THE tennisreporters.net NEWSLETTER: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, NO. 48

American senior tour hopes for resurrection

By Ron Cioffi
tennisreporters.net

Ron Cioffi/tr.net

The American Association of Retired Persons may be 35 million strong, but, except for John McEnroe, there isn't a touring tennis pro in the bunch.

Why? Because senior tennis play in America has all but dried up.

If not for Jim Courier and T.J. Middleton playing two matches in an invitational exhibition in Atlanta in August, no American would have had a competitive senior match in the U.S. this year.

McEnroe continues to be a presence in the European-based Delta Tour of Champions. He won the Brussels event this year and also competed in another tournament in Portugal.

But among the seniors battling in the eight-stop tour, he is the only American. Boris Becker, Michael Stich and Guy Forget have won the other 2003 events that have been played. Other graying stars include Mats Wilander, Thomas Muster, Pat Cash, Yannick Noah and Petr Korda.

These former champions compete in round robins leading up to the semifinals and final that still generate enough interest to bring in 5,000 fans per session and TV coverage. For the most part, they are paid an appearance fee with bonus money for making the final and/or winning it.

Edwin Weindorfer, director of the ATP Senior Tour of Champions, organized the four-player Atlanta event in hopes of drumming up interest in more U.S.-based tournaments next year. Courier and Muster worked themselves into playing shape, ready to take on Wilander and Atlanta-based Mikael Pernfors. While Wilander had back problems and was replaced with Middleton, Courier ran off a strong straight-set victory over Muster in the final.

But there were only 1,150 of fans in attendance over two days and there would have been no way that TV could have telecast from the poorly-lit indoor facility where the final was played, due to rain.

"I am happy with the attendance [for the semis], but we had hoped for a sellout," Weindorfer told tennisreporters.net. "We will fight and do everything we can for next year. We will promote earlier and promote more."

SPONSORS ARE THE KEY TO MORE EVENTS
He added that the brass ring – more sponsors – will be the key to ensuring a repeat event next year.
In the 1990s, Jimmy Connors started his own senior tour, attracting big-name players and respectable crowds. But, Connors demanded huge paydays – reportedly up to $200,000 – and most promoters could barely make ends meet.

Weindorfer said that Connors and some other players demanded more than the events could realistically afford. "I think the players slowly have to understand that Connors [tour] was not doing that great," he said. "The players who love the game and support the game can take too much. The problem is you cannot finance a tournament like that just with ticket sales. You need sponsorship."

Oddly enough, the title sponsor of the European senior tour is Delta Airlines. The airline did not sponsor the Atlanta event, even though the corporation is based in the city. The event would have drawn more interest if it had been a competitive tournament, he admitted.

Weindorfer sees plenty of potential in America, even though no events are scheduled for 2004.

"The tour was successful in the U.S. for a couple of years. There was like 10 events. But after Sept. 11, there was a sponsorship problem and events canceled. It never recovered. ... Obviously, you need key players involved – American players. At that time in was McEnroe/Connors. And now it needs to be Courier. And, at a certain stage, getting some other American players to join: [Pete] Sampras, [Andre] Agassi. You cannot play a tour in the U.S. without American players."

According to Weindorfer, Courier – who retired in 1999 – fits the model: an established face who has taken a break from tennis and wants to return.

"A player quits because he wants to quit. They have to try other things. After a few years he says 'I'd love to play.' Players should retire for a long time and then come back. I wouldn't like to have a player right off the tour. I don't think it's realistic," Weindorfer said.