garnered valuable exposure for PowerShares QQQ,” said Jason Schoepke, Chief Marketing Officer at Invesco PowerShares. “We are confident the 2012 PowerShares Series tennis circuit will continue to advance the PowerShares brand with our core audiences and look forward to this year’s events.”

Wimbledon pay-raise targets lower ranked players

The Associated Press reports that the All England Club has increased prize money starting at this year’s Wimbledon by 10 percent, with majority of the cash directed to help lower ranked players. The men’s and women’s singles champions will each earn a record $1.85 million, but most of the $2.4 million prize money increase will go to players who lose in the qualifying and early main draw rounds. Players losing before the fourth round of the singles’ tournament will receive an increase of at least 13 percent. The 2012 Wimbledon will have a total of $26 million in prize money.

Luke and Murphy Jensen to spearhead Sea Island Tennis Program

Sea Island, a destination resort located in the Southeastern coast of Georgia, announced on Tuesday that 1993 French Open doubles champions and brothers Luke and Murphy Jensen will lead the resort’s tennis program. The Jensen Brothers will create programming, partnerships and instruction. Luke is currently the Head Women’s Tennis Coach at Syracuse University as well as an on-court television personality for ESPN. Murphy is currently the Head Coach of the World TeamTennis Washington Kastles. Murphy has led the Kastles to two WTT Championships in three years. The left-handed Jensen is also a brand ambassador for Lacoste. “I am looking forward to bringing a little Jensen Brothers excitement to Sea Island,” said Murphy. “Our energy and expertise combined with the resort’s state-of-the-art facilities will make Sea Island a tennis game changer. My goal is to create an all-encompassing program that taps into everything the resort has to offer, from its top-tier fitness trainers, on-site sports psychologists and award-winning Spa and Fitness center, to establish Sea Island’s reputation as a top tennis destination.” Sea Island features 16 Har-Tru® courts for guests and club members to enjoy. USPTA professional instructors provide a full-service program of year-round instruction for adults and children (which can be customized for skill level), clinics, round robins, and partner matching. For additional information on Sea Island’s tennis program, visit www.seaisland.com.

Japan’s Kei Nishikori featured in two commercials

World No. 17 Kei Nishikori of Japanwas recently featured in two commercials for UNIQLO polo shirts. The commercials can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQamkNqVyNE&feature=youtu.be and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyE2NIVQroU&feature=youtu.be.

Tennis gets hotter in Washington, D.C. as WTA joins men in newly named Citi Open

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By Christopher Lancette

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 24, 2012 — Every good showman knows that rule No. 1 is “Give people what they want.” Citi, the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation and Lagardere Unlimited are doing just that this summer – converting the men-only Legg Mason Tennis Classic to the new, co-ed Citi Open that will remain at the William H. G. FitzGerald Tennis Center from July 28 through August 25.

The Legg Mason Tennis Classic was already a great tennis tradition here after decades of big stars winning the title but fans wanted to see more matches – and they wanted to bring the ladies to town. The WTA brought a small event to College Park, Maryland last year. The quality of play was solid but the location was relatively unknown to most D.C.-area tennis patrons. “It would be great if this event could take place on the same site as the Legg Mason next year,” fans and reporters alike kept saying.

William H. G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center stadium court (Photo courtesy of Romana Cvitkovic)

Citi listened. So did event organizer Lagardere Unlimited. With Legg Mason’s sponsorship contract expiring, they seized the moment and gave the District’s tennis-crazy fan base a shiny new toy that will come complete with newly added hard courts and seating to accommodate them.  Both men’s and women’s sides will feature a 32-player draw instead of 48 for 2012 – as many top players will be in England for the Olympics – but then return to 48-player tournaments next year.

The men’s tournament will remain a 500-level event while the women’s will continue as an International at least for now. Organizers hope the new and improved digs and increased seat capacity will give the women’s event a chance for a promotion over the next three to five years.

Top-ranked American Mardy Fish didn’t waste any time announcing he would play in D.C. this summer altogether skipping the Olympics. Other top players who don’t qualify for or choose not to play in the Olympics are also expected in town. The tournament will recruit the most competitive women’s field it can find, too.

Even better for fans, organizers say they don’t anticipate an increase in ticket costs despite the fact that fans will get to see the women play as well. (Both men and women will also play doubles.)

There may be a few hiccups in 2012, though.

There won’t be a replay system in use on the courts outside the main stadium, and already limited parking may be in even greater demand. Late-afternoon thundershowers could make a mess of the schedule. Players who advance until the final days of the tournament may be hampered when they take off the next morning for Toronto or Montreal. Legg Mason 2012 tournament champion Radek Stepanek and runner-up Gael Monfils both looked sluggish in Montreal last year after fighting the D.C. heat.

Considering the increased appeal of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic-turned-Citi Open, however, the only thing hotter than the courts may be the demand for tickets.

What strange racquet was used to win Washington last week?

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Wilson? Head? Babolat? Volkl? Pffffft.

None of those big-money racket manufacturers won last week’s Legg-Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C.

Bosworth rackets

The racket in Radek Stepanek’s right fist — the won with the “B” stenciled on the strings — was made by Jay Bosworth of Bosworth Tennis in Boca Raton, Fla., a virtually unknown company to fans that doesn’t do endorsements, doesn’t pay players to use its equipment, but a firm which is well known to a lot of pros.

Jay wasn’t in the stands on that sweltering day to watch his 32-year-old client overcome a rain delay and win his first ATP 500 event, the fifth title of his career and his first since 2009. But he was all over his TV set as Radek used his 10-sided Bosworth frame to whip world No. 7 Gael Monfils by 6-4, 6-4.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was really cool. I was so proud of the way Radek played,” said Bosworth, who ascended to presidency of the company after his father, Warren Bosworth, died a year ago.

What’s different about a Bosworth racket? For starters, the 10-sided head, which creator Warren Bosworth created to widen the sweet spot on the strings. Next, the racket is custom fitted to the player’s style, down to the curve of the grip.

But doesn’t Babolat do that for Rafael Nadal and Wilson for Roger Federer? I asked Jay.

“Yes, but we’re more proactive about it. I give the players my thoughts about how I think they should play.”

Tennis insiders know all about Bosworth rackets, but the company was probably a complete mystery to most fans. Ivan Lendl used a Bosworth. Martina Navratilova used a Bosworth. Players under contract for big money with major manufacturers might not use a Bosworth racket, but they would have their rackets customized by Bosworth.

Stepanek formed an alliance with Bosworth after a long talk with Lendl, who, like Radek, was born in the Czech Republic.

“Everyone at first was laughing at me,” Stepanek recalled the initial reaction to the 10-sided frame. “Everyone was trying to get inside my bag, to see the racket.”

Stepanek says his Bosworth has “double the sweet spot. “Even when I was with Volkl, they customized my rackets,” he explained. “It’s made for me, for what I need. I need a bigger hand and it’s a great help to have someone who understands rackets that well.”

Warren Bosworth founded his first tennis business in 1972, marketing his early rackets under the Fox brand. Bosworth Tennis was born in 1982, the year son went to work for father.

The company employs just five people and now makes rackets for amateurs as well as professionals, though Stepanek is, apparently, the only to pro using a Bosworth.

Radek Stepanek wins Legg Mason Tennis Classic while Radwanska wins Carlsbad – Mondays with Bob Greene

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STARS

Radek Stepanek beat Gael Monfils 6-4 6-4 to win the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, DC, USA

Agnieszka Radwanska beat Vera Zvonareva 6-3 6-4 to win the Mercury Insurance Open in Carlsbad, California, USA

Robin Haase beat Albert Montanes 6-4 4-6 6-1 to win the Bet-at-Home Cup in Kitzbühel, Austria

Karol Beck beat Gregoire Burquier 6-4 7-6 (4) to win the Open Castilla y Leon in Segovia, Spain

Aleksandra Wozniak beat Jamie Hampton 6-3 6-1 to win the Odlum Brown Van Open women’s singles in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

James Ward beat Robby Ginepri 7-5 6-4 to win the Odlum Brown Van Open men’s singles in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Radek Stepanek

SAYING

“It’s my biggest win in my career so far and it’s coming in the later stage of my career, so it means so much to me that I’m capable even in this age to play such great tennis, beating the guys from the Top 10 and winning the title. It’s really an amazing feeling.” – Radek Stepanek, after beating Gael Monfils to win the Legg Mason Tennis Classic.
“It’s a bit difficult the recovery (after Saturday’s late finish), it’s pretty quick and fast, but still I think Radek played a tough match today. He was pretty aggressive and didn’t miss a lot of balls, so I think he played better than me today.” – Gael Monfils, after losing to Radek Stepanek in the Legg Mason Tennis Classic final.
“We are like wine. The older we are getting, the better we are … Until my body falls apart I’ll be trying to stay competitive in this level. It’s very difficult because all the guys are great at this; they’re moving very fast and, as we all know, the speed is leaving slowly, we cannot compete with Mother Nature.” – Radek Stepanek.

“Everything was working. Even though I had two really tough matches in the quarters and semifinals, I played very well today. I really wanted to win this tournament so I was really focused from the beginning. Winning a tournament with a lot of great matches against top players is very special.” – Agnieszka Radwanska, after winning in Carlsbad, California

“He’s very talented, but it’s a tough world out there. You have to keep on working. You have to stay with your feet on the ground and keep on working hard and fighting.” – Marcos Baghdatis, talking about Donald Young, who beat him in the quarterfinals of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic.

“It’s my attitude towards playing. I feel like I actually can do it. I’m going out there with the thought in mind before the match that I can do it, not with the hope of, ‘Oh, if I play well, maybe I can.’ That’s a big change.” – Donald Young, explaining why he reached his first ATP Tour semifinal.

“He had me quite flustered. I couldn’t get set into the way I wanted to play. It wasn’t that I was nervous, but more so he took me out of my game.” – Donald Young, after losing in the semifinals to Radek Stepanek.

“It was one of the goals this year to make it into a semifinal or final, and maybe win it. I was close a few times when I played good but actually lost to good players. To win this match and beat good players this week was really great.” – Robin Haase, after winning the title in Kitzbühel, Austria

“It’s a pity. But I knew that it was going to be difficult because he was playing very well during the whole week. I played well too.” – Albert Montanes, after losing to Robin Haase in the final at Kitzbühel, Austria

“Is it more embarrassing running off the court like a maniac or throwing up on court and being on Sports Center for the next 25 years? Yeah, running off the court is better, so that’s what I did.” – Andrea Petkovic, who did just that in her semifinal loss to Agnieszka Radwanska.

“Serena (Williams) has really improved her level from Wimbledon and six weeks from now, she’ll be more than 10 percent better. Everything is just better, her serve, her movement, and she has now beaten quality players such as Maria Sharapova and Sabine Lisicki, who did well at Wimbledon. I would pick Serena as the US Open favorite considering how many times she won there.” – Marion Bartoli.
“It was never a goal of mine to be the number one American, Andy (Roddick) has always been the number one of our tennis generation. That won’t change regardless of any ranking. But I’ll admit that holding the position will be a nice thing to tell my kids someday and I’m very happy with how I’m playing right now.” – Mardy Fish, on being the highest-ranked American player.

STEPANEK TRIUMPHANT

His victory in the Legg Mason Tennis Classic has put Radek Stepanek in rarified company. With his triumph over Gael Monfils, the 32-year-old Stepanek became the oldest player to win the ATP stop in Washington, DC, since Jimmy Connors in 1988. “I still believe in myself,” the Czech said. “That’s why the emotion was there, winning a big tournament at this stage of my career. It will give me a bit of confidence, a great boost for the rest of the summer.” It was Stepanek’s first ATP title in 2½ years and the fifth of his career. “It’s a great satisfaction for me,” he said. “It’s great to still be able to compete with the young guns.” The oldest player in the world’s top 100, Stepanek became the ATP’s oldest champion since Fabrice Santoro of France won Newport, Rhode Island, USA, in 2008. “I wanted to be in control of the match, be the boss on the court, the one who is deciding what’s going on,” Stepanek said. “I was trying to come to the net because that was my game plan, to be aggressive, put as many returns to the court as much as I can, and when I have the chance to attack. My game plan was working perfectly, and I was aggressive from the first point to the last one.”

SMOOTH SAILING

Agnieszka Radwanska made it look easy as she dominated top-seeded Vera Zvonareva to capture her first title in three years. Playing the Carlsbad, California, event all week with a heavily taped right shoulder because of a nerve problem, the Polish right-hander needed 79 minutes to beat Zvonareva for the first time and snap the loser’s nine-match winning streak. Radwanska hadn’t reached a final since this tournament a year ago when she fell to Svetlana Kuznetsova. Zvonareva was able to stave off one match point, but that was only delaying the inevitable.

STRONG PARTNERS

Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik can’t lose for winning. The pair extended their winning streak to 14 consecutive matches with an easy 6-0 6-2 win over Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears to capture the Mercury Insurance Open in Carlsbad, California. Peschke and Srebotnik won Eastbourne and Wimbledon and have been co-ranked number one in doubles in the world since July 4. Carlsbad is their first tournament – and first title – since their Wimbledon success. “We’re so happy we could follow our wins at Eastbourne and London with this title,” Peschke said. “It’s a great achievement. With each match we’re getting more confident.” The champions have won five titles this year in 14 events, running their match record to 42-9.

SIGHTED

Wayne Odesnik, who was banned after admitting he imported human growth hormone (HGH) into Australia, played in his first ATP World Tour match in 16 months. He gained a spot in the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, DC, when second-seeded Mardy Fish withdrew with a bruised right heel – and taking advantage of a bye didn’t play until the second round. Odesnik didn’t last long, falling to eventual champion Radek Stepanek 6-1 6-1 in a 57-minute second-round encounter. Odesnik was banned for two years in May 2010 after pleading guilty. His ban was backdated to December 2009, then the International Tennis Federation (ITF) cut Odesnik’s ban to one year after he cooperated with the group’s anti-doping program. In January 2011, Odesnik returned to low-level events. “In six months I have gone from nothing to 150th in the world. Keep working hard and it will come. I can’t lose sight of that,” Odesnik said. “I’m still young. In the long run, I think it’s going to help. I’m 25. I think there is a lot of tennis ahead of me.”

STOPPING AT THE TOP

Robin Haase of the Netherlands won his first career ATP title when he topped Spain’s Albert Montanes 6-4 4-6 6-1 at the Bet-at-Home Cup in Kitzbühel, Austria. In fact, it was the first time Haase has reached a final. The 53-ranked Haase became the first Dutch winner of an ATP tournament since Martin Verkerk won in Amersfoort, Netherlands, in 2004. Haase is the eighth player this season to become a first-time champion on the ATP tour. The winner missed most of the 2009 season after surgery on his right knee. It was the first time the 30-year-old Montanes reached the final in a tournament that was not played on clay.

STAYING HOME

A viral illness has caused Venus Williams to withdraw from the Rogers Cup. Saying she is “extremely disappointed” with being unable to play in Toronto, Canada, Williams said she wasn’t feeling well so went to see a doctor. She was diagnosed with a viral illness and told to rest. Lucky loser Lourdes Dominguez Lino got a spot in the draw.

The men’s portion of the Rogers Cup is being played in Montreal this week, and missing will be Andy Roddick. The American withdrew because the abdominal muscle he injured nearly a month ago is insufficiently healed for him to compete. Also skipping Montreal will be Sweden’s Robin Soderling, who is still troubled by a wrist; Austria’s Jurgen Melzer, who has a stomach muscle injury; Spain’s Guillermo Garcia Lopez, suffering from appendicitis; and Belgium’s Xavier Malisse, who withdrew because of personal issues.

SPANISH FIREPOWER

Rafael Nadal says he will play for Spain when it takes on France in the World Group Davis Cup semifinal. The international team competition will be held a week after the US Open completes its two-week run. Nadal skipped Spain’s last Davis Cup tie, when it beat the United States 3-1. The 25-year-old Nadal has only played one Davis Cup tie in nearly two years, winning both his singles matches when Spain dominated Belgium in March. Spanish Davis Cup captain Albert Costa said Nadal had sent him a three-word message – “I’ll be there” – concerning next month’s semifinal against France.

SEES OLYMPIC SENDOFF

Elena Baltacha believes the 2012 Olympic Games in London would be the perfect ending to her career. Britain’s top female player, Baltacha has suffered health and injury problems throughout her career. “I want to get to the Olympics and then maybe retire,” she said. “I’ve been playing tennis for such a long time now. I’m 28 this year, and sometimes I wake up and wonder how much more my body can take. If I’m struggling with injuries, then I’m not going to carry on.” She was diagnosed with a liver condition when she was 19, and in 2006 she underwent back surgery. While primarily a singles player, Baltacha said she would jump at the chance to partner Andy Murray in mixed doubles at the Games. “It would be unbelievable to play mixed doubles with Andy,” she sad. “It would be absolutely fantastic.” Baltacha played mixed doubles at Wimbledon with Ken Skupski and said, “I really enjoyed that. The one downside to plying doubles for me is that I always seem to get injured. That extra match for me means my back might stiffen up.”

SIGNS TO PLAY

Being sidelined with an abdominal muscle strain for most of the summer, Andy Roddick has asked for and received a wild card entry into a tournament the week before the US Open for the first time in his career. Roddick will compete at the Winston Salem Open, a new ATP event in North Carolina that ends on the Saturday before the year’s final Grand Slam tournament begins its two-week run in New York City. Roddick last saw action in Davis Cup against Spain right after Wimbledon. Others in the Winston Salem field include fellow Americans Mardy Fish, John Isner, Sam Querrey, Ryan Harrison and Donald Young, along with Jurgen Melzer of Austria, Bernard Tomic of Australia and Ernests Gulbis of Latvia.

SWISS MISS NO?

Martina Hingis is leaning heavily toward not teaming with fellow Swiss star Roger Federer to play mixed doubles at the 2012 Olympic Games. “There are talks,” Hingis said, “however there are too many ifs at this point.” In order to compete at the London Games, Hingis would need to return to the WTA tour and be ranked close to the top 50 in the world in singles and in the top 10 in doubles. Besides, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) will only accept mixed doubles teams from players who are already on site in London, having qualified in singles or doubles. Hingis retired from the WTA in 2007 after testing positive for cocaine use. She has played World TeamTennis, and last month scored a victory over Serena Williams. “I always said I wasn’t coming back and I did, and after TeamTennis I felt good,” Hingis said. “Then with Serena winning Stanford it makes you think, ‘I played good against her and she beat (Maria) Sharapova 3 and 1.’ But I don’t think I would last a whole match now. TeamTennis is only to five games. To play with Roger in best-of-three sets you’d have to be playing great.”

$$$ FOR MARIA

For the seventh straight year, Maria Sharapova is the world’s highest paid woman in professional sports, according to Forbes Magazine. The Russian’s earnings, mostly from endorsements, are estimated at USD $25 million for the last year, more than twice as much as the current women’s world number one, Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki. Racing driver Danica Patrick was third with USD $12 million, followed by tennis players Venus Williams, Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams. Seven of the top nine female earners were tennis players, including China’s Li Na, who made USD $8 million last year. However, Li Na’s French Open victory is expected to make her the top earner this year. Since her win she has signed at least USD $43.35 million of sponsorship deals with companies like Mercedes-Benz, Rolex and Haagen Dazs. Terry Rhoads, former head of sports marketing at Nike, said that two years ago Li “could not buy a sponsor, but now she is the only person with a Nike deal who can wear patches from other sponsors on her clothes. As international brands try to chase the Chinese market, Li is in a seller’s market.”

SAYS ABOUT TIME

The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has asked the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to allow the Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Group II to be held in Pakistan next year. Pakistan participated in Fed Cup this year for the first time in a decade. “We are taking inspiration from the Pakistan Football Federation,” Irshad Bhatti, PTF’s acting president, told a Pakistani newspaper. “FIFA approved Lahore as the venue for the World Cup qualifier against Bangladesh, so we also requested the ITF allow us to host the Fed Cup.” Because of the fear of violence against visiting athletes, Pakistan has had to play all of its Davis Cup and Fed Cup matches in other countries.

SAFINA SITS OUT THE YEAR

Former world number one Dinara Safina is taking off the rest of this year. The Russian, who has not played since early May, is still suffering from persistent back pain. The 25-year-old topped the WTA world rankings for 26 weeks in 2009 and currently stands 65th in the world. “I’m sorry to report that my back is still acting up and I will not be able to play until at least the end of the year,” Safina said on her official website, www.dinarasafina.com. After losing to Kim Clijsters 6-0 6-0 in the opening round of the Australian Open in January, Safina contemplated quitting the sport. She failed to win a Grand Slam title, losing in the finals of the French Open in 2008 and 2009, and the Australian Open in 2009. She and her brother, Marat Safin, are the only brother-sister to each become number one in the world.

SEEKS LAW FIRM

Fighting a 12-month suspension, Robert Kendrick has signed on one of Maine’s largest law firms, Preti Flaherty, to file an appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS). The 31-year-old Kendrick was suspended after he tested positive for the banned substance methylhexaneamine at the French Open. The player said he took a capsule called Zija XM3 in an attempt to combat the effects of jetlag, not realizing it contained the banned drug. The ITF said Kendrick failed to mention the Zija XM3 when he filled out a mandatory form given to all players who are drug tested. The form asks the players to mention any “medication or supplements, including vitamins or minerals, taken over the past seven days.”

SITE UNKNOWN

When Bojana Jovanovski arrived in Carlsbad looking for the Mercury Insurance Open tennis tournament, no one knew what she was talking about. The problem was the Serbian teenager flew from Washington, DC, to Dallas, Texas, on to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and finally to Carlsbad, New Mexico. The Mercury Insurance Open was played in Carlsbad, California, a difference of about 1,000 miles (1,600 km). After waiting unsuccessfully for tournament transport, Jovanovski called the tournament. Transport had been waiting at the California airport for the player to arrive. “Are you in Carlsbad in California or in New Mexico?” Jovanovski was asked. After spending the night in New Mexico, Jovanovski flew top the correct Carlsbad, arriving just 30 minutes before she was scheduled to take the court for her first-round match.

SALUTED

The ATP ACES for Charity program has awarded the Legg Mason Tennis Classic a USD $10,000 grand to further strengthen its support of the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF). The WTEF combines tennis and education in three main programs, including its flagship Arthur Ashe Children’s Program that serves 1,500 children annually. Other USD $10,000 grants were presented to brothers Bob and Mike Bryan and to Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi. Last month the ATP announced the 12 inaugural recipients of its ATP ACES for Charity grants program. Grants of USD $10,000 each are being awarded by the ATP on an annual basis to charitable causes nominated by ATP World Tour players and tournaments.

Qureshi donated his USD $10,000 grant to support the United Nations Development Program’s flood recovery activities in his native Pakistan. The doubles star made the donation on behalf of his own foundation and the ATP ACES for Charity program on a visit to Mazdoor Village in southern Pakistan. The village was completely destroyed by floods in 2010.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Carlsbad: Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik beat Raquel Kops-Jons and Abigail Spears 6-0 6-2

Kitzbühel: Daniele Bracciali and Santiago Gonzalez beat Franco Ferreiro and Andre Sa 7-6 (1) 4-6 11-9 (match tiebreak)

Segovia: Johan Brunstrom and Frederik Nielsen beat Nicolas Mahut and Lovro Zovko 6-2 3-6 10-6 (match tiebreak)

Vancouver (men): Treat Huey and Travis Parrott beat Jordan Kerr and David Martin 6-2 1-6 16-14 (match tiebreak)

Vancouver (women): Karolina Pliskova and Kristyna Pliskova beat Jamie Hampton and Noppawan Lertcheewakarn 5-7 6-2 10-2 (match tiebreak)

Washington: Michael Llodra and Nenad Zimonjic beat Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecau 6-7 (3) 7-6 (6) 10-7 (match tiebreak)

SURFING

San Marino: www.atpsanmarino.com

Montreal: www.rogerscup.com/men/english/home.php

Toronto: www.rogerscup.com/women/english/home.php

Cincinnati: www.cincytennis.com/

Cordenons: www.euro-sporting.it/challenger

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

(All money in USD)

MEN

$2,430,000 Rogers Cup, Montreal, Canada, hard

$122,323 San Mario CEPU Open, San Marino, clay

WOMEN

$2,050,000 Rogers Cup, Toronto, Canada, hard

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

$2,430,000 Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, hard

$122,323 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup, Cordenons, Italy, clay

WOMEN

$2,050,000 Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, hard

Stepanek sips fountain of youth, beats Monfils for Legg Mason title

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By Christopher Lancette

Unseeded No. 54 Radek Stepanek was so relaxed before his Legg Mason Tennis Classic championship match against top seed and No. 7-ranked Gael Monfils on Sunday that he strolled out on to the court with his laces undone.

Then he tied his shoes and went to work – beating Monfils 6-4, 6-4 for only the second time in five tries on hard courts. En route to winning his first title of the year and becoming the oldest man to win the Legg Mason since Jimmy Connors did it in 1988, the 32-year-old Stepanek appeared to run with his 24-year-old opponent’s legs.

“We are like a fine wine,” Stepanek said of veteran players like himself. “The older we are getting, the better we are.”

Stepanek, who lost by the identical score to Monfils last month in Hamburg, earned $264,000 and a trip higher up the rankings for his week in Washington. He also improved his record to 2-5 in finals against opponents ranked in the top ten. Stepanek also happened to become the last player from the Czech Republic to win the Legg Mason since Petr Korda, now his coach, won the title in 1992.

Relying on the tenacity of his doubles game, Stepanek suffocated the net throughout the match. Up 2-1 and serving at 15-0 in the second set, he ran the famously fast Frenchman from sideline to sideline while working his way forward. He finished the point by rolling his right wrist over a ball to cut a forehand volley for a sharply angled winner. Stepanek finished that game with a drop volley that even Monfils could not touch before it bounced twice.

“I wanted to be in the control of the match … the one who is deciding what’s going to go on,” Stepanek said. “I wanted to have the match in my hands and [be] the one who was deciding who wins and it. I was right to come to the net because that’s my game. That was my game plan to be aggressive.”

Stepanek displayed steady nerves, too – keeping his calm on a point very similar to one that Monfils’ opponent John Isner blew last night. Ahead 4-3 and 15-0 in the first set, Stepanek sent Monfils scrambling to every corner of the court only to see ball after ball come back to him. While Isner ultimately lifted his head and missed the finishing volley, Stepanek angled a backhand crosscourt winner.

“You don’t want to do it because when you take your eyes off the ball or off your racquet, you’re increasing the chance of mis-hitting the ball or not hitting the volley clean,” he said. “It [Monfils’ speed] is a distraction and I didn’t want to be distracted for any second of the whole match. Gael is such a great athlete and his speed all over the court is amazing. Even though I won the points, I would say normally nobody would run for those balls that he did. I was just trying to close out the points, no matter if it would be another five or six volleys.”

Monfils gave the older man credit.

“He imposed his game more than me today,” Monfils said. “He didn’t miss a lot today so this was a bit tricky for me.”

Monfils also observed that his own reactions were slower than usual, perhaps because of the late night he had in the semifinals when he finished his win over Isner at 1:15 a.m.

“I was a fraction slower,” he said. “Maybe I was seeing the ball a fraction late, and I didn’t hit aggressive returns.”

The other oddity apart from the fountain-of-youth role reversal was that Monfils played more cautiously than usual. While he made fewer careless mistakes by not over-hitting some shots, he also failed to claim the collection of winners that comes with his high-powered, gambling style.

Stepanek looked different too, compared to last year’s Legg Mason. A summer ago, he made more jokes and played to the crowd in his matches – keeping fans in stitches but also leaving before championship Sunday. His 2011 tournament was marked by less high jinx, more business.

The Changeover with Radek Stepanek

2011 Legg Mason champion Radek Stepanek sits down to chat about his sense of humor, playing with his heart on his sleeve, what stopped him from having a hockey career, the origin of his “worm” victory dance move — and why it’s so important to sign autographs for kids. Interview by Christopher Lancette. Video produced by Won-ok Kim.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y13TxUoCPt0&w=550&h=343]

Photo credit © Won-ok Kim

Radek Stepanek reaches Legg Mason finals; Donald Young not ready for prime time

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By Christopher Lancette

In a match that appeared to feature teacher versus student, Radek Stepanek earned a spot in the finals after he thrashed Donald Young for a 6-3, 6-3 at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic on Saturday afternoon and demonstrated that the youthful and much-hyped American is still not ready for prime time. The Czech ran Young sideways, up, back and in a few other directions – opening acres of space for an unending series of winners all day long.

Youth be damned. It was intellect and experience that carried the day and will move the 32-year-old Stepanek, already the oldest man in the top 100, higher up the rankings from his No. 54 spot.

“Yeah, definitely,” Stepanek said in response to a WTM question about whether brains mattered more than brawn. “I came prepared technically the best that I can for every match. I played different than he was used to. That paid off. I was trying to be aggressive and attack his second serve, just putting that pressure on him and I was in control the whole time.”

Up 2-0 at deuce in the second set, for example, Stepanek served, volleyed and smashed an overhead that Young futilely chased although the ball bounced well over his head. Stepanek forced an error on the next point when he made Young hit a racquet ball shot with his back to the court, then finished the game on a backhand volley.

Those kinds of plays gave Young cases of the grumps throughout the match. Young spent much of the afternoon thrashing his body around in frustration and, to the annoyance of many of his critics who would like to see him coached by people other than his parents, talking to his mother in the front row. She also accompanied him to the press conference afterward.

Up 5-3 and serving the first point of the game, Stepanek yanked Young off the court, came in behind it and hit a forehand winner up the line. He went up 30-0 on a serve-and-volley and closed out the match on a pair of service winners.

Young admitted that he was overmatched by his veteran opponent.

“He took me out of my game pretty much,” he said. “He played different, changed the pace. He attacked. He didn’t really let me really get set into the way I wanted to play or have been playing. I was a little off today but that was probably accredited a lot to him.”

Asked whether he tried making and adjustments and if they worked, Young quipped, “All of ‘em didn’t work, obviously, because it didn’t end up with me coming back and winning. I tried to start putting a few more balls in play, not going for as much because it wasn’t landing like it was previously. I had to go through everything I wanted to do because he had me quite flustered anyway.”

The win continues a great week for Stepanek, who won a final in San Jose in February of 2009. His last final appearance came in a loss to Andy Roddick in Brisbane in January of this year.

“I think it’s very important,” he said of his week in Washington. “I’m getting my ranking much better for next week. It’s very important to be seeded at the U.S. Open which would be a great bonus for me, but the main thing I’m looking forward to is tomorrows match. It’s great to play a final in such a big event and I’m looking forward to it.”

Stepanek will face the winner of the Gael Monfils/John Isner match.

Follow World Tennis Magazine on Twitter at @worldtennismag

Photo credit by © Won-ok Kim

Mardy Fish reflects on life at the head of the pack

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By Christopher Lancette

Mardy Fish strolled into the press room at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic unencumbered by the stress of playing in a tournament he had to nix because of injuries. Sporting his matching black K-Swiss cap, shirt and shoes with gray shorts, he settled in for an extended conversation – covering everything from the status of his knee to the condition of American tennis.

Mardy Fish © by Romana Cvitkovic

The chat was as casual as his clothes but one that shed some insight on his life and on the game that provides him his living. At a ranking of No. 8, he spoke like a man who has the confidence and wisdom of someone who has reached the top of a mighty climb — even if another looms: He wants to see what life would be like if he reached and won a major final.

“I’ve never been there,” he said, “but I’d like to find out.”

One prerequisite for him, as with any player, is maintaining his health. The bruise on his right heel that forced him to withdraw from the Legg Mason is healing. He needs more rest before his run through Montreal and the U.S. Open.

“It’s very hard to stay healthy the entire year and play every tournament you want to play,” he said, his beard perhaps a bit thicker, the way a man tends to let go when he’s on R&R.

What propelled him into the top ten?

“I think just the consistency,” he said. He went on to explain that consistency is one of the main ingredients that goes into the rise of every top player. The other? “There’s a difference between thinking you can win, and really, really thinking you can win.” He did not speak in the school of redundancy tradition: Spend even a little time close-up on the pro tour and you can often see the slightly different glimmer in the eyes of players who genuinely believe they can win and those who are only telling themselves that.

He also batted around a ball machine full of questions that didn’t focus on him.

He said that Ryan Harrison is “the pretty easy answer there” when asked to name the next American he expects to stride much higher in the rankings. “He’s really coming into his own, at 19,” he said.

Fish admitted to struggling to find the right words to characterize his perspective on Wayne Odesnik, who manages to come up in seemingly every Legg Mason conversation despite the fact he left long ago. He said he doesn’t much follow Odesnik’s results, which is about the kindest thing players have said this week about the player suspended for transporting Human Growth Hormone.

Is there pressure holding the spot as the most successful American male right now?

“It’s only in that regard; I’m the top-ranked player,” he said. “That’s where the burden comes from. Well, it’s not really a burden. I mean it’s a great position to be in. It’s a place I’ve never been before. But, for 12 years of my career, Andy Roddick has been ranked ahead of me and just a few months of being ranked higher – it’s not going to catapult me over him as far as our careers are concerned or who is the top alpha male of our generation.”

Humility aside, Fish exited the press conference in his casual shorts with a strong, confident stride that suggested it’s good to be the lead dog.

 

When a big man slumps: John Isner win over buddy James Blake gives him no joy

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By Christopher Lancette

It’s a strange sight to see a 6’9’’ man slump so deeply into a chair that he almost disappears into it. Stranger still when the man just won a professional tennis match 7-6, 1-6, 7-6 that propelled him into the quarterfinals of a tournament.

But that is what it was like for John Isner, ranked No. 35 in the whole world, after beating his buddy James Blake at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic on Thursday night.

“It’s terrible, to be honest,” he said, fumbling for words and all but apologizing for taking out Blake. “It’s kind of bitter-sweet. I’m happy to get through but I feel terrible for James.”

Isner’s mood soured even more as the post-match presser continued.

“I don’t like playing friends, period,” he said, “and when you do, you want it to be deep in the tournament.”

If the victor was in the dumps sitting by himself, he might have needed a dose of Prozac had he seen Blake sitting in the opposite chair just moments earlier. The look on Blake’s face made you wonder if he had just lost his dog – though he said the pain of losing to a friend is no different from that of any loss.

“We’re both professionals,” he said. “We’ve played friends before. It’s actually sometimes a little easier playing someone you’re really close to as opposed to just sort of an acquaintance because you know that no matter what after the match you’re going to be fine. “

Still, had the pair been seated together for the post-match interview session, they surely would have run into one of “Late Late Show” host Craig Ferguson’s awkward pauses, right?
Not according to Blake.

“John and I are still going to be neighbors, still going to be golf buddies, still going to be going out to dinner plenty, and still going to be cheering each other on,” he said. “I’m upset now but it has nothing to do with him. It’s a loss. That’s the way it’s always going to be. I feel like he’d be in the same boat if those points had gone my way. I think he’d be upset but I don’t think he’d be upset at me. “

Isner moved on to questions about the match itself but took no joy in talking about even his regained sense of confidence.

“This is a match I wouldn’t have won [a few months ago],” he said. “It’s hard to explain … in a pressure situation, things just seem to go your way and that was the case tonight.”
He put his giant hands on the back of his cap as he continued, as if still in shock over beating his friend.

“I kind of tell myself, to be honest, that if I don’t win, I’m going to be really happy for James,” he said. “It’s not like I’m playing some guy that if I lose I’m going to be so devastated.”
On that point Blake agreed.

“There’s never going to be any bad blood between us. We’re too good a friends,” he said. If we play again, we’re going to be buddies right up until the match and buddies right after the match. It’s not as big a deal.”

Isner next faces Serbia’s Viktor Troicki. A win there might turn the big man’s frown upside down.

Photos  credit © by Won-ok Kim

James Blake dumps defending champ David Nalbandian from Legg Mason

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WASHINGTON – A year ago this summer, David Nalbandian stood on stadium court at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic holding a shiny crystal trophy while listening to the crowd sing his name and wave Argentine flags.

Aging veteran James Blake gave the defending champion no chance to relive the experience. He knocked Nalbandian out of the tournament with a convincing 6-2, 6-4 second round upset.

Blake was quick to point out, however, that his play did not make a statement about where he is with his career.

“The only statement I was making is how much I respect David Nalbandian, and I couldn’t let off the accelerator for one second there,” Blake said after the match. “I know how talented he is. He might be one of only one or two people who have come back from two sets to love down against Roger Federer so the guy has some ability when he’s behind to play some great tennis. I didn’t want to let off that at all. It wasn’t a statement saying ‘I’m back’ or anything like that.”

As well as Blake played, Nalbandian looked nothing like the man who took the crown last year. His timing was off throughout the evening. Unforced errors abounded off both wings. He rarely even made it to the net for his customary winners.

Was he still struggling from past injuries? In a word, Nalbandian said no.

“I think he just played better than me,” Nalbandian said. “I’m OK. I feel good. I just need matches to be in good shape again. No excuse. No pains. Everything is perfect.”

Blake dictated play from the onset. Moving like a younger version of himself, he pounced around the court with answers to seemingly everything Nalbandian threw at him. Even when a Blake shot was called out in the second set, he raised his hand and made a quick challenge – prompting Nalbandian to nod is head and flutter his hand as if to say he too thought the call was shaky. Replay confirmed Blake’s shot was in.

Replays weren’t needed to confirm that Nalbandian’s serve was off, especially in the first set when only 30 percent of his first serves found the box.

“One of the guillatines was that my serve didn’t work very good, especially in the beginning,” Nalbandian said.

Still, the defending champ did show flashes of the game that earned him the 2010 title. Down 3-4 in the second set, he tracked down a blistering Blake smash and lobbed it high enough over his opponent’s head to force an error. Blake responded with two aces to close out that game. He was no more kind in his response to other great shots from Nalbandian.

“I recognized he was having trouble out there,” Blake said. “I did my best to keep the streak going – keep putting the pressure on him and keep him thinking. “

Blake opened the match with a bang: He rolled through the first set in a scant 29 minutes. The second set didn’t last much longer.

“I felt good with what I was controlling,” Blake said. “What I was controlling, I was doing well. Today was a whole level better than I played yesterday and it had to be.”

Next up for Blake is a Thursday match with neighbor and frequent hitting partner John Isner.

Photo credit © by Won-ok Kim

Legg Mason Tennis Classic preview – Around the corner

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The two stops on the ATP World Tour for this week include a 250 level tournament on clay played in Kitzbuhel, Austria as well as a 500 level tournament on hard courts in Washington, D.C.

Legg Mason Tennis Classic

For those serious about training for the final Grand Slam of the year, the Legg Mason Classic is the place to be. Bumped up a couple of years ago from a level 250 event, this year’s edition might appear to be a little thin on top-level talent with the withdrawal of Andy Roddick and with the big guns like Nadal and Federer still taking a bit more time off the tour to rest up for a strong late season push towards the Open.

Thomas Muster

Seeded first in D.C. this year is Frenchman Gael Monfils who will thrill the crowds with his acrobatic style of play. With the top sixteen seeds having a first-round bye, Monfils will open against the winner of Ryan Sweeting and Alex Bogomolov Jr., both of the United States. Also in “Le Monfs” quarter of the draw are Dmitry Tursunov, Michael Llodra and Janko Tipsarevic. Monfils should be able to navigate his way through this section and advance to the semi-finals.

In the next section of the draw, eight seed and defending champion David Nalbandian will try to jump-start his mediocre 2011 season. As we have been accustomed to in recent years, it has been injuries that have derailed the 29 year-old Nalbandian’s progress on the circuit. This year he missed three months between March and June due to a hamstring injury. Having lost in the third round of Queen’s Club (Verdasco) and Wimbledon (Federer), Nalbandian will have the added pressure of defending his winning points from a year ago. In his first match Nalbandian will face the winner of James Blake vs. Tatsuma Ito.

Also in this quarter are big servers John Isner and Kevin Anderson, both of whom are having solid seasons thus far. Isner in particular has been doing well since Wimbledon by winning the grass court event in Newport and then making the finals in Atlanta. Rising American star Ryan Harrison is also in this section of the draw and has made back-to-back semi-finals over the past couple of weeks. We’ll see if he can maintain this level of play and respond to the challenge of a somewhat tougher field that he has faced in LA and Atlanta.

If he’s fully healthy and has been training since Wimbledon, then I’d give Nalbandian a fair chance at making it to the semi’s, but I feel that Isner is probably the man to beat given his recent results and his usual success on the summer hard-court swing. Let’s not count out Harrison either as his confidence is mounting with every event he enters.

The next quarter we look at is a bit more wide-open. You’ve got some talented veterans such as Tommy Haas and Fernando Gonzalez, both of whom are trying to regain their form after long injury layoffs. Marcos Baghdatis, a finalist from a year ago is also present as are Jurgen Melzer, Xavier Malisse and Somdev Devvarman. Good luck picking someone to emerge from this slice of the draw.

Haas still has a long way to go to prove he can mount a successful comeback after missing a full year on the tour. Gonzo has not played much this year either and it does not seem like at 31 years old his body can consistently perform when needed. Baghdatis has proved himself capable at this event but he has not played a hard court event since March. Same story for Melzer, who has been playing a full clay-court schedule since March with the exception of Wimbledon.

My pick here would be either the X-man – Malisse or Devvarman who has played well here in the past with a quarter-final showing in 2008 and a round-of-sixteen finish in 2009.

In the final quarter Mardy Fish is the clear choice to advance deep into the draw due to his exceptional play as of late. The now firmly entrenched number one American player has demonstrated that he is a worthy successor to Andy Roddick at the moment and is playing some of the best tennis of his career. You’d have to say Fish is the tournament favorite given his hot play on the summer swing and there does not appear to be much opposition for him in the early rounds.

He could get Fernando Verdasco in the quarter-finals, but otherwise should dispatch guys like Radek Stepanek and Jarkko Nieminen in the first couple of rounds.

As he did a year ago, Fish is definitely placing himself in the conversation for the next level of contenders at the U.S. Open behind the big names like Djokovic, Nadal and Federer.

Bet-At-Home Cup Kitzbuhel

For those players whose games are more suited for clay, Kitzbuhel offers them a chance at some ranking points they might not be able to attain on the North American hard court swing. The event has not been played since 2009, and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez won the tournament that year.

Seeded first is renowned dirt-baller Juan-Ignacio Chela who constantly surprises me with his resilience on the tour. Just when you think his career is about to implode he’ll turn it around with some strong play. He lost four opening matches in a row from late March to early May, then he made the round of sixteen in Rome, won the World Team Championship in Dusseldorf and then advanced to the quarter-finals of the French Open before falling to Andy Murray. It should be noted however that Chela has lost his opening match of his two previous tournaments, both which have been on clay. Suffice it to say that in a tournament labelled, “bet at home”, I wouldn’t bet on Chela.

Albert Montanes is in the top half of the draw as well and is due for some clay court success, while Fabio Fognini and Marcel Granollers are two other talented clay-court players who could make their way towards the final.

One first round match that certainly caught my attention in the draw was fifth seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber against the former king of clay, Thomas Muster. Yes that’s right, at the ripe old age of 43, Muster continues to pop up at challenger events and ones like this one where he is awarded a wildcard in recognition of his previous contributions to the sport. Obviously being Austrian is what got him in the door here, as his record is 0-9 coming into the event. Someone should really tell this guy about the senior tour where his results might be a little more encouraging.

The bottom half of the draw has second seeded Feliciano Lopez, as well as Ivan Ljubicic and Igor Andreev who are all capable players on this surface.

While it might be a bit hard to understand the merits of playing clay court events during the lead-up to a hard court Grand Slam, there are only so many spots open in Washington and these guys do need to earn a living. Just don’t expect any of the names from Kitzbuhel to factor into contention once they arrive in North America.

 

Roddick commits to 2011 Legg Mason Tennis Classic in nation’s capital: This week in tennis business with Justin Cohen

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Roddick commits to 2011 Legg Mason Tennis Classic

World No. 12 Andy Roddick will be returning to the Legg Mason Tennis Classic presented by GEICO for the 10th time in his professional career after committing to the event on Monday, looking to win his fourth career singles title in the nation’s capital. The ATP World Tour 500 event will take place in Washington, D.C. at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center at Rock Creek Park from July 30-August 7. “The Legg Mason Tennis Classic is very excited to announce that Andy Roddick, one of the most sought-after players by tournaments around the world, has committed to play,” said Jeff Newman, Tournament Director and Senior Vice President with Lagardère Unlimited. “Andy typically plays only 13 ATP World Tour Tournaments per year out of the 62 held in 32 countries worldwide.  Similar to Andre Agassi during his career, we feel fortunate that Andy continues to choose to play in Washington each year.” Roddick has won singles titles at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in 2001, 2005 and 2007, while owning a career singles record of 30-6 in Washington.

Andy Roddick

Smyczek signs with Dunlop

Milwaukee native Tim Smyczek, who trains at the Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa and is ranked No. 177, has signed with Dunlop. The 23-year-old will play with the Biomimetic 300 Tour racquet while trying to continue his climb up the ATP rankings. Smyczek will make his second appearance in a Grand Slam singles main draw later this month at Roland Garros after winning the USTA French Open Wild Card Playoffs in Boca Raton, Fla. “My game has really taken off this year, and switching to the Biomimetic 300 Tour has played a key role,” said Smyczek. “Whenever I step onto the court, no matter what the surface or conditions, I’m confident with this racket. I’m looking forward to continuing my partnership with Dunlop.” Smyczek, who turned pro in 2006, reached the quarterfinals in San Jose and the second round at Indian Wells earlier this year. “Tim is a great signing for Dunlop,” said Kai Nitche, Vice President and General Manager of Dunlop Racket Sports. “He possesses the key characteristics we look for in our Tour Team members; he works extremely hard both on and off-court, he’s dedicated, and he pulls through in clutch situations. It’s been a pleasure to work with him thus far, and we wish him well as he continues his climb up the ATP World Tour rankings.”

Gasquet to endorse Tourna Grip

Unique Sports announced that world No. 18 Richard Gasquet of France will endorse Tourna Grip in a multi-year deal. Gasquet, who has used Tourna Grip his entire career, joins the Bryan Brothers, Sam Querrey, David Ferrer, Victoria Azarenka, Vera Zvonareva and Juan Carlos Ferrero as some of the top players who endorse Tourna Grip.

TicketCity becomes local sponsor of Davis Cup tie between United States and Spain in Austin

On Monday, the USTA announced that TicketCity, a leader in secondary ticketing, has become a local sponsor of the 2011 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas quarterfinal between the United States and Spain at the Frank Erwin Center on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin from July 8-10. The Austin-based company is the official secondary ticket provider of the Davis Cup quarterfinal between the United States and Spain. TicketCity plans to engage with tennis fans attending or watching the event through a variety of marketing and promotional elements implemented in the arena as well as during the broadcast of the matches throughout the weekend on Tennis Channel. “We’re excited to see Davis Cup competition come to our hometown and proud to be a part of it through this sponsorship with the USTA,” says Amy Carpenter, Vice President of Marketing at TicketCity. “We look forward to connecting with tennis fans in Austin and across the country through this partnership and increasing awareness of the breadth of events we offer, as well as our passionate commitment to customer service in the ticketing industry.”

Tennis Warehouse Europe to process all online orders for 2011 French Open

Tennis Warehouse Europe, the European division of Tennis Warehouse, has announced the new partnership with the French Open starting in 2011. The company has agreed to process all online orders for Roland Garros. The French Tennis Federation recognizes Tennis Warehouse Europe as the fulfillment provider of this prestigious tennis tournament. All Roland Garros items sold through the official French Open website will be filled by Tennis Warehouse Europe and starting this week the complete line of official Roland Garros products will be offered through the Tennis Warehouse Europe website. “We are very excited that the French Tennis Federation selected Tennis Warehouse Europe to handle the fulfillment of the exclusive Roland-Garros products for Spring 2011,” said Rick Kerpsack, Managing Director of Tennis Warehouse Europe.

2011 Legg Mason Tennis Classic tickets go on sale

On Monday, ticket packages and single session tickets went on sale to the public for the 2011 Legg Mason Tennis Classic presented by GEICO, which will be held at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center at Rock Creek Park in Washington D.C. from July 30-August 7. Ticket packages for all ten sessions start at $200 ($20 per session) for Weeklong Reserved to $550 for Premium Box Seats.  Single session seats range from $10 to $75, depending on session and seat location. In addition to the tournament’s Weeklong Box Seat and Reserved Seat packages, other flexible ticket packages include Box Seat Mini-Breaks (box seat tickets for three sessions), Weekender Packages (reserved seat for the first weekend and all Quarterfinal, Semifinal and Final matches Friday through Sunday) and the Day Tripper (both sessions of Saturday semifinals at one low price). Group discounts, Special Event Packages and Courtside Suites are also available. Tickets are available to be purchased through the official tournament ticket hotline at (202) 721-9500.

WTA New Haven Open at Yale tickets on sale now for USTA members

Tickets are on sale now for USTA members for the 2011 WTA New Haven Open at Yale in New Haven, Conn., which will be played from August 18-27. Ticket can be ordered by calling the New Haven Open at Yale box office at 1-855-4-NHTENNIS or by visiting newhaventennis.com. Be sure to mention that you are a USTA Member and have your valid USTA Member ID available when calling. If you wish to purchase your tickets online, please use code “2011USTA” to receive the USTA Member discount. USTA Members receive $15 off multi-day Box Seat Packages, $30 off select Travel Packages, and 25% off Adult Middle Tier tickets for Sunday, August 21 through Wednesday August 24 (Sessions 1-7). USTA Members can enjoy members-only access to the USTA private hospitality area on Tuesday, August 23 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. and can also receive 25% off Adult Middle Tier tickets (Sessions 4 and 5). Be sure to have your valid USTA Member ID card available for entry into the hospitality area. Valid ticket required to enter tournament grounds. General public tickets go on sale on Wednesday, June 1.

Tomic and Dellacqua get French Open main draw wild cards from Tennis Australia

Bernard Tomic and Casey Dellacqua were awarded French Open main draw wild cards by Tennis Australia on Monday, which are part of a reciprocal agreement between the French Tennis Federation and Tennis Australia. Since reaching the third-round at the Australian Open in Melbourne in January, Tomic has had mediocre results, but is currently ranked No. 176 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings. Dellacqua, a Perth native, returned to the WTA Tour at an Australian Challenger event in February after a year off due to injuries. In April, Dellacqua won a $25,000 Challenger tournament in Bundaberg, Australia.

Four WTA Tour players nominated for Fed Cup Heart Award

Andrea Petkovic, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Olga Savchuk and Polona Hercog were recently announced by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) as possible winners for the upcoming Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Heart Award. In April, all four players played for their nation in Fed Cup. The players were selected by ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti, a mixture of former professional players and members of the international media. From May 3-24, a public vote will take place on FedCup.com and FedCup.com/es to decide the winner. The winner will receive a $3,000 check to be donated to a charity of her choice. The Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Heart Award is a joint initiative between BNP Paribas and the ITF. It aims to recognize players who have represented their country with distinction, shown exceptional courage on court and demonstrated outstanding commitment to their team. A total of six Heart Awards are being presented in 2011. Earlier in the year, Bojana Jovanovski, Bianca Botto, Ayumi Morita and Victoria Azarenka were recognized, and a player will also be honored at the Fed Cup Final in November. “The level of passion and excitement for Fed Cup by BNP Paribas has grown considerably during the last year, helped significantly by the outstanding commitment shown by the players,” said Ricci Bitti. “I would like to congratulate Andrea, Maria Jose, Olga and Polona for being shortlisted for a Heart Award. I would also like to encourage all fans to go online and vote, as it provides a fantastic opportunity to reward the skill, effort and character of the players.”

The Real Reason to Root for David Nalbandian

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By Christopher Lancette

There’s a lot I like about David Nalbandian as he works his way back up the rankings in 2011. He’s a man who uses his head, heart and sometimes even his feet.

He put the latter to use for a good cause on Feb. 12 when he played a little soccer to raise money for the Primary Healthcare Center in Pueblo Nuevo, Argentina. Joining soccer scribe Gaston Recondo in the Entre Rios province of his home country, Nalbandian and the soccer club Juventud Unida de Gualeguaychu sought to expand the facility at Centro de Atención Primaria de Salud.

David Nalbandian

While many ATP players try to catch a rare rest between tournaments, the 2002 Wimbledon finalist Nalbandian was spending some of his not-very-free time with his foundation – Fundacion David Nalbandian. It’s dedicated to improving the quality of life for the disabled and for the most neglected social groups. It also promotes participation in sports and adapted sports.

I salute any player who manages to do so much good in a year-round sport with no real breaks. I like Nalbandian’s game just as much and hope to see him return to the top ten before the year is out if he can avoid repercussions from the hip injury that dropped him down to the 60s in the rankings.

Watching Nalbandian practice at the 2010 Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington D.C. before the tournament began, I turned to a friend and predicted that the wild card entry would win the event. He did exactly that, using the kind of tennis that makes crowds like the one in D.C. start singing in Spanish even when most of its members don’t speak the language. (Still can’t figure out where so many light blue and white flags came from within seconds of match point.)

Unlike the boring stand-in-one-spot baseliners (Andy Roddick, Tomas Berdych, Mardy Fish, et al.), Nalbandian employs an aggressive offense. He’s as adroit blasting double-fisted backhands down the line for winners as he is attacking the net and carving sharp angles to win points.

He’s also one of the seemingly few players who makes on-court strategic adjustments when needed – splitting open a crack in an opponent’s armor or switching to another option if his intended game plan isn’t working.

Nalbandian has the guts to play to win rather than sitting back and hoping not to lose. The approach has him off to a 6-3 start in 2011, including an Australian Open victory over Lleyton Hewitt. Nalbandian this week is playing at the Copa Claro inBuenos Aires.

It would be great to see Nalbandian regain the spot he deserves in the top five. The foundation of his game is so solid that he certainly has a chance. It’s the other foundation, though, the one that bears his name, that might mean even more to him.