By Justin Cohen @JustinCohen44
2013 BNP Paribas Open sets attendance record
For the seventh consecutive year, the BNP Paribas Open, the largest ATP World Tour and WTA combined event, has broken its attendance record. The 2013 event welcomed 382,227 fans to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for two weeks of world-class tennis. In addition to breaking overall attendance records, the tournament also set day (25,786) and night (18,656) session attendance records on Saturday, March 9. The staggering attendance figures continue to solidify the BNP Paribas Open’s place as the most-attended ATP World Tour and WTA combined event in the world. Fans interested in the 2014 edition of the tournament (March 3-16), can begin purchasing tickets Wednesday, March 20 when Classic Series ticket packages go on sale to the public. The Classic Series package includes all 21 sessions of tennis in the Main Stadium and offers the best seat locations and value. The new Stadium 2 will also offer Classic Series packages. In addition, the tournament has begun building a new permanent Stadium 2, which will feature 8,000 seats and two restaurants, a marquee site entrance on Washington Street with a new box office, a new 19,000 square foot shade structure identical to the one built in 2012, four additional practice courts, and an additional grass parking space for up to 2,000 cars. The new Stadium 2 will be ready for the 2014 BNP Paribas Open. For more information and to purchase tickets, please call the Indian Wells Tennis Garden Box Office 800-999-1585 or 760-200-8000, or visit bnpparibasopen.com, where there is a complete listing and description of all ticket packages and pricing. Rafael Nadal won the men’s singles title this year by defeating Juan Martin del Potro in three sets, while Maria Sharapova captured the women’s title with a convincing straight sets win over Caroline Wozniacki.
Mallory Burdette signs multi-year deal with Dunlop
Rising American star Mallory Burdette, a former NCAA Champion while playing at Stanford, has signed a multi-year sponsorship agreement with Dunlop. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Burdette will play with the new Biomimetic M3.0 tennis racquet. “I’ve been lucky enough to know Mallory since her junior days in Georgia,” said Hunter Hines, Dunlop Racquet Sports Director of Marketing and Product Development. “Since leaving Stanford after her junior year, she’s already had a couple memorable runs at high profile tournaments, including last year’s US Open where she reached the third round. We look forward to big things from Mallory.” Burdette is currently playing at the Sony Open in Miami, where she just qualified for the main draw.
Har-Tru named Title Sponsor of USTA Pro Circuit Wild Card Challenge
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced that Har-Tru Sports has signed a three-year agreement to become the title sponsor of the 2013 USTA Pro Circuit Wild Card Challenge. Har-Tru becomes the first title sponsor of the event, which utilizes the USTA Pro Circuit to award wild cards into the French Open to one American man and one American woman. In the newly named Har-Tru USTA Pro Circuit Wild Card Challenge, the American man and American woman who earn the most ATP World Tour and WTA tour ranking points at two of three select USTA Pro Circuit clay-court events (see schedule below) earn the designated main draw wild cards into the French Open. Only Americans who did not otherwise earn direct entry into the French Open are eligible. The USTA and the French Tennis Federation have a reciprocal agreement in which wild cards into the 2013 French and US Opens are exchanged. “We are incredibly excited to be able to sponsor the USTA Pro Circuit,” said Pat Hanssen, General Manager of Har-Tru Sports. “It’s a great opportunity to support the governing body of our sport, the USTA, and its efforts to promote and develop the growth of tennis in the U.S. The fact that we can help the USTA leverage their efforts to drive more high level training and competition on clay, and indeed support the method for these players to gain wild card entry into Roland Garros, lines up perfectly with our commitment to developing champions.” “The USTA Pro Circuit has long been devoted to developing American world-class players, and now we have a world-class partner in that endeavor in Har-Tru,” said Brian Earley, Director of the USTA Pro Circuit. “Learning to play on clay is an important part of developing the all-around player in tennis today, and Har-Tru is a top-notch, innovative company that has served the needs of American clay-court tennis for generations. We are thrilled to have them sponsor the Har-Tru USTA Pro Circuit Wild Card Challenge to give American players the equal chance to compete in the French Open—the world’s most prestigious clay-court tournament.” The Har-Tru USTA Pro Circuit Wild Card Challenge will consist of events in Dothan, Ala., Charlottesville, Va., and Indian Harbour Beach, Fla., for the women’s events and Sarasota, Savannah and Tallahassee for the men’s events.
Draper to step down in September as Chief Executive of Lawn Tennis Association
According to an article by Paul Newman in the Independent, Roger Draper, one of the most criticized figures in British sports, will step down in September as Chief Executive of the Lawn Tennis Association. The announcement follows the recent appointment of David Gregson as independent chairman of the LTA board. During his seven years in charge, Draper came under fire from many, despite lots of success of local players including Andy Murray, Heather Watson and Laura Robson. However, the biggest successes have been achieved by players whose careers have developed largely outside the LTA’s training programs and critics point instead to what they see as the governing body’s failure to spend its annual Wimbledon windfall wisely. Millions were spent in Draper’s early years on recruiting highly-paid coaches and administrators from overseas, such as Brad Gilbert and Paul Annacone, nearly all of whom have now left. Draper himself earned $ 640,000 (EU) last year, including a $200,000 (EU) bonus. In recent times Draper has been roundly criticized for the declining numbers of people playing tennis in Britain, which led to Sport England withholding around $10 million (EU) of grant money last year.
Federer among Sports Illustrated’s Top 10 Power Players
Former World No. 1 and 17-time Grand Slam singles champion Roger Federer is among the Top 10 power players of world sport according to Sports Illustrated. The Swiss superstar is No. 3 in the list, behind NBA basketball star LeBron James and golfer Tiger Woods. Serena Williams, the WTA World No. 1, is seventh overall. Sports Illustrated writes, “Never mind that he’s the most decorated men’s tennis player ever, is there a more likeable athlete? “A 2011 Reputation Institute study listed Federer, 31, as the second-most-respected man in the world – behind only Nelson Mandela.”
Murray named Laureus World Breakthrough Player of the Year
Andy Murray was named the Laureus World Breakthrough Player of the Year on Monday night in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2012, Murray won his first Grand Slam singles title at the US Open, the London Olympics Gold Medal in singles and the silver medal in mixed doubles with Laura Robson. Murray is currently in Miami competing in the Sony Open.
Del Potro commits to AEGON Championships at The Queen’s Club in London
Recent BNP Paribas Open finalist Juan Martin del Potro announced on Tuesday that he will participate in the 2013 AEGON Championships at The Queen’s Club in London, which will be played from June 10-16. The Argentine joins US Open champion Andy Murray and World No. 6 Tomas Berdych in the player field. “I like to play on grass, and at the Aegon Championships you feel like you are at home,” said Del Potro, the World No.7. “They provide some great facilities for the players and it’s a very good tournament. Everything is made easy for the players – the locker-room is close to the courts, there is plenty of chance to practise on grass, and there are full crowds every day. It’s a really nice tournament.
USTA junior-tennis restructuring eliminates tournament worth $2 million to Mobile, Ala.
According to an article written by Mark Inabinett on Alabama.com, the USTA’s junior tournament schedule for 2014 doesn’t include the 18s National Spring Championships in Mobile, Ala., which is an event credited with adding close to $2 million to the local economy and $195,383 to the city, county and state tax coffers in 2012. The elimination of the tournament is part of a change in direction by the USTA for its junior tennis program. But it doesn’t mean the tournament is dead just yet. USTA leaders say the changes to the national competitive structure make junior tennis more efficient, effective and affordable. One factor for the changes is that the USTA expects a boom in junior tennis because of its recent emphasis on 10-and-under programs. The organization wants to give these youngsters, which the USTA expects to reflect a wider diversity in demographics than junior tennis does today, more opportunities to complete locally, which will mean lower travel costs and less time out of school. In that same vein, the elimination of the 18s National Spring Championships avoids holding a major national tournament during the school year. The USTA also has added team tournaments in the new plan to prepare junior players for the format that they will see in college. With more emphasis on regional and sectional play than in the past, the changes reduced national opportunities for junior players by up to 50 percent in some age groups. Since announcing the changes, the USTA has held meetings with several groups that coalesced to oppose them. The protests have produced some results. The USTA’s Junior Competition and Sportsmanship Committee’s latest revision to the changes includes reinstating the USTA National Winter Championships. The National Spring Championships have not received a reprieve, however. The Junior Competition and Sportsmanship Committee is holding its annual meeting this weekend in Miami and is scheduled to release its latest recommendations after the meeting ends on Monday.
Luxilon returns as Official Stringer of Sony Open in Miami
Luxilon®, the number one string on the pro tour and distributed exclusively worldwide by Wilson Racquet Sports, is the official stringer again of this year’s Sony Open, which will be held from March 18-31 in Miami. Used by 73 percent of the top 100 ATP players and 59 percent of the top 100 WTA players, this string is the brand of choice among the world’s top players because of its power, spin potential, and overall playing performance. “We are proud to be part of the Sony Open, and Miami is a great venue to showcase our world-class strings and stringing team,” said Ryan Polito, Luxilon global product manager. “We will string 2,000 racquets, the majority with Luxilon string, to meet and exceed the demands of the world’s best players.”
Philadelphia Freedoms tickets on sale now
Tickets for the Philadelphia Freedoms of the Mylan World TeamTennis Pro League are now on sale to the public. For your chance to see Andy Roddick, Sloane Stephens, John McEnroe and Bob and Mike Bryan, please call (866) 988-8497 or visit freedomstix.ticketfly.com. The regular season for the Pro League this year will run from Sunday, July 7 – Wednesday, July 24.