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USTA invests $1.3 million in youth tennis program: This Week in Tennis Business with Justin Cohen

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USTA to invest $1.3 million in 10 and Under Tennis, 26 communities to receive $50,000 in grants

On Monday, the United States Tennis Association announced it will be investing $1.3 million towards their 10 and Under Tennis program in 26 communities throughout the country as part of its ongoing efforts to encourage young people to get active and start playing tennis. 10 and Under Tennis provides the youngest players with the ability to achieve immediate success by playing tennis on smaller courts, using smaller and lighter racquets and slower-moving and lower-bouncing balls. The goal the USTA has put into place for the next five years is to bring 10 and Under Tennis to children in more than 100 local markets. Each of the 26 communities will receive $50,000 in grant money from the USTA, which will be used to build new courts and adapt current tennis courts to accommodate 10 and Under Tennis. The $50,000 will be provided over a three-year period for communities to add new programs. Among the 26 cities selected to receive grants include Amarillo, Texas, Boise, Idaho, Bridgeport, Conn., Charlottesville, Va., Indianapolis, Lexington, Louisville, Milwaukee, New Orleans, San Diego, Shreveport, La., St. Paul, Minn., Stockton, Calif., Trenton, N.J., Wellington, Fla., and Yonkers, N.Y. In addition to the USTA’s $50,000 grant, the markets will receive an additional $50,000 grant from their respective USTA sections. A total of $2.6 million will be invested in the communities to ensure future generations will continue to play tennis for a lifetime. “10 and Under Tennis will allow thousands of youngsters to have more success and more fun in learning and playing the game,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA. “With this approach, tennis has become the newest ‘pick-up’ sport, and we expect to see participation numbers increase dramatically in the very near future.”

USTA

Agassi and Graf teaming up with USTA to promote 10 and Under Tennis

Tennis Hall of Famers Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf are teaming up with the USTA to encourage children getting healthy, becoming active and participating in the sport of tennis through the USTA’s 10 and Under Tennis initiative. Throughout the Olympus US Open Series, a 30-second commercial titled Story Time, which features Agassi and Graf, will promote 10 and Under Tennis and how easy it is for children to participate in the program using smaller courts, shorter and lighter racquets, slower-bouncing balls and simplified scoring – all designed to make tennis more fun for first time players. The new campaign looks to increase youth participation in the sport and generate awareness among parents who want to see their children have fun playing tennis and learning at the same time. “As a mother and life-long tennis player, I fully understand the importance of ensuring that kids properly learn the game of tennis at their own pace while also having fun doing it. Anytime kids can get a true feel for the game, it is best,” said Graf. “10 and Under Tennis gives children the opportunity to experience authentic court movement, swing patterns and game strategy. It is real tennis and a step in the right direction to getting more young kids involved in the game that I love,” said Agassi. The commercial spot was created by the Richmond-based agency, Martin Agency. The Martin Agency has created several of USTA’s past campaigns, including the US Open: It Must Be Love campaign.

Dick Enberg and Campbell Soup Company to be honored at Legends Ball in New York City

During the Legends Ball on Friday, September 9 at the Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, legendary sportscaster Dick Enberg and the Campbell Soup Company will be honored for commitment to tennis in front of hundreds of industry leaders and tennis enthusiasts from around the globe. Enberg, a 13-time Emmy award winner, will be presented the Eugene L. Scott Award, which honors an individual who embodies Scott’s commitment to communicating honestly and critically about the game, and who has had a significant impact on the tennis world. Scott founded Tennis Week magazine and wrote the most widely read and well-respected column about the sport, “Vantage Point” until his death in 2005.  Previous recipients of the award have been: John McEnroe (2006); Andre Agassi (2007); Billie Jean King (2008); Arthur Ashe and his wife Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe (2009); and Martina Navratilova (2010).In his 50-year career, Enberg has announced sports ranging from all four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, to NCAA basketball tournament games, NBA, NFL, MLB and PGA Tour events. Formerly the voice of four Summer Olympics, Enberg was named Tennis Play-by-Play Man of the Year by Tennis Magazine in 1989. He will be retiring from Grand Slam tennis tournaments after this year’s US Open in September to focus on announcing San Diego Padres baseball games, where he is the play-by-play announcer. Campbell Soup Company will be presented with the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Award, which is given in honor of the man who served as president and chairman of the Hall of Fame from 1982-1988, and was responsible for elevating the organization to worldwide status. The award recognizes an exceptional company that shares Cullman’s enthusiasm for tennis and has also made a significant contribution to society at large- both philanthropically and through outstanding generosity of spirit. Previous recipients of the award have been: BNP Paribas (2006); Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc. (2007); Sony Ericsson (2008); Tennis Channel (2009); and Mercedes-Benz (2010). “The International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Legends Ball is an opportunity to pay tribute to the outstanding contributors to the sport of tennis who have played an instrumental role in its growth, and both Dick Enberg and Campbell Soup Company are at the very top of that list. We are pleased to be able to say thank you at this very special event, and invite the tennis community to join us in doing so,” said Christopher E. Clouser, Chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum.

Tennis Ventures partners with Stanford Tennis Coaching Legends for upcoming Australian Open trip

Tennis Ventures, the Phoenix-based tour operator of the international Grand Slam tennis tournaments has partnered with Dick and Anne Gould, the legendary Stanford University tennis coaches to be the hosts and touring pros on Tennis Ventures’ Australian Open Quarterfinals program. With 18 National Collegiate Team Championships to their names, the Gould’s have coached former Australian Open singles champions Roscoe Tanner and Barbara Jordan and doubles champions Jared Palmer, Scott Davis, Bob and Mike Bryan, and Kathy Jordan. “We are excited to travel back to the Australian Open where we have many great memories,” said Dick Gould. “We also look forward to sharing our passion for tennis on the court with those who are joining us on this fantastic program.” Tennis Ventures CEO, Chadwick Byrd, announced, “We are extremely proud of being able to work with such high caliber and top class individuals as the Goulds. Their experience and passion for tennis and international travel make them a perfect fit with our unique programs to the international slams.” Byrd went on to say that the adult players on the program will have the opportunity to play nearly every day of the 10-day program and will have instruction from the Goulds and other international tennis pros on all four surfaces of the Grand Slam tennis tournaments. “No other tennis program offers the same combination of tournament viewing, player participation, all-inclusive activities and first class amenities.” For more information on Tennis Ventures, visit www.tennisventures.net.

United Way named charity of choice for Atlanta Tennis Championships in 2011-2012

During the Atlanta Tennis Championships last week, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta teamed up with the tournament to become its official charity for this year’s event as well as in 2012. As the official charity, a portion of ticket sales and corporate sponsorship fees will be donated to the United Way and its youth initiatives. Through its “Summer of Love” program last week, $500 was donated each time a player won a love set (6-0). “United Way couldn’t be more excited about this partnership with the Atlanta Tennis Championships,” says Milton J. Little, Jr., President of United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta. “We are grateful that the ATC has chosen to use this event as a vehicle to benefit United Way’s mission and work.”

Tennis Show to take place on August 27 in New York City at 2011 USTA Tennis Teachers Conference

The Tennis Show is slated to take place on August 27 at 2 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt New York at Lexington and 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan during the 2011 USTA Tennis Teachers Conference. The Tennis Show will feature exhibitors, a cocktail reception, prizes, a DJ and more. The Tennis Show will include the 5th Annual Tennis Industry Association (TIA) Tennis Forum and the 4th Annual Tennis Industry Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Those events will be followed immediately by the Opening Session of the 41st Annual USTA Tennis Teachers Conference. All events for this one-day celebration of tennis will be held in the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt. For more information on The Tennis Show, visit www.TennisShow.com. Visit www.USTA.com/ttc for additional information regarding the USTA Tennis Teachers Conference.

Professional Tennis Registry to host Professional Development Weekend in Hilton Head

Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) will hold its Professional Development Weekend at its world headquarters and Van der Meer Shipyard Racquet Club on Hilton Head Island, S.C., from October 6-9. Among the speakers are Iñaki Balzola, Dr. Louie Cap, Doug Cash, Colleen Cosgrove and Judy Vogt, Craig Jones, Kurt Kamperman, Anne Pankhurst, Tito Perez, Dr. Bryce Young and Tim ‘Dr. Dirt’ Wilkison. On court and classroom topics include How to Make Money with QuickStart, Great Games & Drills for Your Not so Great Juniors, How to Play Better Doubles without Hitting a Ball, Coaching Philosophy, 30 Unique Error Detections & Corrections, How to Run Junior Camps, Social Media for Tennis Pros, Hard & Clay Court Maintenance and more. The event is open to everyone for $295 before August 1, $349 after August 1. For information about Professional Development Weekend, accommodations, or to register, visit Events at www.ptrtennis.org or call PTR at (800) 421-6289.

Reigning US Open Junior champion and USTA 18-and-Under national champion turns pro

Jack Sock, defending US Open Junior champion and USTA 18-and-Under national champion, announced he will forego college tennis to pursue a career as a professional tennis player on the ATP World Tour. The 18-year-old Kansas City native signed a sponsorship deal with adidas and left for Las Vegas on Monday for one week to train at the highly-competitive adidas Pro Training Camp. Sock will be represented by CAA Sports, a division of Creative Artists Agency, the world’s leading entertainment and sports agency, whose client base includes Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and tennis legends Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf. Sock has played three USTA Challenger tournaments since winning his fourth consecutive Kansas high school singles title in May.

Melzer, Troicki, Tipsarevic commit to Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur

Malaysian Open Tournament Director Nick Freyer announced that world No. 18 Jurgen Melzer of Austria will join Serbians Viktor Troicki and Janko Tipsarevic, both Top 25 players, as recent ATP World Tour players to commit to the event, which will be played in Kuala Lumpur from September 24-October 2 at Putra Stadium. “Fans of the tournament have been asking for fresh stars to get to know for the third edition of the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur, and we continue to work hard in being able to deliver on this, but at the same time accommodating many old friends, who wanted to return for a second or third year,” said Nick Freyer, Tournament Director. “I am really delighted that Melzer, Troicki and Tipsarevic will be making their debuts in Malaysia. With their strong rankings and with one being a Wimbledon Doubles Champion and the other two Davis Cup heroes for Serbia, we are excited to be able to welcome them, and look forward to introducing them to Malaysian fans.” Recent Wimbledon quarterfinalist Bernard Tomic of Australia previously committed to the tournament.

Radwanska sisters taking break from using father as coach

Poland’s Fed Cup captain, Tomasz Wiktorowski, will coach both Agnieszka and Urszula Radwanska this week at the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. Agnieszka said she isn’t sure if her father, who has coached both sisters since they began playing tennis, will join them in the United States at all during the summer hardcourt season. “Sometimes it’s good to have a break, especially from someone you’ve been working with for 17 years already and sometimes it’s just too much,” Agnieszka Radwanska told TENNIS.com.

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

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By Justin Cohen

ATP event in New Haven moving to Winston-Salem

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

Ana Ivanovic

Nadal is the new face of Armani underwear and jeans

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

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

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

Ivanovic hires Antonio van Grichen on trial basis

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

Tomic hires new fitness trainer

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

Forget to be French Davis Cup Captain for two more years

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

Dusseldorf no longer hosting ATP World Team Cup

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

Etlingh and Haarhuis to return in Rotterdam in February

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

Canadian Valerie Tetreault retires at age 22

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

Molik granted wild card into Hobart in 2011

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

Meet Nick Bollettieri on New Year’s Eve

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

USTA PRODUCING PLAYERS, JUST NOT WORLD TOP 10 PLAYERS

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By Blair Henley

The United States Tennis Association is an easy target.

Any conversation about the conspicuous lack of American tennis talent usually leads to an Arthur Ashe Stadium full of fingers pointing squarely in their direction. But after looking into what the organization has accomplished recently, it becomes a little harder to blame them for what many perceive to be a lingering talent drought.

Tennis’ governing body seems to have the key tools necessary to create the next attention-grabbing American star: money (lots of it), talent (in leadership, coaches) and motivation (from the Board of Directors and sponsors).

The US Open attracted a record 721,059 fans in 2009, cementing its status as the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world. The tournament provides the bulk of the USTA’s yearly windfall with eye-popping revenues totaling around $210 million. The remainder comes from the yearly dues of its 700,000 plus members.

The organization has used that seemingly recession-proof cash flow to develop and launch programs designed to expose tennis to a broader audience. Their wildly successful QuickStart program for young beginners and their “no-cut” program, which encourages schools to expand their rosters in exchange for discounted equipment and a training guide, have both been extremely effective.

As a result, the number of children age 6-17 playing tennis jumped to 9.5 million from 6.8 million between 2006 and 2009. For all ages, tennis participation has grown 43% since 2000, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association.

With numbers like those, it’s no wonder the USTA is now racing past its country club counterparts at the U.S. Golf Association in terms of junior participation (the number of golfers age 6-17 dropped 24% between 2005 and 2008, according to a National Golf Foundation participation report). An article published recently in the Wall Street Journal laid out those statistics and applauded the USTA for its adaptability.

In addition to expanding the potential talent pool, the USTA has made some recent personnel changes. Instead of replacing Arlen Kantarian, the former chief executive of professional tennis who resigned at the end of 2008, the USTA elected to disperse his responsibilities among existing staff and save much of the $9 million he reportedly got paid during his last year with the organization. Also in 2008, the USTA hired well-respected U.S. Davis Cup coach Patrick McEnroe as head of USTA Elite Player Development.

According to the USTA, the move “is part of a new strategic direction for the development of future American champions…this initiative will provide a greater focus on top American junior players and young pros in an effort to achieve championship status.”

In the past few years, they have also financed construction of a brand new training center at the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, FL. They are now training and housing top U.S. talent full time.

It’s doubtful we would see such sweeping adjustments if the USTA hadn’t itself acknowledged that there were problems in the first place. So now that they’ve done their part, it seems we should start seeing results in the form of more highly ranked Americans on the pro tour, right?

Truth is there’s no instruction manual for nurturing kids with prodigious talent (although currently Spain and Russia seem to know something we don’t). In fact, the USTA can’t take sole responsibility for producing even one Grand Slam champion. It’s the maniacal tennis parents who seem to be best at that – Mike Agassi, Richard Williams, Stefano Capriati, Peter Graf, Jim Pierce, Gloria Connors and the list goes on.

Instead of shipping kids off to a tennis academy where each child is one of many, tennis parents can beat balls at their offspring for 8 hours a day, taking breathers only to belittle them (all without getting slapped with a lawsuit)!

Of course, that game plan also produces innumerable “waste products.” For every champion, there are countless ex-junior players sitting on their shrink’s couch rehashing the trauma of their youth. But, for better or worse, parents can insulate and micromanage their kids’ careers in a way that the USTA could never duplicate, no matter how good the coaches or facilities.

USTA Player Development is also suffering as a result of the recent explosion in squash, lacrosse and other team sports options available to youngsters. Unless there are parents present to tell their child, “You will give up having a normal life for the one in a million shot that you will be a tennis champion,” it’s hard to imagine many kids taking that road voluntarily. Unfortunately, many American parents have come to prefer the cooperation and diffused accountability of team sports over the perceived angst and anxiety of one-on-one competition.

During her run at last year’s US Open, Melanie Oudin provided a perfect example of what a self -motivated competitor looks like. Her will to win was unmistakable and inspiring – and rare. The talent may be out there, but in the American culture of comfort and excess it’s becoming harder and harder to find that talent coupled with drive and discipline. That makes the rise of a new young star (and his/her parents) less and less probable.

So while we’re praying that a crazed tennis parent is out on a public court as we speak feeding balls to their protesting four-year-old, let’s give the USTA a break. History says they probably won’t be producing a new big-time champion any time soon, but they have managed to bring thousands of new players to a lifetime sport despite a poor economy. Maybe that’s what it’s all about, anyway. In the meantime, let’s enjoy the current American crew of Williams/Williams/Roddick/Isner/Querrey while we have them.

BNP Paribas Showdown Field Set For Madison Square Garden

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Serena Williams and Venus Williams will be joined by 2009 US Open champion Kim Cljisters and 2009 French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova at the 2010 BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup. The event will be played Monday night, March 1, 2010 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will feature two, one-set semifinals followed by a best-of-three-set final for $1.2 million in prize money. To purchase tickets call 866-858-0008 or visit TICKETMASTER or THEGARDEN.com .

The event will feature a nationwide “Youth Registration Night” that the United States Tennis Association has dubbed “Tennis Night In America.” The evening will kickoff the tennis season in the United States with the USTA ushering in signups for tennis programs across the country.

The field and ticket announcement for the event came nine years to the day when the 22nd and final staging of the year-end WTA Tour Championships at Madison Square Garden took place when Martina Hingis beat Monica Seles 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4 in a 2-hour, 21-minute marathon final. After being held at Madison Square Garden since 1979, the year-end event moved to Munich, Germany starting in 2001. Madison Square Garden also was the long-time venue of the Masters Championship year-end men’s event.