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Caroline Wozniacki to launch own underwear line: this week in tennis business with Justin Cohen

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By Justin Cohen

Caroline Wozniacki Underwear Line to be Released in September

Caroline Wozniacki to launch new underwear line

Current world No. 9 Caroline Wozniacki, a former top-ranked player on the WTA Tour, announced Monday on her website that she is set to release a line of lifestyle and leisure underwear called “This is Me”. The new line will be released in September and includes hipsters, low hipsters, g-strings and bras. The line will be sold in solid colors and different patterns. The pieces will be made in collaboration with the Danish underwear brand JBS and includes both a cotton/lycra and a microfiber line. “A feminine lifestyle/leisure underwear collection for the girl that wants the good looks from fashion, a perfect fit for her body, and a quality that’s hard to beat. JBS was the perfect partner to accomplish that” said Wozniacki in a press release. The deal to launch her own underwear line was negotiated by Lagardère Unlimited Agent John Tobias and Drew LeMesurier, a marketing director. “We are extremely excited about the collaboration between Caroline and JBS. When Caroline attaches her name to something she does so with great consideration. This is a partnership that will hopefully live well beyond Caroline’s tennis career,” said Tobias.

Roger Federer, Agent Tony Godsick split from IMG

Considered the greatest tennis players in the history of the sport, former world No. 1 Roger Federer and his agent Tony Godsick have left IMG Worldwide. According to an article by Scott Soshnick and Danielle Rossingh of Bloomberg, the contracts of both the player and agent ran out. “Our contract with Roger Federer has expired and we no longer represent him,” IMG Spokesman Jim Gallagher told Bloomberg. “Roger is an iconic figure in the world of sports, a gentleman and a great champion, and we hope to work with him again in the future.” According to the SportsBusiness Journal, it is unclear why Godsick left IMG, although SBJ reports that he was unable to come to terms on a new contract. There is speculation that Godsick will start his own agency and add Federer as a client, but Federer would not elaborate. Further, Daniel Kaplan of SBJ tweets that he got word recently that IMG would not rule out resigning Federer in the future. Doug Robson of the USA Today said on Twitter that Godsick told him he wants a change after 19 years at IMG. Robson finished his tweet by saying “A bit cagey on background/circumstances or if there is waiting period.” The 16-time Grand Slam champion makes around $52 million a year from tournament prize money and endorsements. Federer’s rise to fame on the business side of things is chronicled in this WorldTennisMagazine.com article: http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/5801

Tennis Channel earns record ratings during first week of French Open

Los Angeles-based Tennis Channel has seen record ratings during its first week of French Open coverage from Paris. From the period of Sunday, May 27, through Saturday, June 2, the network’s live match coverage averaged a 0.61 rating according to Nielsen Media Research, or 319,738 homes, up 17 percent from 2011’s 0.52 average. The daily premiere of prime-time news, interview and analysis show French Open Tonight also established new highs, exceeding 2011’s performance by 51 percent every day, and is averaging a 0.52 rating vs. last year’s 0.35 for the first seven days, equal to 272,563 homes. A record rating was accomplished during Serena Williams’ first round upset. The match’s 1.02 rating was good for first place among all cable networks in Tennis Channel’s household coverage area and averaged 533,170 homes during the time period. Peaking at a 1.60 rating, the match generated more than one million viewers at its height, and is the highest-rated early round tournament play in network history. The Williams match is not the only pole propping up the network’s ratings canopy, however, as ratings in matches played by Maria Sharapova (0.95), Victoria Azarenka (0.84) and John Isner (0.68 – No. 2 in coverage area), pointed to sustained, weeklong viewer demand. “Before Tennis Channel there were just a few French Open matches on television each day, and now this tournament has coverage around the clock,” said Ken Solomon, chairman and CEO, Tennis Channel. “There’s been a real paradigm shift in how this event is televised, which has since spread to every major. Additionally, we’ve worked with ESPN2 and NBC to build this great integrated distribution chain of networks that promote each other’s schedules and share production needs, equipment, a common vision and, in some cases, great on-air talent members. It’s proof that the more you put tennis on TV, the more viewers will watch.” During this year’s tournament, Tennis Channel is televising close to 60 hours of live matches and more than 140 hours overall.

Nishikori commits to Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships

World No. 18 and top-ranked Japanese star Kei Nishikori has announced his plans to participate in the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, R.I., which will be played from July 9-15 on the historic grass courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. Nishikori joins an already exciting player field which includes John Isner, Milos Raonic, Lleyton Hewitt, Sam Querrey and Bob and Mike Bryan. “We’re really looking forward to a fantastic week of great tennis at Newport this summer,” said Mark Stenning, Tournament Director. “Our player field indicates some exciting matches, and there’s no better place for fans to get close to the action than our facility. Every seat offers a great view, and with these players, there will certainly be a lot to see this summer.” Tickets for the tournament are on sale now and can be purchased at TennisFame.com or by calling (866) 914-3263.

Rowe named Director of Special Events and Assistant Tournament Director in Newport

Brewer Rowe, a graduate of the University of Vermont, has been named by the International Tennis Hall of Fame as the Director of Special Events and Assistant Tournament Director. In his new position, Rowe will oversee all aspects of the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, the Hall of Fame’s annual men’s professional tennis tournament and the only ATP World Tour event in the Northeast. In his new role, Rowe will be responsible for sponsorship sales and relations, ticket sales, event marketing, and operational management of the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. Rowe joins the Hall of Fame after more than a decade of experience in marketing and management of large-scale sports events, specifically road races, triathlons and professional golf tournaments. Most recently, Rowe was Executive Vice President of Eident Sports, a Providence, R.I. based event management firm, and prior to that he was Tournament Manager for the CVS/Caremark Charity Classic, a PGA TOUR Challenge Series Event produced by Peter Jacobsen Sports. “We are very pleased to welcome Brewer to the International Tennis Hall of Fame,” said Mark L. Stenning, CEO & Tournament Director. “His experience in the local market and expertise in sports management will be an asset to our organization and for the growth of the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships.” He currently resides in Newport with his wife and their two daughters.

Preferred Offers for Citi cardmembers in all World TeamTennis Pro League Matches in 2012

This July, get access to special Preferred Seating offers to all World TeamTennis matches in each of the eight Pro League markets or purchase the opportunity of a lifetime with the “Play Against the Pros” experience. Also, as a Citi cardmember, you can participate in the opportunity of a lifetime with the “Play Against the Pros” experience with legendary tennis champions. Hit against the Bryan Brothers at the Philadelphia Freedoms on July 16; Lindsay Davenport at the Orange County Breakers on July 11; or Martina Hingis at the New York Sportimes on July 19 and attend the WTT match following the hit. For more information or to buy this experience, please call (212) 586-3444 and mention this special offer. Players expected to compete this summer in the Pro League of World TeamTennis include Mardy Fish, John Isner, James Blake, the Bryan Brothers, Serena and Venus Williams, Davenport, Hingis and many more.

Clearwater Mayor receives $2,000 from USTA Florida during Clearwater Family Tennis Festival

On May 26 during the Clearwater Family Tennis Festival, sponsored by USTA Florida and the Suncoast Tennis Foundation, USTA Florida Director of Community Tennis Linda Curtis presented Clearwater Mayor George Cretekos with a $2,000 “Share the Love” grant check for 10 and Under Tennis equipment for the Henry L. McMullen Tennis Complex and the City of Clearwater Beach. The special day-long event featured various levels of play on different courts, court activities and games, the 10 and Under Tennis format, a short-court game for senior players, Cardio Tennis, face painting, cookie-making, snacks and drinks, and a DJ spinning kid-friendly hits.

Depression is like a tennis match

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Former U.S. Davis Cup standout Cliff Richey is continuing is crusade to raise awareness of mental issues, including depression in the adult male, with three upcoming appearances in support of his book ACING DEPRESSION: A TENNIS CHAMPION’S TOUGHEST MATCH. On May 2, Richey, the 1970 and 1972 US Open semifinalist, will speak at Millican University in Decatur, Illinois. He will also host a tennis clinic on May 1 at the Decatur Athletic Club where he will be co-hosting with Director of Tennis, Chuck Kuhle. On May 4, the Riverdale Mental Health Association of Riverdale, N.Y. will be honoring Richey and Ray Negron, a New York Yankees’ executive, for their contribution to mental health advocacy at a Gala dinner. The following day, on May 5, Richey will be the keynote speaker at the Mental Health Association of New York State Annual Spring Reception in Albany, N.Y.

Cliff Richey: Acing Depression

The following is an excerpt from ACING DEPRESSION: A TENNIS CHAMPION’S TOUGHEST MATCH ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.CliffRicheyBook.com). In the book, Richey calls depression among adult males as “the silent tragedy in our culture today” and details his life-long battle with the disease that afflicts approximately 121 million people around the world. Co-written with his oldest daughter Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, is a first-hand account of the life and tennis career of Richey, providing readers with his real-life drama – on and off the tennis court. Richey’s depression is a constant theme, from his genetics and family history, to the tensions of his professional tennis career and family life, to his eventual diagnosis and steps to recover from his condition.

Depression is like a tennis match. There are some factors you can control, and others that you can’t. Depression is both genetic and acquired. I like to use the skin cancer analogy. You can be genetically predisposed to depression. It’s like having fair skin. But then additionally, through life circumstances or interests, you come under a lot of stress. That’s like being exposed to the sun. An investment banker with fair skin who works in a high-rise all day long probably won’t develop skin cancer. But a roofer (of whatever complexion) probably will. It’s a genetic predisposition. But anybody can develop it. It also has to do with nurture early on and life circumstances—whatever mix you happen to be dealt with all of those.

In tennis, you learn to limit the unpredictability of it all by concentrating on the factors you can control. I couldn’t control my leg muscles’ cramping. They would get so bad, so painful, that I literally would have a hard time walking. There were players who would use that as an excuse. I was never like that. Rather than use cramps as a cop-out, one of my incentives for training as hard as I did was to prevent them from happening. I used to run two or three miles a day in addition to tennis workouts. I did that for 25 years. The main thing I learned from Harry Hopman, the Aussie Davis Cup team captain, was that you need to be so fit physically that you can play as well in the fifth set as you did in the first. That, at least, is something you can control.

Likewise, you can show up early for a tournament to adjust to the climate, the altitude, and the court surface. One week you might play at high altitude. Then the very next tournament might be at sea level. In that case, you have to adapt in reverse. Everything feels slower and heavier. You feel like you’re running through water.

That’s what happened to me right after I won the South African Open. The next tournament after that was on clay in Charlotte, North Carolina. You tend to have longer points on clay anyway. You stay at the baseline longer. You play longer rallies. Also, in that climate, there was more heat and humidity. So I had several conditions conspiring against me that week. I lost to Ken Rosewall in the final.

The other factor that week, of course, was psychological. I was coming down off a really big win. There’s a certain manic high to that. Once again, there I was, flying pretty high. I was playing at high altitude, having a heady experience! After that it was time to go back to the U.S.—in essence, to come back down to earth. There are some specific psychological pitfalls to which athletes

are more prone. It’s dangerous to get too high after a good performance or too low after a bad one. Any good coach will tell you: “Stay away from extreme emotions. They are a trap.”

Unfortunately, the sports world promotes that “extreme” type of thinking. You would think that your self defenses or human instincts, some sort of internal guidance system, would steer you away from things that are particularly stressful. But it’s just the opposite. It’s like a magnet. Like how once you have been abused, you’re attracted to abusive people. At some deep, subconscious level, I had to know that putting myself right back into the crucible of competition was bad for my fragile mental health. But once you’ve tasted the drug of winning, it’s almost like gambling. Even when the odds of success are lower, you still want to try. It’s very, very hard to give that up.

Losses hit me even worse because of the negativity of depression. Dick Savitt, one of the old-time tennis greats, won Wimbledon in 1952, but shortly after that, he told Dad that he found his losses were starting to hurt him too badly. He found himself sitting in the stands

Andre Agassi to be Inducted to International Tennis Hall of Fame

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Andre Agassi, a former world No. 1 and one of the most revered athletes in the world, will receive the highest honor available in the sport of tennis, induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The announcement of Agassi’s induction was made today at Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, the public charter school that Agassi founded in 2001 in Las Vegas’ most at risk community. The students at Agassi Prep, who range from kindergarten through Grade 12, joined Agassi in a pep rally style event to celebrate his induction.

“I’m truly honored to be recognized alongside the greatest players of tennis,” said Agassi. “My tennis career afforded me the opportunity to make a difference in other people’s lives and it was truly special to share this exciting moment with the students of Agassi Prep.”

Agassi is the sole 2011 inductee in the Recent Player category. Additional 2011 inductees in other categories will be announced at a later date.

Andre Agassi

“During his 20-year career Andre Agassi recorded some of the most incredible achievements in tennis, including Grand Slam titles, an Olympic gold medal, and Davis Cup success. The energy and excitement that he personally brought to the game inspired generations of players. Today, he continues to inspire people around the world as a dedicated philanthropist, and, therefore, it was only appropriate that we share this news at the school where so many young people benefit from his generosity,” said Christopher E. Clouser, chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. “Andre is a true champion of the game, and we are delighted to honor him for his contributions and achievements with induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.”

Agassi’s Induction Ceremony will be held on July 9, 2011 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum in Newport, R.I. The Ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, an ATP World Tour event.

Tickets for the Induction Ceremony and its surrounding events are limited. Box seats, custom sponsorship and hospitality packages are available. In addition, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is developing additional events and programs to complement the Induction Ceremony and allow as many fans as possible to be part of the celebration. Individuals looking for additional information should call 866-914-FAME (3263) and/or visit www.tennisfame.com.

Agassi, 40, of Las Vegas, Nevada, held the No. 1 singles ranking for 101 weeks, and is regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, as well as one of the premier athletes of his generation. Agassi achieved a career singles record of 870-274, winning 60 titles, including four at the Australian Open, two at the US Open, and one victory each at the French Open and Wimbledon. Within his 60 tournament wins, he captured 17 Masters 1000 events. In 1990, he won the season-ending ATP World Tour Championships. Agassi earned a Gold Medal at the 1996 Olympics, by taking the Singles title in Atlanta. A member of two winning American Davis Cup teams (1990, 1992), Agassi achieved a career record of 30-6 in Davis Cup play for the United States. Agassi’s passionate performances, non-traditional apparel and style, and extraordinary skill made him one of the most iconic athletes in the history of the game. He is credited for reviving the popularity of the game and inspiring a generation of tennis players.

In 1999, Agassi came back from two sets down against Andrei Medvedev in the final to win the French Open, putting him in the elite company of Rod Laver, Don Budge, Fred Perry and Roy Emerson, as the only five men at that time to have achieved a Career Grand Slam. (Roger Federer later joined them with his victory at the French Open in 2009.) This win also made him the first male player in history to have won all four Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces (clay, grass, and hard courts), a tribute to his adaptability.

Agassi turned professional in 1986 at the age of 16, and made his way into the top-100 in his first professional year, finishing the season ranked No. 91. He won his first Tour-level title in 1987, and closed out his second professional season ranked No. 25 in the world. In 1988 his year-end ranking was No. 3 and he surpassed $2 million (US) in career prize money, after playing in just 43 career tournaments – the fastest anyone in history had reached that mark. Agassi enjoyed a long, successful career through 2006, during which time he earned more than $30 million (US) in prize-money, fourth only to Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Rafael Nadal to date.

In June 2003, at the age of 33, Agassi became the oldest player to hold the No. 1 singles ranking, a position that he held onto for twelve weeks. Agassi retired from professional tennis on September 3, 2006, after losing in the third round of the US Open. He delivered a memorable retirement speech and was honored with an eight-minute standing ovation from the crowd.

During his career and into retirement, Agassi has been a dedicated philanthropist. In 1994, he founded the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, which is devoted to helping at-risk youth in Las Vegas and its surrounding areas. Since the inception of the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education $150 million dollars has been raised to benefit the mission of the Foundation, including $92 million from the Grand Slam for Children fundraising event. In 1995 and 2001, Agassi was awarded the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, which is presented annually to one ATP World Tour player in acknowledgement of outstanding humanitarian contributions.

In 1997, he established the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club in Las Vegas, which supports 2,000 children throughout the year and boasts a world class junior tennis team and basketball program. Additionally, the club utilizes a rigorous system that encourages a mix of academics and athletics.

In 2001, Agassi opened the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a tuition-free public charter school in Las Vegas’ most at-risk neighborhood. The school utilizes advanced technology, smaller class sizes and extended school hours, among other tactics, to combat lowered academic expectations and to foster a sense of hope among this community’s most challenged children. In 2009 and 2010, the school graduated a 100% acceptance rate for higher education.

In 2007, Agassi joined forces with Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning and Cal Ripken, Jr. to found Athletes for Hope. The non-profit organization helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and aims to inspire the sports community, especially athletes, to make a difference and to inspire others to pass their passion for philanthropy from generation to generation.

Agassi is married to retired professional tennis player and 2004 Hall of Famer Stefanie Graf, and they reside in Las Vegas with their two children.

Induction Process
International Tennis Hall of Fame President and 1970 Hall of Famer Tony Trabert serves as Chair of the Enshrinee Nominating Committee. Election to the Hall of Fame is voted on by a panel of more than 100 tennis media professionals around the world and a 75% favorable vote is required for induction.

Inductees to the International Tennis Hall of Fame are elected in the categories of Recent Player, Master Player and Contributor. To be eligible for Hall of Fame induction in the Recent Player category, the individual must have been active as a competitor in the sport within the last 20 years prior to consideration; must not have been a significant factor on the ATP or WTA Tour within five years prior to induction; and must hold a distinguished record of competitive achievement at the highest international level. Consideration is given to integrity, sportsmanship and character.

Located in Newport, Rhode Island, the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum is a charitable, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of tennis. Since 1955, the International Tennis Hall of Fame has inducted 218 people representing 19 countries.

To learn more about Andre Agassi’s induction or about the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, please visit tennisfame.com or call 401-849-3990.

40 Years ago at the Davis Cup Final

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Forty years ago in 1970 was a signature year for Cliff Richey. The American tennis great, who with sister Nancy Richey make up the greatest brother-sister combination inU.S. tennis history, was a semifinalist at the French and U.S. Opens, finished as the top-ranked player in the nascent year-end “points standings” and was the most valuable player in the U.S. Davis Cup team’s triumph over Germany in the Davis Cup Final.

Cliff Richey

In his new book ACING DEPRESSION: A TENNIS CHAMPION’S TOUGHEST MATCH ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.CliffRicheyBook.com), Richey discusses the 1970 Davis Cup final and his signature year. In ACING DEPRESSION, Richey calls depression among adult males as “the silent tragedy in our culture today” and details his life-long battle with the disease that afflicts approximately 121 million people around the world. Co-written with his oldest daughter, Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, ACING DEPRESSION is a first-hand account of the life and tennis career of Richey, providing readers with his real-life drama – on and off the tennis court. Richey’s depression is a constant theme, from his genetics and family history, to the tensions of his professional tennis career and family life, to his eventual diagnosis and steps to recover from his condition.

The book excerpt is found below:

The 1970 year was my signature year—my best season. All that year I was up, up, up. Winning, winning, winning. I played 112 matches that year and won 93 of them. I lost only 19 times that year, not counting Davis Cup or exhibition matches. I won the first World Point Title (the Pepsi Cola Grand Prix) and was ranked No. 1 in the United States. I won the U.S. National Clay Court title and reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open and the French Open. I also led the United States to a repeat victory in the Davis Cup—while being named Davis Cup MVP to boot.

When I was named the Davis Cup’s Most Valuable Player, it was a surprise. I don’t know who decided it. I think it was the sports writers. I was as surprised as anyone. They gave me a trophy. I didn’t even know there was an MVP award. Those kinds of awards never meant a whole lot to me, really, because I knew they were all so political. I don’t like hoping someone likes you well enough to give you something. I’d rather earn it.

The press knew there had been some controversy over whether I would even be named to play that year. They had held a reception in Shaker Square (in Shaker Heights, a fancy neighborhood in Cleveland) for the purpose of announcing the Davis Cup draw for the final against West Germany. We all knew Stan Smith and Bob Lutz would play the doubles. As far as the singles players, it would be Arthur Ashe for sure but in the other singles slot, it was going to be Stan Smith or me. I would have walked out if they had named Smith to play. The previous year Donald Dell, the non-playing captain, had picked Stan over me because he was Stan’s agent, not mine. But this time, it was my name that was drawn out of the Davis Cup trophy during the draw. Fred Stolle, the great Australian player and the coach for the German team, told the press I would be easy to beat. He predicted I would choke. He thought I wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure of representing my country for the world team championship. As it turned out, I won both of my singles matches and we beat the Germans 5-0. So that might have helped me win MVP: I didn’t choke as expected! I think I may have gotten a few sympathy votes.

It was kind of ironic that I won the first Grand Prix point title after objecting to the very idea of the whole thing. What used to be the Grand Prix is now the ATP Champions’ Race that players like Pete Sampras and Roger Federer won many times. I won the first Grand Prix ever. Originally it was sponsored by Pepsi Cola, although other companies joined in on subsequent years including Nabisco and IBM. It started as a way to attract more world interest to the game. The contest began in May at the French Open and all the tournaments were worth points. That year, I “chased” points, so to speak. I played a lot of tennis that year. These days they have computers to tabulate wins and losses, but back in 1970, we just had someone sitting in a central office, keeping track. I remember being in Stockholm at the last point tournament of the year. I knew I was close to winning the title. I called over to London to the headquarters of the International Lawn Tennis Federation to find out how many points I had. “Where do I stand?” I asked. I was told that if I won one match in Stockholm, I would tie for the Grand Prix point title with Arthur Ashe, even if he won the tournament. I would be sitting pretty. If I won two matches, I would win the Grand Prix title outright.

I had lousy luck with the draw. I’m not saying they rigged it, but normally the best players are seeded so they’re protected from each other until the end. In the first round, I played Andrés Gimeno from Spain, who had reached the semis of Wimbledon. He should have been seeded, but he wasn’t. People fight over the draws in tennis.

There are rumors of cockamamy excuses for why draws need to be redone. I was not a popular player. I really had to question why they had me playing Andrés in the first round. I beat him 21-19, 6-1. I clinched the point title outright in the second round when I beat Zeljko Franulovic of Yugoslavia 6-1, 8-10, 6-3. They had a point board posted at the tournament. There’s a picture of me using my racquet to show the total number of points on the board. The point race was over before the tournament was even finished. The reason I didn’t like the idea of the Grand Prix in the first place, as I told Jack Kramer at the time, was that the players would get exhausted. And then I ended up winning the darn thing! But I had predicted correctly. The week after Stockholm, we flew to Tokyo for the Masters’ Championship. I was so tired when we got there, I was sleeping 17 hours a night. I went to see a doctor in Tokyo who thought I might have hepatitis. He said I should not play the tournament.

I went to the auditorium and hunted down Jack Kramer. I wanted to tell him personally why I couldn’t play. He thought because it was an indoor, fast surface inTokyo, I was backing out because I thought I might lose. I had always been known as more of a clay court player, but I had just won on two super fast surfaces! A few weeks prior to that, I had beaten Ken Rosewall in London on a lightning-fast court, right after he won the U.S. Open. The next week in Stockholm on another fast surface, linoleum, I also beat Gimeno; so the idea that I might be scared of fast surfaces was a joke. I was just run-down and fatigued. In the end, as it turns out, I was right. I had just played 30 tournaments, spread out to the four corners of the globe. In the run-up to the Grand Prix, they played us to death.

The other funny thing that happened when I won the World Point Title was that I won $25,000 in bonus money, but no trophy. I always played for the trophy, not the money. The trophy was something more tangible. I said to Jack Kramer, “Why didn’t you guys give me a trophy?” The ILTF took my complaint to heart.

They actually presented me with a trophy a year later! I had to shame them into it. I wanted the damn trophy! They rustled one up a year later at the Masters in Paris. The inscription reads: “Pepsi Grand Prix 1970, Cliff Richey.” To this day, it is one of only two trophies I keep on display in our home.

Sometimes when I’m feeling blue, I’ll write down my five greatest tennis accomplishments:

1. World Point Title (Grand Prix)

2. Two-time Davis Cup Champion and MVP

3. U.S. No. 1 Ranking

4. 45 tournament wins

5. Legends Senior Tour Champion

Strangely, even when I write it down, it doesn’t sink in. But at least three out of those five successes occurred in the same year, 1970. The No. 1 ranking was the last to fall into place, after that “Sudden Death” match against Stan Smith. At that point, emotionally, I could be described as somewhat crazed. Arthur Ashe said he worried about me because he thought I would burn out too quickly. Those words of his turned out to be prophetic.

McEnroe Returns to Scene of Memorable Surprise Champions Victory

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NEW YORK, N.Y. – John McEnroe will return to the scene of one of his most memorable tournament victories of his Champions Series tennis career this week at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America Tennis Championships in Surprise, Ariz.

McEnroe, 51, will be seeking a second title in the suburban Phoenix enclave two years after a dramatic final-round win over Todd Martin. Played in severe desert winds of up to 35 miles per hour that knocked over courtside umbrellas and chairs, McEnroe saved three match points and defeated Martin 3-6, 7-6 (3), 11-9 (Champions Tie-Breaker).

John McEnroe

“We had some incredible winds that day,” said McEnroe of his 2008 final. “Watching the US Open brought back some memories from my final-round match in Surprise in terms of the windy conditions. I have never experienced something or watched something as difficult as it was. It actually helped me, although I am not suggesting that I would want it again. It just goes to show you that you never know what could happen.”

McEnroe will open round-robin play this year on Thursday, October 21 against Wayne Ferreira, followed by a Friday night grudge match against Jeff Tarango on October 22 and a Saturday show-down against former U.S. Davis Cup teammate Jim Courier on October 23. McEnroe was not in the field last year in Surprise as Martin won the title, defeating Andre Agassi in the championship match.

Michael Chang, the 1989 French Open champion, and Mark Philippoussis, the 2003 Wimbledon finalist, headline the other round-robin grouping this week in Surprise. Philippoussis will open up play at the event on Wednesday October 20 against former top 10 star Aaron Krickstein. Chang will kick off play on Thursday, October 21 against former U.S. Davis Cupper Jimmy Arias.

Former Wimbledon semifinalist Anna Kournikova and former U.S. Fed Cup standout Ashley Harkleroad will also participate in special mixed doubles matches during the tournament. The full schedule of play is as follows:

Wednesday, October 20
Starting at 7 pm
Mark Philippoussis vs. Aaron Krickstein
Followed by
Jim Courier vs. Jeff Tarango

Thursday, October 21
Starting at 7 pm
Michael Chang vs. Jimmy Arias
Followed by
John McEnroe vs. Wayne Ferreira

Friday, October 22
Starting at 2 pm
Mark Philippoussis vs. Jimmy Arias
Followed by
Michael Chang vs. Aaron Krickstein
Starting at 7 pm
Jim Courier vs. Wayne Ferreira
Followed by
John McEnroe vs. Jeff Tarango

Saturday, October 23
Starting at Noon
Jimmy Arias vs. Aaron Krickstein
Followed by
Anna Kournikova/Jeff Tarango vs. Ashley Harkleroad/Wayne Ferreira
Followed by
Michael Chang vs. Mark Philippoussis
Starting at 7 pm
John McEnroe vs. Jim Courier
Followed by
Anna Kournikova/Jimmy Arias vs. Ashley Harkleroad/Aaron Krickstein
Followed by
Wayne Ferreira vs. Jeff Tarango

Sunday, October 24
Starting at Noon
Third Place Match
Followed by
Championship Match

The Cancer Treatment Centers of America Tennis Championships is a third-year event on the Champions Series tennis circuit, the New York-based global tennis circuit for champion tennis players age 30 and over. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex, 14469 W. Paradise Lane and also online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

To be eligible to compete on the Champions Series, players must have reached at least a major singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team. Each event features $150,000 in prize money – with the tournament champion earning $60,000 – and ranking points that determine the year-end No. 1. Courier finished the 2009 season as the top-ranked player on the Champions Series, followed by Pete Sampras and Todd Martin.

Former U.S. and Wimbledon finalist Mark Philippoussis defeated John McEnroe to win the Staples Champions Cup in Boston in May and take over the No. 1 Champions Series ranking. Former French Open semifinalist Fernando Meligeni of Brazil was the surprise winner of the opening event on the 2010 Champions Series, winning the title in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil by defeating Philippoussis in the final.

Cliff Richey Continues Mental Health Crusade in New York at 2010 US Open

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NEW YORK – Cliff Richey, the tennis standout who ranked as the No. 1 tennis player in the United States 40 years ago in 1970, will continue his mental health advocacy crusade in New York at the 2010 US Open with several speeches and appearances to raise awareness and help people overcome depression and de-stigmatize the illness.

Richey, along with his sister Nancy Richey, a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, will headline a fund-raiser for the Riverdale Mental Health Association on Tuesday, September 7 at the Riverdale Yacht Club. Richey, a high-school dropout, will also speak at Columbia University’s Department of Psychiatry on Friday, September 10. He will also conduct a signing for his new book ACING DEPRESSION: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match on Monday, September 6 at 5 pm at the US Open Bookstore on site at the Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center.

In ACING DEPRESSION, Richey calls depression among adult males “the silent tragedy in our culture today” and details his life-long battle with the disease that afflicts approximately 121 million people around the world. Co-written with his oldest daughter, Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, ACING DEPRESSION ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.CliffRicheyBook.com), is a first-hand account of the life and tennis career of Richey, providing readers with his real-life drama – on and off the tennis court. Richey’s depression is a constant theme, from his genetics and family history, to the tensions of his professional tennis career and family life, to his eventual diagnosis and steps to recover from his condition.

Cliff Richey

Jimmy Connors, the five-time U.S. Open champion and a friend of Richey, penned the Foreword for ACING DEPRESSION. Writes Connors, “What made Cliff Richey what he was on the tennis court has certainly carried over into this book. His story has taken a subject, depression—which has affected him personally—and put it out there for everyone to see. Depression has been a subject that no one really talks about. Few people even admit to having such a condition. But Cliff is not afraid to be bold and reveal what he has gone through and what it takes to get a handle on this disease…Just as Cliff played tennis, he is studying how depression works; what its weaknesses are; and what strategies you can use against it. His hope is that people who read his story can learn—learn about the disease and learn that people who suffer can have a better quality of life. Things can get better. There is hope.”

Richey and his sister Nancy, a former French and Australian singles champion, will hit tennis balls, provide instruction and speak at the fund-raiser for the Riverdale Mental Health Association. The event will be held from 5 pm to 7 pm at the Riverdale Yacht Club, 800 West 254th Street and Palisade Avenue in the Bronx. Tickets are available for $150 per person, $250 per couple and $50 per child and can be purchased by emailing alange@rmha.org or calling 718-796-5300 x106. Preceding the fundraiser, Richey will visit the RMHA offices to tour the facilities and speak with clinicians. For more information on the RMHA, go to www.rmha.org.

Richey was known as the original “Bad Boy” of tennis, before there was John McEnroe and Ilie Nastase. His 26-year career was highlighted by a 1970 season where he led the United States to the Davis Cup title, finished as the first-ever Grand Prix world points champion and won one of the most exciting matches in American tennis history that clinched the year-end No. 1 American ranking. However, his tantrums and boorish behavior simply served as a mask for his internal struggle with clinical depression. During his darkest days, Richey would place black trash bags over the windows of his house, stay in bed all day and cry. With the same determination that earned him the nick-name “The Bull,” Richey fought against his depression that was not diagnosed until just before his 50th birthday during a routine visit to the skin doctor. Since his happenstance diagnosis, Richey has steadily been taking anti-depressant drugs that has greatly improved his quality of life and moved him to
become an advocate for mental health, speaking at numerous events and gatherings across the country.

“I have been given so many second chances in my life,” Richey says in the book. “The beautiful thing is that in recovery, almost everything in your life becomes a second chance. Hope is the foundation of our great country of America. Hope is such a driver of the normal human condition. The sum total of my awful disease was “loss of hope.” That’s the truly awesome thing about recovery: once you come back, your whole life after that feels like a second chance.”

The book has also received acclaim and endorsements in the mental health community.

Says Jackie Shannon, the Past President of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “Real men do get depression—even champion athletes. Cliff’s story is an inspiration to all those who are battling mental illnesses and a wake-up call to the public.” Says Lynn Lasky Clark, President and CEO of Mental Health America of Texas, “This straight forward, honest and intensely personal account of Cliff Richey’s experiences with tennis and depression is truly inspirational. Cliff Richey approaches his recovery from depression with great passion and determination. He provides hope and understanding through this powerful memoir.” Say Lynn Rutland, the Executive Director of MHMR (Mental Health, Mental Retardation), “The Richey’s inspired a whole generation of kids to believe in themselves and strive for excellence. Cliff’s story gives people hope when life has dealt them darkness. The battle for the mind is one that Cliff will never lose through lack of effort as he offers insight
into his own struggles and victories. His story will continue to make a difference for those suffering with depression.”

ACING DEPRESSION is published by New Chapter Press – also the publisher of The Roger Federer Story, Quest for Perfection by Rene Stauffer, The Bud Collins History of Tennis by Bud Collins, The Education of a Tennis Player by Rod Laver, Tennis Made Easy by Kelly Gunterman, Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli, The Lennon Prophecy by Joe Niezgoda, Bone Appetit, Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog by Susan Anson, The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle by Stewart Wolpin, People’s Choice Cancun – Travel Survey Guidebook by Eric Rabinowitz and Weekend Warriors: The Men of Professional Lacrosse by Jack McDermott, among others. Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press is an independent publisher of books and part of the Independent Publishers Group. More information can be found at www.NewChapterMedia.com.

40 YEARS AGO AT LEGG MASON RICHEY BEATS ASHE

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It was 40 years ago at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C. that Cliff Richey made a significant mark on his brilliant 1970 season when he defeated Arthur Ashe 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 in the best of five set final on clay at the event then known as the “Washington International Tennis Tournament.”

“Make no mistake” wrote Neil Amdur in the New York Times after the final, “Cliff Richey is America’s king on clay.”

Richey, who is the author of a new biography about his life with depression called “ACING DEPRESSION: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” won $7,000 for the title – his best pay-day as a pro to that date.

“He went through the tournament without losing a set,” write Amdur, “and it makes him a legitimate rival to Ashe, Stan Smith and Clark Graebner for one of the two singles berths on the United States team that will defend the Davis Cup August 29-31 in Cleveland.”

Richey went on to clinch a singles berth on the U.S. Davis Cup team that defeated West Germany to win the Davis Cup, earning MVP honors with his singles victories over Christian Kuhnke and Wilhelm Bungert.

Richey, who earlier in the year had reached the semifinals at the French Open at Roland Garros, also reached the semifinals at the U.S. Open at Forest Hills and earned the No. 1 U.S. ranking over Smith. The 1970 years also marked the first year of the Grand Prix points race (a pre-cursor to the ATP World Tour rankings), which Richey won, holding off the likes of Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall.

In “ACING DEPRESSION: A Tennis Champions Toughest Match,” Richey calls depression among adult males as “the silent tragedy in our culture today” and details his life-long battle with the disease that afflicts approximately 121 million people around the world. Co-written with his oldest daughter Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, ACING DEPRESSION ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.NewChapterMedia.com), is a first-hand account of the life and tennis career of Richey, providing readers with his real-life drama – on and off the tennis court. Richey’s depression is a constant theme, from his genetics and family history, to the tensions of his professional tennis career and family life, to his eventual diagnosis and steps to recover from his condition.

Jimmy Connors, the five-time U.S. Open champion and a friend of Richey’s penned the Foreword for ACING DEPRESSION. Writes Connors, “What made Cliff Richey what he was on the tennis court has certainly carried over into this book. His story has taken a subject, depression—which has affected him personally—and put it out there for everyone to see. Depression has been a subject that no one really talks about. Few people even admit to having such a condition. But Cliff is not afraid to be bold and reveal what he has gone through and what it takes to get a handle on this disease…Just as Cliff played tennis, he is studying how depression works; what its weaknesses are; and what strategies you can use against it. His hope is that people who read his story can learn—learn about the disease and learn that people who suffer can have a better quality of life. Things can get better. There is hope.”

Richey was known as the original “Bad Boy” of tennis, before there was John McEnroe and Ilie Nastase. His 26-year career was highlighted by a 1970 season where he led the United States to the Davis Cup title, finished as the first-ever Grand Prix world points champion and won one of the most exciting matches in American tennis history that clinched the year-end No. 1 American ranking. He won both of his singles matches in the 5-0 U.S. victory over West Germany in the 1970 Davis Cup final, while he beat out rivals Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Arthur Ashe and Stan Smith to win the first-ever Grand Prix world points title the precursor to the modern day ATP rankings. At the 1970 Pacific Coast Championships at the Berkeley Tennis Club in Berkeley, Calif., he earned the No. 1 U.S. ranking when he beat Smith in a fifth-set tie-breaker, where both players had simultaneous match point in a sudden-death nine-point tie-breaker at 4-4. He also reached the semifinals of both the 1970 French and U.S. Opens, losing a famous match to Zeljko Franulovic of Yugoslavia in the French semifinals, despite holding match points and leading by two-sets-to-one and 5-1 in the fourth set.

During his career, Richey was know for tantrums and boorish behavior simply, however, it served as a mask for his internal struggle with clinical depression. During his darkest days, Richey would place black trash bags over the windows of his house, stay in bed all day and cry. With the same determination that earned him the nick-name “The Bull,” Richey fought against his depression that was not diagnosed until just before his 50th birthday during a routine visit to the skin doctor. Since his happenstance diagnosis, Richey has steadily been taking anti-depressant drugs that have greatly improved his quality of life and moved him to become an advocate for mental health, speaking at numerous events and gatherings across the country.

“I have been given so many second chances in my life,” Richey says in the book. “The beautiful thing is that in recovery, almost everything in your life becomes a second chance. Hope is the foundation of our great country of America. Hope is such a driver of the normal human condition. The sum total of my awful disease was “loss of hope.” That’s the truly awesome thing about recovery: once you come back, your whole life after that feels like a second chance.”

Navratilova to Receive Eugene L. Scott Award at Hall of Fame Legends Ball: This Week in Tennis Business

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By: Justin Cohen

  • Martina Navratilova will receive the Eugene L. Scott Award by the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum at the 30th Annual Legends Ball on Friday, September 10 at the Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. “I want to thank the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the Scott family for recognizing me with the Eugene L. Scott Award,” said Navratilova. “The honor is especially humbling because of the respect I had for Gene. He was always honest in his praise and criticism, and for me to be recognized for sharing my views, first as a player and now as a commentator on Tennis Channel is truly rewarding and will inspire me to continue to do so in the future.” The Eugene L. Scott Award has been presented annually since 2006 to an individual who embodies Scott’s commitment to communicating honestly and critically about tennis, and who has had a major impact on the tennis world. Previous recipients of the award have been John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe and his wife Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe. “Martina never allowed the status quo to guide her actions on or off the court, which makes her a fitting recipient of the Eugene L. Scott Award,” said Christopher E. Clouser, Chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. “Leaders and trailblazers like Martina should be recognized in order to encourage others to follow their own heart.” Throughout her remarkable 30-year professional tennis career, Navratilova won 167 singles and 177 doubles titles, including 59 Grand Slam titles.

    Martina Navratilova
    Martina Navratilova
  • In celebration of its 40th year, the Bank of the West Classic will honor “Four Decades of Champions” prior to the 7:30 p.m. evening semifinal match on Saturday July 31 at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium at Stanford University. Two of the most prestigious past champions who will be honored include Billie Jean King and Andrea Jaeger. King won the inaugural singles tournament in 1971 and went on to capture another three singles titles and four doubles titles at Stanford. Jaeger won the singles title in 1981 and 1982.
  • The USTA announced the ten finalists for the 2010 “Best Tennis Town” in America competition, which include, Clearwater, Fla., Delray Beach, Fla., Atlanta, Ga., Rome, Ga., Rosemount, Minn., Snow Hill, N.C., Beaverton, Ore., Charleston, S.C., Richmond, Va. and Manchester Center, Vt. Between April 7 and June 28, 82 towns submitted contest entries and after careful review of each submission by a panel of selected judges, the competition was cut to 10 cities. The winner will be determined by a nationwide online vote at: http://www.besttennistown.com. Voting has already begun and will continue through July 26 at 11:59 p.m. EST. The top three finalists will travel to New York City where the winner will be announced at a special ceremony at the US Open. The winner will leave New York City as the “Best Tennis Town” and receive a check for $100,000 to be used towards community-wide tennis programming or facility improvements. The second and third place finishers will receive $50,000 and $25,000, respectively. The inaugural winner in 2009 was Midland, Mich.
  • Tennis Channel will cover nine Olympus US Open Series tournaments this summer leading up to the US Open in New York. Nearly 80 hours of high-definition action from the six-week US Hardcourt Summer Series will be shown. Play-by-play duties will be shared between Emmy-Award winning sportscaster Ted Robinson and former ATP and Princeton University player Leif Shiras. Former World No. 1 Lindsay Davenport, Jimmy Arias, Justin Gimelstob and Corina Morariu will serve as analysts. Australian doubles player Ashley Fisher will report from the sidelines.
  • Former World No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams’ new book, Come To Win: Business Leaders, Artists, Doctors, and Other Visionaries on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession, has reached No. 5 on the New York Times Hardcover Advice and How To bestseller list. The book will appear in the New York Times published list on Sunday, July 25, and continue to be featured in bookstores throughout the country. “Having my book on the New York Times bestseller list is a truly incredible feeling,” said Williams. “I am so grateful to my co-author Kelly Carter, and all of the incredible individuals that participated in this project. It is their stories and advice that I believe can be an inspiration to everyone who reads it.” Since the release of her book, Williams has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS Early Show, CNN, Bloomberg, BET, multiple ESPN shows and has been featured in articles in Essence, the Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press.
  • Jim Courier will be introduced as the Tournament Honoree at the upcoming 2010 Farmers Classic, presented by Mercedes-Benz, during a special opening night ceremony on July 26 at the LA Tennis Center on the campus of UCLA. The annual award has been given since 1985 to a person who has greatly influenced the growth of tennis through their playing career and other contributions to the game. Courier won the Farmers Classic in 1997 without dropping a set. “I have had the privilege of participating in the Farmers Classic for many years, and I am humbled to be this year’s Tournament Honoree,” said Courier. “I look forward to spending time with my many Southern California tennis friends and accepting this honor.”
  • Martina Navratilova will participate in the 19th Annual Celebrity Tennis Classic at the Berkeley Tennis Club on Saturday, October 2. Navratilova will also take part that evening in the “Casino Royale” Gala at the Claremont Resort. The tennis legend will share the entire day with Bay Area tennis pros, as well as celebrities from radio, television and sports. Admission for the Celebrity Tennis Classic is $20 per adult and free for children under 10-years-old. The “Casino Royale” Gala is $175 per person.
  • Australian network Channel 9 is dropping its rights to covering Wimbledon after nearly 40 years. The network, which will reportedly save $15 million as a result, plans to focus on acquiring more Aussie Rules football. It has yet to be announced which Australian television network will cover Wimbledon starting in 2011.
  • 2002 Legg Mason Tennis Classic champion James Blake has accepted a wild card into this year’s tournament. The former champion will be making his first appearance at the Washington, D.C., event since 2006.
  • Peter Lundgren, who once coached Roger Federer, will now coach Stanislas Wawrinka. The pair began working together on Monday. “I’m going to try to get Stan to become more aggressive,” said Lundgren.
  • Nikolay Davydenko’s brother, Eduardo, is no longer working full-time for the No. 6 player in the world according to Lifesports.ru. Eduardo has decided to focus more of his coaching attention on his 17-year-old son, Philip, who hopes to turn pro someday. Nikolay’s wife, Irina, will take over some of the small coaching duties including ordering practice courts and critiquing his game.
  • The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) announced that John Isner was its June Athlete of the Month, along with softball player Alissa Haber.
  • John Isner and Nicolas Mahut won the ESPY for the year’s Best Record-Breaking Performance with their 70-68 five set thriller during the first round of Wimbledon. Kim Clijsters won the ESPY for Best Comeback, while Roger Federer and Serena Williams won the Best Male and Female Tennis Player, respectively.
  • Radek Stepanek, who is currently ranked No. 29 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, married former WTA Top 10 player Nicole Vaidisova in Prague on Saturday. Media in Czech Republic reported that Vaidisova wore a $50,000 dress and was walked down the aisle by her biological father. Fellow WTA Tour players Iveta Benesova, Klara Zakopalova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova attended the wedding, as well as hockey legend Jaromir Jagr.
  • People’s Daily is reporting that Justine Henin is hoping to return to competition on the WTA Tour in the fall in Beijing. “I hope Beijing is her next tournament,” said Carlos Rodriguez, Henin’s longtime coach. “She will definitely be here if she recovers.” Henin recently announced that she would not compete until after the US Open after injuring her elbow during a fall in her fourth round loss to Kim Clijsters at Wimbledon.
  • The Fordham Athletic Department announced on Monday that Head Men’s Tennis and Squash Coach Bob Hawthorn has retired from coaching after 54 years of service. “Bob Hawthorn is a Fordham treasure.  His many years of hard work, dedication and love for the University and especially the men’s tennis and squash programs will always be appreciated,” said Frank McLaughlin, Fordham’s Executive Director of Athletics. “Bob is a true Fordham legend.  We are looking forward to taking the strong foundation that Bob has established for the men’s tennis and squash programs and building on it to ensure future success.  We wish Bob and his family much success and happiness.” A graduate of Fordham in 1953, Hawthorn was a standout tennis and squash player for the Rams. Hawthorn, who also coached at Fordham Prep starting in 1958, was inducted into the Fordham Hall of Fame in 1977. The legendary coach will reside in New Rochelle, N.Y., with his wife Eileen.

THE ANALYSIS OF THE CHOKE

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While watching the highest level of professional tennis at the French Open, choking has been seen in many matches and likely more matches down the road. Players will be in a position to win a big match or beat a high-ranked player – or in some cases lesser players – and they will not be able to execute and close out the match. It makes for excellent drama.

Forty years ago, top American player Cliff Richey experienced the biggest disappointment of his career. Remember the buzz that the French Open had as an American man was not able to win the title since Tony Trabert in 1955? The U.S. futility streak was finally broken by Michael Chang in 1989 after a 34-year drought. Richey had a good chance of joining the elite list of American men to win at Roland Garros in 1970, where he would have become only the sixth American to win in the clay of Paris. (Only eight U.S. men have won at Roland Garros, Andre Agassi in 1999 http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/wp-admin/post-new.phpbeing the last.) In the semifinals against Zeljko Franulovic, he was one swing of the racquet away from reaching the French final, where he would have played Jan Kodes, a player who later admitted that he had no chance of winning against Richey. Despite being up two-sets-to-one, 5-1 in the fourth set and having two match points, Richey was defeated 6-4, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5, 7-5.

In his new book ACING DEPRESSION: A TENNIS CHAMPION’S TOUGHEST MATCH ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.CliffRicheyBook.com), Richey discusses choking – in the context of tennis as well as in his life living with depression – as well as the happenings from Roland Garros from 40 years ago. Co-written with his oldest daughter Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, ACING DEPRESSION is an inspiring first-hand account of the life and tennis career of Richey, providing readers with his real-life drama – on and off the tennis court. An excerpt from the chapter of the book called “Starting to Choke” is featured below.

Choke” is the word we use to describe what happens when a player is not performing well at a crucial moment in competition. We all have choked on some matches. There are certain areas of a match where a player is more likely to choke, like when he is serving for the match. When I started getting into the choke area of a match, I started getting defensive with my shots. By contrast, when Arthur Ashe choked, he got too aggressive. So everyone chokes in his own different way.

There’s a battle going on out there between two minds. I could sense when someone was starting to break down mentally. In the crunch time, it’s easy to get nervous and choke from wanting to win it too badly. One of the most difficult areas of a match mentally is right at the time you feel like you’ve got it done. You need to close the deal. That’s the clincher. Seal it in the envelope and put it in the mail.

I had a way of playing that wasn’t the easiest when it came time to close out a match. It’s easier to win at big moments with weapons like a huge serve. I didn’t have a serve powerful enough to knock anybody off the court, so I had to find alternative ways to win. I never worried if other players thought I had a tendency to choke in a tough spot. Fred Stolle predicted I would choke in 1970 when I led the American team to victory in Davis Cup. But I didn’t. Nor did I choke in the famous “Sudden Death” match that decided the No. 1 U.S. ranking that year against Stan Smith. So in the choking area, I disproved my critics at least as many times as I proved them right.

The first time I remember starting to choke in a big match was the summer of 1962. I was 15 years old and playing in the USTA National Boys’ 16s Championships. I grabbed Dad and said, “Hey, I need to talk to you.” We went into the dorm room alone. I told him that I was feeling apprehensive. He grinned and said, “You’re feeling pressure. You’re blanking out on us here.” By following his advice on how to cope with the pressure, I was able to go out and win the tournament.

The same thing happened when I won the U.S. Clay Court Championships in Indianapolis in 1970. I was playing against Stan Smith in the final with Dad there watching the match. He was glaring at me from the stands. I won the first two sets 6-2, 10-8, but lost the third set 6-3. Back in those days, we always took a break after the third set of a five-set match. During the break, Dad came into the locker room and started reading me the riot act on how I should go out and play. I had to win one more set somehow. He basically just grabbed me by the shoulders and told me I had gotten too cautious. I went out and won 6-1 in the fourth.

At the time, his words sounded harsh, but he wasn’t trying to hurt my feelings. He was just being brutally honest. He was right on the money. That’s why coaches are so valuable. I didn’t realize that I had gotten too cautious and was trying to just wish victory instead of making it happen.

Those are some examples of times when I felt myself starting to choke. However, the all-time tough one was when I lost to Zeljko Franulovic in the semifinals of the French Open in 1970. Mom and Dad flew over to Paris to watch me play. On the court that day, I would be the first one in the world to say that I choked. It was a choke job. I got more nervous than I should have. At one point in the match, I questioned a line call. I still think I was right, but I shouldn’t have done it. It turned the crowd against me. French crowds are very excitable. I had three different match points. During the last one in particular, I really choked as I hit the ball off the wood frame. Zeljko was so far away, he was over there in East Paris someplace and all I had to do was hit it into the open court.

But I choked. I got upset when the crowd turned on me. I lost 7-5 in the fifth. I had that match on my racquet and in my hand. All I had to do was stick it in my pocket! It was my tournament to win or lose and I handed it back. . . . I would have played a guy in the final, Jan Kodes, to whom I had literally never lost. Kodes and I had breakfast together four years later at the CBS Tennis Classic and he told me, “Cliff, you know I could not have beaten you.” The French Open was mine to lose.

After that match, I was as mad and upset as I’ve ever been for losing a tennis match. I was beside myself. I always carried a tournament bag. I remember taking the tournament duffle bag that I always carried with me and heaving it across the player lounge. I was devastated. I just wigged out. If someone asked me, “Were you momentarily insane?” I would have to say, yeah, I was goofy nuts.

I mentally and emotionally snapped. It wasn’t like I snapped out on the court. I never lost my temper once while I was on the court that day. But afterward, in the player lounge, I took my racquet and started beating it against the backs of chairs. I was really scaring Mom. She kept saying, “Cliff, just calm down!”

In all ways, that’s the worst loss I ever had. To this day, it bothers me. That’s the loss that affected me the most—the one that really got to me. The next day, Nancy and Mickie wanted to do some sightseeing in Paris. I guess I decided to go with them because I didn’t want to be alone at the hotel. I was still too upset. It was an awful day.

JIM COURIER BLOGS HIS FRENCH OPEN PREDICTIONS ON CHAMPIONSSERIESTENNIS.COM

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Jim Courier says that whenever he hears the words “Roland Garros” a warm feeling comes over his body. The Hall of Famer had some of his finest moments during his tennis career at the site of the French Championships in Paris, where he won his first major singles title in 1991 and repeated as champion again the following year.

In his blog on www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com, the official website of the Champions Series international tennis circuit for players age 30-and-over, Courier previews the 2010 French Open that begins Sunday in Paris and offers up his picks for who will win the men’s and women’s singles titles. Courier, who last attended the French Open in 2001 when he handed Gustavo Kuerten the “Coupe des Mousquetaires” as the men’s singles champion, says that the injured Juan Martin del Potro is the player he expects to eventually challenge Rafael Nadal the most on clay in the future when he becomes healthy and returns to full-time play.

Courier’s blog can be read in full here: http://www.championsseriestennis.com/player_blog.php?id=6

The Champions Series is the United States-based global tennis circuit for champion tennis players age 30 and over. To be eligible to compete, players must have reached at least a major singles final, been ranked in the top five in the world or played singles on a championship Davis Cup team. Each event features $150,000 in prize money – with the tournament champion earning $60,000 – and ranking points that determine the year-end No. 1. Each tournament champion earns 800 ranking points. Courier finished the 2009 season as the top-ranked player on the series, followed by Pete Sampras and Todd Martin.

Former U.S. and Wimbledon finalist Mark Philippoussis defeated John McEnroe earlier this month to win the Staples Champions Cup in Boston and take over the No. 1 Champions Series ranking. Former French Open semifinalist Fernando Meligeni of Brazil was the surprise winner of the opening event on the 2010 Champions Series, winning the title in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil by defeating Philippoussis in the final.

The Champions Series circuit will resume September 30 – October 3 at The Breezeplay Championships in Charlotte, N.C., where Courier will look to win the title for a third straight year and a fourth time overall. In the 2009 final, Courier upset Pete Sampras 3-6, 6-4, 10-8 (Champions Tie-Breaker).

FORMER U.S. NO. 1 CLIFF RICHEY LAUNCHES NEW BOOK ACING DEPRESSION IN HOUSTON

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HOUSTON, Texas, April 6, 2010 – Cliff Richey, who 40 years ago was the No. 1-ranked American tennis player, the hero of the championship-winning U.S. Davis Cup team and the winner of the first-ever professional Grand Prix points title, in a new book discusses the most difficult opponent of his life, depression.

In his newly-released book “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champions Toughest Match,” Richey calls depression among adult males as “the silent tragedy in our culture today” and details his life-long battle with the disease that afflicts approximately 121 million people around the world.

Acing Depression
Cliff Richey (left) launched his book “Acing Depression” at the Houston Racquet Club, the same facility where sister Nancy (right) turned professional, along with eight other women including Billie Jean King, for one dollar in the first ever professional women’s tennis tournament that eventually lead to the founding of the modern day WTA Tour.

Richey, along with his Hall of Fame tennis-playing sister Nancy Richey, launched the book Tuesday during a luncheon sponsored by the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) and attended by officials from Mental Health America (MHA) in his former hometown, Houston, Texas, at the Houston Racquet Club. The famed tennis facility was also the site of the first ever women’s professional tennis tournament in 1970 where Nancy Richey, along with eight other women tennis players lead by Billie Jean King, famously turned professional for one dollar and started the modern day Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour.

Co-written with his oldest daughter Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, ACING DEPRESSION ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.NewChapterMedia.com), is a first-hand account of the life and tennis career of Richey, providing readers with his real-life drama – on and off the tennis court. Richey’s depression is a constant theme, from his genetics and family history, to the tensions of his professional tennis career and family life, to his eventual diagnosis and steps to recover from his condition.

Jimmy Connors, the five-time U.S. Open champion and a friend of Richey’s penned the Foreword for ACING DEPRESSION.

Writes Connors, “What made Cliff Richey what he was on the tennis court has certainly carried over into this book. His story has taken a subject, depression—which has affected him personally—and put it out there for everyone to see. Depression has been a subject that no one really talks about. Few people even admit to having such a condition. But Cliff is not afraid to be bold and reveal what he has gone through and what it takes to get a handle on this disease…Just as Cliff played tennis, he is studying how depression works; what its weaknesses are; and what strategies you can use against it. His hope is that people who read his story can learn—learn about the disease and learn that people who suffer can have a better quality of life. Things can get better. There is hope.”

Richey was known as the original “Bad Boy” of tennis, before there was John McEnroe and Ilie Nastase. His 26-year career was highlighted by a 1970 season where he led the United States to the Davis Cup title, finished as the first-ever Grand Prix world points champion and won one of the most exciting matches in American tennis history that clinched the year-end No. 1 American ranking. He won both of his singles matches in the 5-0 U.S. victory over West Germany in the 1970 Davis Cup final, while he beat out rivals Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Arthur Ashe and Stan Smith to win the first-ever Grand Prix world points title the precursor to the modern day ATP rankings. At the 1970 Pacific Coast Championships at the Berkeley Tennis Club in Berkeley, Calif., he earned the No. 1 U.S. ranking when he beat Smith in a fifth-set tie-breaker, where both players had simultaneous match point in a sudden-death nine-point tie-breaker at 4-4. He also reached the semifinals of both the 1970 French
and U.S. Opens, losing a famous match to Zeljko Franulovic of Yugoslavia in the French semifinals, despite holding match points and leading by two-sets-to-one and 5-1 in the fourth set. He and his sister Nancy, a former French and Australian singles champion, are regarded by some as the best brother-sister duo in tennis history.

During his career, Richey was know for tantrums and boorish behavior simply, however, it served as a mask for his internal struggle with clinical depression. During his darkest days, Richey would place black trash bags over the windows of his house, stay in bed all day and cry. With the same determination that earned him the nick-name “The Bull,” Richey fought against his depression that was not diagnosed until just before his 50th birthday during a routine visit to the skin doctor. Since his happenstance diagnosis, Richey has steadily been taking anti-depressant drugs that have greatly improved his quality of life and moved him to become an advocate for mental health, speaking at numerous events and gatherings across the country.

“I have been given so many second chances in my life,” Richey says in the book. “The beautiful thing is that in recovery, almost everything in your life becomes a second chance. Hope is the foundation of our great country of America. Hope is such a driver of the normal human condition. The sum total of my awful disease was “loss of hope.” That’s the truly awesome thing about recovery: once you come back, your whole life after that feels like a second chance.”

Through 10 years of recovery, with the aid of antidepressant medication, he began to feel well for the first time in his life. The fight is not over, he says, but he encourages those suffering from depression to “never give up.” “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” gives a personal face to an epidemic disease that afflicts one of 20 Americans. Penned with passion and candor, this memoir is a deeply human story of nightmare and redemption.

The book has also received acclaim and endorsements in the mental health community.

Said Jackie Shannon, the Past President of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “Real men do get depression—even champion athletes. Cliff’s story is an inspiration to all those who are battling mental illnesses and a wake-up call to the public.” Said Lynn Lasky Clark, President and CEO of Mental Health America of Texas, “This straight forward, honest and intensely personal account of Cliff Richey’s experiences with tennis and depression is truly inspirational. Cliff Richey approaches his recovery from depression with great passion and determination. He provides hope and understanding through this powerful memoir.” Said Lynn Rutland, the Executive Director of MHMR (Mental Health, Mental Retardation), “The Richey’s inspired a whole generation of kids to believe in themselves and strive for excellence. Cliff’s story gives people hope when life has dealt them darkness. The battle for the mind is one that Cliff will never lose through lack of effort as he offers
insight into his own struggles and victories. His story will continue to make a difference for those suffering with depression.”

Hilaire Richey Kallendorf is Richey’s oldest daughter and an Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies at Texas A&M University. She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University. She is the author of two books, Exorcism and Its Texts: Subjectivity in Early Modern Literature of England and Spain (University of Toronto Press, 2003) and Conscience on Stage: The Comedia as Casuistry in Early Modern Spain (University of Toronto Press, 2007). She has also published over a dozen articles on such topics as self-exorcism, piety and pornography, ghosts, Taíno religious ceremonies, and Christian humanism in the Renaissance.

“Acing Depression” is published by New Chapter Press – also the publisher of The Roger Federer Story, Quest for Perfection by Rene Stauffer, The Bud Collins History of Tennis by Bud Collins, The Education of a Tennis Player by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli, The Lennon Prophecy by Joe Niezgoda, Bone Appetit, Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog by Susan Anson, The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle by Stewart Wolpin, People’s Choice Cancun – Travel Survey Guidebook by Eric Rabinowitz and Weekend Warriors: The Men of Professional Lacrosse by Jack McDermott, among others. Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press is an independent publisher of books and part of the Independent Publishers Group. More information can be found at www.NewChapterMedia.com.

FORMER NO. 1 U.S. TENNIS PLAYER ADMITS CONTINUED DRUG USE IN NEW BOOK

by

NEW YORK, N.Y., March 22 – Cliff Richey, the former No. 1-ranked American tennis player and hero of the 1970 championship-winning U.S. Davis Cup team, admits in a new book his continued use of drugs and a life largely lived suffering from depression.

Richey’s drug of choice?

Antidepressants.

In the new book “ACING DEPRESSION: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match,” due out in April, Richey calls depression among adult males “the silent tragedy in our culture today” and details his life-long battle with the disease that afflicts approximately 121 million people around the world. Co-written with Richey’s oldest daughter, Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, ACING DEPRESSION ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.NewChapterMedia.com) is a first-hand account of Richey’s life and tennis career that provides readers with a real-life drama on and off the tennis court. Depression is the constant theme, from the genetics and history of his family, to the tensions of his professional tennis career, to the stresses of being a retired athlete.

Cliff Richey
Cliff Richey

Richey was known as the original “Bad Boy” of tennis, before there was John McEnroe and Ilie Nastase. His 26-year career was highlighted by a 1970 season where he led the United States to the Davis Cup title, finished as the first-ever Grand Prix world points champion and won one of the most exciting matches in American tennis history that clinched the year-end No. 1 U.S. ranking. However, his tantrums and boorish behavior simply served as a mask for his internal struggle with clinical depression. During his darkest days, Richey would place black trash bags over the windows of his house, stay in bed all day and cry. With the same determination that earned him the nickname “The Bull,” Richey fought against clinical depression that was not diagnosed until just before his 50th birthday during a routine visit to the skin doctor. Since his happenstance diagnosis, Richey has steadily been taking antidepressant drugs that have greatly improved his quality of life and moved him to
become an advocate for mental health, speaking at numerous events and gatherings across the country.

“I have been given so many second chances in my life,” Richey says in the book. “The beautiful thing is that in recovery, almost everything in your life becomes a second chance. Hope is the foundation of our great country of America. Hope is such a driver of the normal human condition. The sum total of my awful disease was ‘loss of hope.’ That’s the truly awesome thing about recovery: once you come back, your whole life after that feels like a second chance.”

Through 10 years of recovery, with the aid of antidepressant medication, he began to feel well for the first time in his life. The fight is not over, he says, but he encourages those suffering from depression: “never give up.” ACING DEPRESSION lends a personal face to an epidemic disease that afflicts one in 20 Americans. Penned with passion and candor, this memoir is a deeply human story of nightmare and redemption.

Richey won both of his singles matches in the 5-0 U.S. victory over West Germany in the 1970 Davis Cup final, while he beat out rivals Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Arthur Ashe and Stan Smith to win the first-ever Grand Prix world points title the precursor to the modern day ATP rankings. He won his second U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships in 1970, while also won titles in his career at the Canadian Open, the South African Open, the U.S. Indoors and the Western Open (modern day Cincinnati Masters 1000 event). At the 1970 Pacific Coast Championships at the Berkeley Tennis Club in Berkeley, Calif., he earned the No. 1 U.S. ranking when he beat Smith in a fifth-set tie-breaker, where both players had simultaneous match point in a sudden-death nine-point tie-breaker at 4-4. He also reached the semifinals of both the 1970 French and U.S. Opens, losing a famous match to Zeljko Franulovic of Yugoslavia in the French semifinals, despite holding match points and leading by
two-sets-to-one and 5-1 in the fourth set. He and his sister Nancy, a former French and Australian singles champion, are regarded by some as the best brother-sister duo in tennis history.

Jimmy Connors, the five-time U.S. Open champion and a friend of Richey, wrote the Foreword for ACING DEPRESSION. Writes Connors, “What made Cliff Richey what he was on the tennis court has certainly carried over into this book. His story has taken a subject, depression — which has affected him personally — and put it out there for everyone to see. Depression has been a subject that no one really talks about. Few people even admit to having such a condition. But Cliff is not afraid to be bold and reveal what he has gone through and what it takes to get a handle on this disease…Just as Cliff played tennis, he is studying how depression works; what its weaknesses are; and what strategies you can use against it. His hope is that people who read his story can learn — learn about the disease and learn that people who suffer can have a better quality of life. Things can get better. There is hope.”

The book has also received acclaim and endorsements in the mental health community.

Says Jackie Shannon, the Past President of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “Real men do get depression — even champion athletes. Cliff’s story is an inspiration to all those who are battling mental illnesses and a wake-up call to the public.” Says Lynn Lasky Clark, President and CEO of Mental Health America of Texas, “This straightforward, honest and intensely personal account of Cliff Richey’s experiences with tennis and depression is truly inspirational. Cliff Richey approaches his recovery from depression with great passion and determination. He provides hope and understanding through this powerful memoir.” Says Lynn Rutland, the Executive Director of MHMR (Mental Health, Mental Retardation), “The Richeys inspired a whole generation of kids to believe in themselves and strive for excellence. Cliff’s story gives people hope when life has dealt them darkness. The battle for the mind is one that Cliff will never lose through lack of effort as he offers
insight into his own struggles and victories. His story will continue to make a difference for those suffering with depression.”

Hilaire Richey Kallendorf is the oldest daughter of Cliff Richey and an Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies at Texas A&M University. She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University. She is the author of two books, Exorcism and Its Texts: Subjectivity in Early Modern Literature of England and Spain (University of Toronto Press, 2003) and Conscience on Stage: The Comedia as Casuistry in Early Modern Spain (University of Toronto Press, 2007). She has also published over a dozen articles on such topics as self-exorcism, piety and pornography, ghosts, Taíno religious ceremonies, and Christian humanism in the Renaissance.

ACING DEPRESSION is published by New Chapter Press – also the publisher of The Roger Federer Story, Quest for Perfection by Rene Stauffer, The Bud Collins History of Tennis by Bud Collins, The Education of a Tennis Player by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli, The Lennon Prophecy by Joe Niezgoda, Bone Appetit, Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog by Susan Anson, The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle by Stewart Wolpin, People’s Choice Cancun – Travel Survey Guidebook by Eric Rabinowitz and Weekend Warriors: The Men of Professional Lacrosse by Jack McDermott, among others. Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press is an independent publisher of books and part of the Independent Publishers Group. More information can be found at www.NewChapterMedia.com.