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Steve Johnson, Dominika Cibulkova Winners Going Into Wimbledon – Mondays with Bob Greene

June 26, 2016 by Admin

Mondays with Bob Greene

STARS

Steve Johnson beat Pablo Cuevas 7-6 (5) 7-5 to win the Aegon Open in Nottingham, Great Britain

Dominika Cibulkova beat Karolina Pliskova 7-5 6-3 to win the Aegon International in Eastbourne, Great Britain

SAYING

“It feels really good, I’m not going to lie.” – Steve Johnson, on winning his first ATP World Tour title in Nottingham.

“This tournament is the toughest one before the Grand Slam because everybody wants to play on grass and this is a big one.” – Dominika Cibulkova, following her victory in Eastbourne.

“There is so little margin for error in the doubles game right now. Every match can be 50/50, but you can also beat anyone as well.” – Daniel Nestor, after winning his 89^th career doubles title.

“To get a win against this caliber of a team before Wimbledon is a big boost. We did well to hang in there even after dropping the match points.” – Dominic Inglot, who teamed with Daniel Nestor to win the doubles at Nottingham.

STEVE’S FIRST

Steve Johnson picked a good time to capture his first career ATP world Tour title. By defeating Pablo Cuevas, the American won the Aegon Open Nottingham, a grass-court Wimbledon warm-up event. “I had some ups and downs so far this year,” Johnson said. “To find my groove on the grass is fantastic. It was the second final for Johnson, who lost to David Ferrer in Vienna last year. But it was his second title in Nottingham; he won an ATP Challenger Tour event on the same courts in 2013, before the tournament was moved to the ATP Tour 250 level. Johnson trailed Cuevas 3-1 in the first-set tiebreak before winning six of the next eight points. After trading breaks in the second set, Johnson broke again in the 11^th game, then won with a drop volley on his second match point a game later. “I had a good week at Queen’s Club (the week before) and felt pretty comfortable on the grass,” Johnson said. “Once I got here and played my first couple of matches, I knew I was definitely a contender to win this.”

SLOVAK POWER

Dominika Cibulkova is showing that once again she could be a threat at a Grand Slam tournament. A former Australian Open finalist, Cibulkova won her first grass-court title by beating Karolina Pliskova in a struggle at Eastbourne. After missing much of the 2015 season after undergoing surgery on his Achilles, the Slovak reached her fourth final of the year, tying her with Serena Williams for most finals appearances this season. “It’s very hard to describe, this has been my best week on grass and it just feels – it just happened and I can’t believe it,” Cibulkova said. “I was playing really well today, but the conditions were really hard for me and my opponent. It was a great week for me.” Despite the loss, Pliskova wasn’t complaining about her week. “I’m really happy with the way I played this year on grass, with Wimbledon coming so I hope to have better results there,” she said. “I have at least one title and now a final, so it’s not that bad.”

SLIPPERY MONEY

The United Kingdom’s vote to leave the European Union will affect those paychecks the players at Wimbledon receive. Although this year’s champions at the All England Club will receive a record amount, the value of that award went skidding when the British pound plummeted nearly 10 percent following the vote. If the pound remains low, the Wimbledon winners stand to earn USD $275,000 less than before the vote.

STRONG PAIRING

It may have taken a little longer than they hoped, but Dominic Inglot and Daniel Nestor came away from Nottingham with their first title as a team. The pair failed to close out the victory when they served for the match in the 10^th game of the second set. But following a rain delay, they beat Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 7-5 7-6 (4). “I think the rain actually helped up refocus,” Nestor said. “We were still in a good situation and we came back out pretty strongly. … It was high-quality tennis.” The British-Canadian duo saved three break points in their second service game of the match, then went on a five-game run to lead by a set and a break. Dodig and Melo weren’t done, however. They saved a championship point on their serve at 4-5, then broke from deuce in the following game when the Inglot-Nester team served for the match. The title was Inglot’s fifth and Nestor’s 89^th. The 43-year-old Canadian left-hander has won at least one tour-level doubles title since 1994.

SIGNED UP

Juan Martin del Potro will once again play Davis Cup for Argentina. The former US Open champion has not played for four years because of wrist injuries and differences he had with former Davis Cup captain Martin Jaite and leading player David Nalbandian. Del Potro was named to Argentina’s team that will take on Italy in a World Group quarterfinal July 15-17. Also named to the squad were Juan Monaco, Federico Delbonis and Guido Pella.

SKIRTING THE NEWS

Usually news about what is being worn at Wimbledon concerns only the all-white dress code. This isn’t a usual year. So many women players have complained about Nike’s offerings for the grass-court Grand Slam tournament that the company has made changes. Players felt the nightie-like fashion kept fluttering so high that it played havoc with their swings. British teenager Katie Boulter tied a long hairband around her midsection to keep the dress down. And Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic decided to wear knee-length leggings underneath. White leggings, of course. Nike got the message. “We need to make a small change to your dresses per Wimbledon rules,” the company said in an email it sent to players. “Could you please bring them by Nike Wimbledon House.” In an underlined end to the message, Nike said, “This is VERY important.”

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Eastbourne: Darija Jurak and Anastasia Rodionova beat Chan Hao-Ching and Chan Yung-Jan 5-7 7-6 (4) 10-6 (match tiebreak)

Nottingham: Dominic Inglot and Daniel Nestor beat Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 7-5 7-6 (4)

SURFING

Wimbledon: www.wimbledon.com/

Braunschweig: www.sparkassen-open.de/

Contrexeville: www.lorraine-open88.fr

Budapest: www.huntennis.hu

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

MEN and WOMEN

Wimbledon, London, Great Britain, grass (first week)

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

Wimbledon, London, Great Britain, grass (second week)

$118,200 Sparkassen Open 2016, Braunschweig, Germany, clay

WOMEN

Wimbledon, London, Great Britain, grass (second week)

$100,000 Lorraine Open 88, Contrexeville, France, clay

$100,000 Europe Tennis Center Ladies Open, Budapest, Hungary, clay

Sponsors Shuffle Amidst Sharapova’s Failed Drug Test – This Week In Tennis Business with Kevin Craig

March 11, 2016 by Admin

by Kevin Craig

@KCraig_Tennis

Sponsors Shuffle Amidst Sharpova’s Failed Drug Test

Just days after Maria Sharapova’s announcement of her failed drug test, her sponsors have begun making their voices heard in regards to the event. Long-time clothing sponsor Nike has suspended its partnership with the Russian tennis star, while Tag Heuer has decided to not renew its contract with Sharapova and Porsche will be suspending future activities with her as well. On the other end of the spectrum, racquet manufacturer Head has decided to extend their contract with Sharapova, stating that she “made an honest mistake, it was with no intent,” according to BBC. In a press release, Head praised Sharapova for the “honesty and courage she displayed in announcing and acknowledging her mistake,” while also describing her as “a role model and woman of integrity who has inspired millions of fans around the world to play and watch tennis.” The failed drug test has attracted attention from many players who decided to let their opinions on the matter known. Andy Murray, another player who is sponsored by Head, claims that Sharapova deserved the potential ban that is coming while also criticizing Head for making their decision without more information being released that could help make a better decision, according to The Guardian. “I personally wouldn’t have responded like that,” stated Murray in a press conference at the BNP Paribas Open.

Jack Sock Signs with Nike, Helps Debut New Shoe

American tennis star Jack Sock has switched clothing sponsorships from Adidas to Nike and will be helping debut the NikeCourt Air Zoom Ultrafly at the BNP Paribas Open. Sock, along with Eugenie Bouchard, will be debuting the shoe that was designed by Nike with the insight of professional athletes over the course of the last three years, according to Sports Illustrated. Michael Hui, Nike’s tennis footwear senior designer, claims the shoe is a combination of a tennis shoe and a track shoe, made with the intention to increase on court speed for the players who wear the shoe. Sock claims that when he “got in the shoe, [he] felt like [his] quickness improved, which was a big confidence booster for” him, in an interview with Sports Illustrated. The show has an asymmetrical design that allows players to easily move quickly from side to side as it provides “maximum contact when you’re on the corners” of the shoe. Sock, who states that he likes to be a trendsetter, enjoys wearing the Ultrafly as it is a new look for tennis shoes. “It’s definitely something we’ve never seen before in tennis…People are definitely going to look at it and be doing double takes,” says the American in an interview with Sports Illustrated.

McEnroe Challenge Fundraises $80K

The first event of this year’s BNP Paribas Open, the McEnroe Challenge for Charity, raised $80,000. The event has become an annual fixture for the tournament in Indian Wells, attracting stars of the tennis world to play in front of packed crowds on Stadium 2. This year’s event saw Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Tracy Austin, Pat Cash, and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario joined by current players Madison Keys and Coco Vandeweghe. The players were assigned to teams and played four sets, with each player and doubles team representing a local charity, according to The Desert Sun. The winners of each set earned $15,000 for their charity while the losers earned $5,000. This was the first time that Sampras had played an exhibition event at Indian Wells since 2010 when he played in the “Hit for Haiti” that helped raise over $1 million for the relief efforts in Haiti.

Great Britain Gives Leon Smith Extension as Davis Cup Captain

Great Britain’s Davis Cup captain Leon Smith has been rewarded with a contract extension after his recent success in the international competition. According to Telegraph, the contract will extend through the 2018 season. Smith’s impressive record of 13-2 in his first 15 ties has secured his position in charge of the current Davis Cup holders. Andy and Jamie Murray, the two stars of British tennis, have been working with Smith since they were children and have been a vital part to Smith’s success. In a press release, Smith claimed “it is a huge honor and privilege to continue captaining our Davis Cup team” and acknowledged the Davis Cup title as the highlight of his career. Smith and Great Britain are set to face Serbia in the quarterfinals of the World Group in July, with the Murray brothers already committed to play. They will be eagerly awaiting Novak Djokovic’s decision of whether or not he will participate in the tie.

Chris Kermode Appointed for Second Term

ATP President and Executive Chairman Chris Kermode has been appointed to a second term by the ATP Board of Directors that will see him in the position until 2019, according to the ATP. Kermode took the job in January of 2014 and has seen significant progress made by the ATP, including an all-time record of attendance at ATP events and having over one billion television viewers in 2015. Other successes for Kermode in his first term include his capturing long-term prize money agreements, stabilizing the ATP schedule, and commercial sponsorship. Prize money on the ATP will reach a record of $135 million by 2018, while the ATP was able to garner $160 million in sponsorship revenue over the course of the next five years. Kermode hopes to see similar success on the ATP Challenger Tour, as he sets to increase prize money on that level and improve investments, tournament scheduling, player services, and marketing, according to the ATP. Roger Federer and Justin Gimelstob have praised Kermode for the work that he has been able to do over the span of his first term, both citing the current great state that the tour is in. In a press release, Kermode stated “I’ve taken great pleasure in leading the ATP since 2014, and I’m delighted to continue in my role as Executive Chairman and President.”

Tiriac to Sell Tournament

Ion Tiriac has announced that he will be selling his ATP event in Bucharest. According to local media in Romania, Tiriac claimed he “can’t make a fool out of [his] name.” Tiriac has been struggling with the Romanian government while he has been searching for either a new stadium to host his tournament or funding to help renovate the current stadium. The main court at the complex in which the tournament has been held in the past is not allowed to host matches anymore “because it doesn’t have a permit from the Emergency Situations Inspectorate,” according to Romania Insider. Because of this, all of the matches will be played in front of limited crowds on the side courts of the complex.

Citi to be Presenting Sponsor for New York Empire

The newest team in World Team Tennis, the New York Empire, announced that Citi will be the presenting sponsor for the Empire’s home matches, which will be taking place at the historic West Side Tennis Club. In a press release, Empire General Manager Colleen Hopkins stated “we are proud to have the power of Citi join us to bring back professional tennis for our inaugural season in Forest Hills.” Hopkins went on to praise Citi as one of the most influential brands in New York and having “their participation speaks volumes about where we all think the Empire will be going.” Jennifer Breithaupt, Managing Director of Media and Advertising for Citi, claims Citi will be “able to provide additional opportunities for fans to get closer to their favorite athletes.”

Brand Slam: A Look Back at the US Open Brand Winners

September 22, 2014 by Admin

By Rob Penner

Welcome to our new monthly column “Brand Slam” featuring all things tennis brands: new products, reviews, interviews and more. The world’s biggest sports brands have made all four Grand Slam tournaments a highlight of their seasonal calendars to launch new products and feature custom designs for several years now – and continue to do so. So we’ll take a look back four times each year at the brand winners and losers at each Grand Slam.

It was at the US Open where Jennifer Capriati first came out with the blue stars and stripes dress by Fila, Serena Williams unveiled the PUMA cat suit and Tommy Haas first donned his sleeveless shirt at a major. The 2014 US Open didn’t have quite that sort of fashion statement this year, but there were plenty of other highlights.

The Winners:

Li-Ning – Li-Ning was an ATP World Tour partner from 2006-2012 and has Dwayne Wade among its basketball endorsers, but until Marin Cilic captured the US Open title last week, it had never previously received this kind of brand visibility in any sport across global newspapers and television – except perhaps during the Olympics. Ivan Ljubicic wore Li-Ning for a time and won Indian Wells but that’s not quite the Open. Putting Li Ning’s logo on the sleeve lead to some nice logo placements in photos and it will be interesting to see if Cilic stays with the lesser-known brand in the years ahead. But this is still a major coup for a brand still trying to make a mark in other markets beyond China.

Grade: A-

Uniqlo – Uniqlo’s sponsorship of Novak Djokovic is old news. He’s been wearing their square red logo since summer 2012, but it still seems a bit of an odd combination and not quite at the core of the Uniqlo brand. But who would have expected the first ever all-Uniqlo semifinal with Djokovic facing Kei Nishikori, also outfitted in Uniqlo? It was quite the brand exposure and makes you wonder if another Japanese brand like Mizuno might want to dive back into the tennis mix some time soon.

Grade: B+

Asics – Asics doesn’t go big with the sponsorship dollars in tennis – Gael Monfils and Sam Stosur are their headliners – but more and more players who might not have formal shoe deals are using the Gel-Resolution 5 or Gel-Solution Speed. You see them all over the backcourts. The average tennis fan notices this and – in parallel – you’re seeing a huge gain in popularity of Asics on tennis courts across the country. Gael Monfils’ bright yellow shirt and shoes and all-Asics outfit during his quarterfinal against Federer definitely stuck out.

Grade: B

Noteworthy:

New Balance – New Balance gets a mention for its NYC subway ad campaign during the Open featuring Milos Raonic. His yellow Charlie Brown top gets mixed reviews, but the New Balance MC996 has been one of the best tennis shoes the venerable brand has put out in years and the yellow colorway Raonic wears is clearly a hot color across the courts this year.

Grade: B-

Nike – Nike unveiled several looks for the Open for all of its top players: Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Rafa Nadal. Only two of them made the semis. Nike gets credit for its design of Sharapova’s “Day Tunic” which hits high on the waist and gives a flattering silhouette. It was arguably the most stylish outfit of the entire tournament and had nice color blocking. Unfortunately, Maria’s outfit was juxtaposed by Serena’s hot mess of a dress which featured a leopard print look that was in style about 10 years ago. And the hot pink version was particularly bad.

Grade: C+

Lacoste – For several years over the past decade, Lacoste was prevalent out there in every tournament with Andy Roddick and a host of Frenchmen sporting the crocodile, but lately they have been almost non-existent on the court. They’ve seemed to fall off the radar on the competitive tennis side – much like the American men at this year’s Open. It’s a bit curious considering that they are only on the second generation of their performance Repel shoe.

Grade: D

Rob Penner is a former PR Manager with the ATP and former head of sports PR for global sportswear brand PUMA.

MARIA DOES NOT LIVE UP TO HYPE DOWN UNDER

January 18, 2010 by WTM

Maria Sharapova was unceremoniously bounced in the opening round of the 2010 Australian Open, losing to fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena. The match last 3:22 and was the second longest women’s match ever at the Australian Open. Only the 1996 quarterfinal match where Chanda Rubin defeated Arantxa Sanczhez Vicario 6-4, 2-6, 16-14 in 3:33 lasted longer

The former world No. 1 was the subject of much hype entering the tournament, including being the feature of a significant USA Today feature story last week and as the pick to win the event from three members of the Tennis.com editorial staff. Nike also announced last week that they signed her to an eight-year, $70 million deal, the largest endorsement deal for a female athlete in history,

The match, played between the pair of 22 year-old Russians who have both posed for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, was played under a closed roof at Rod Laver Arena as rain in Melbourne kept for the roof to be closed at the start of the match and for the duration.

Sharapova hit 55 winners, but registered 77 unforced errors in the match.