THURSDAY, AUG. 28. - In an expected move, Etienne de Villiers,
Executive Chairman and President of the ATP, announced that he would not
attempt to have his contract renewed at the end of the 2008 season. De
Villiers didn’t exactly have an automatic renewal option, as the
players were requesting other candidates to be interviewed, so it’s
clear that after a tumultuous two and half years at the helm, that the
South African saw the writing on the backboard.
While de Villiers is taking credit for changes that will go into place
next year, including a substantial increase in prize money, the tour has
yet to sign a much needed title sponsor and the administration has been
consistently at odds with its top singles players, including Roger Federer,
Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and James Blake. In fact, it was the Big
3’s recent election to the player’s council and their decision
to toss off de Villiers’ allies that must have led to his decision
not to attempt to renew his contract. Some players have also thrown in
their hats for Monte Carlo tournament director Zeljko Franulovic to be
named the new head of the tour.
In the end, de Villiers could only count of support from two tournament
directors on the ATP board – Charlie Pasarell and Graham Pearce
– and some doubles players like the Bryan Brothers and Mark Knowles.
Although there were a few members of the media who took to him, de Villiers
was no media favorite within months of coming on tour in June 2005. A
fast-talking, non- tennis person, the former Disney exec. had a admirable
resume outside of tennis circles, but instead of learning the ropes, he
decided to lecture folks as to what was wrong with the sport before developing
a deeper understanding of tennis’ place in the world. Like with
some players, there were some veteran scribes who felt that de Villiers
merely pretended to listen to them rather than actively take in information,
and he ran down his own path regardless of the circumstances (see the
round-robin fiasco). The structure of the 2009 calendar, which the ATP
says its has put into place after winning its lawsuit over Hamburg, will
now surely be re-debated
"I have nothing more to say to this man," Nadal said back in
the spring. "We spoke to him last year, trying to understand why
he is doing these things but it is impossible, it's a waste of time."
In early New Haven results, Anna Chakvetadze bested Sorana
Cirstea, 6-3, 6-3 and Alize Cornet took a tough tussle
from Daniela Hantuchova 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. On the men’s side, top seed
Fernando Verdasco beat Mischa Zverev 6-2, 7-6(4) and
Slovenian qualifier Luka Gregorc upset No. 7 seed Andreas
Seppi 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 to reach his first ATP semifinal.
The US Open will sorely miss two of the game’s most compelling characters
when India’s Sania Mirza pulled out with a sore
right wrist, and former champ Lleyton Hewitt underwent
hip surgery. Mirza has felt daily pain since returning at Wimbledon and
even though her doctors said she should be able to play the pain and that
it would improve, it obviously hasn’t and she cannot hit a forehand
properly. She was tearfully forced to retire in the first round of the
Olympics. Former No. 1 Hewitt is likely done as a primetime competitor
as no player who has undergone hip surgery in recent years has come back
to prominence.
Those who would like to attend the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s
Legends Ball on September 5 at Cipriani 42nd Street in NYC will have the
opportunity to participate in a live and silent auction that includes
hitting sessions Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Monica
Seles. For those looking for lessons from a legend, former Slam
champions Mats Wilander and Tracy Austin
have donated tennis lessons.
The US Open’s Opening Night Ceremony will include a parade of more
than 25 former US Open singles champions including Billie Jean
King, John McEnroe, Rod Laver, Ivan Lendl, Tracy Austin, Martina Navratilova,
Stan Smith, Boris Becker, Gabrielle Sabatini, John Newcombe, Ilie Nastase,
Guillermo Vilas and Mats Wilander, as well as
the injured Maria Sharapova as well as all the ex-US
Open champs in the draw. Notable by absence are Jimmy Connors,
Chris Evert, Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf and Martina Hingis.
Pete Sampras won’t attend but is scheduled to inducted
into the Court of Champions during the second week. BTW: Why is Evert
soaking in the publicity on the world’s top gold courses with her
husband, Greg Norman, and not showing up at the tournament that made her
famous?
The Oscar-winning actor/director Forest Whitaker of “The
Crying Game” fame, who is sure to flanked by Vera Zvonareva
and Chakvetadze, will host the on-court ceremony. Earth, Wind & Fire
and the Jersey Boys will put on musical performances
Former USTA president Harry Marmion, a very nice man,
passed away last week. Marmion eventually came around and approved the
naming of the US Open main stadium after Arthur Ashe in ‘97. Our
condolences to his family. Pete Sampras fans are petitioning to get the
USTA to build an honorary stature of their favorite player at the US Open.
Interested folks should go to samprasfanz.com….There is another
petition asking the ITF to consider the introduction of a Women's $15k
Challenger starting in 2010 (the men already offer this) in order to keep
the cost of competing in line with infaltion. Go to ipetitions.com/petition/itfwomensevent….HBO’s
Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel will present “All Bets Are Off”
on the meteoric rise in gambling on tennis, on Aug. 26 with reporting
by Frank DeFord.
MONDAY, AUG. 18 -- It’s official: Rafael Nadal
ascended to the No. 1 position in the South African Airways ATP Rankings
on Monday, replacing Roger Federer who had held the top spot for a record
237 consecutive weeks.
Nadal, who had ranked No. 2 behind Federer for a record 160 consecutive
week, guaranteed himself the No. 1 ranking after reaching the semis of
Cincinnati and capped it of by winning the Olympic gold in Beijing. Nadal
is now 770 points ahead of Federer and can’t lose the top spot at
the Us Open.
Nadal is now on course to complete a 'Rafa Slam' – winning the French
Open, Wimbledon, the Olympic gold and with designs on taking the US Open
and Davis Cup. "Nowhere in my best dreams I can imagine something
like what I did this year," Nadal said. "I am playing an unbelievable
season, no doubt. I have to be very happy for everything... The feeling
for sure is very happy for being No. 1, but the feeling doesn't change
too much because the last years I did very well too. It is a satisfaction...
I want to enjoy these two days probably, but later I have to be focused
on New York.”
On the same day, in a less significant but slightly nutty development,
Ana Ivanovic reclaimed the No. 1 ranking, a place she
will hold for at least the next two weeks. The 20-year-old Serb held the
No.1 ranking for nine weeks (June 9 – August 11) before losing it
to Jelena Jankovic. Amazingly, French Open champ Ivanovic has only won
three matches since her triumph in Paris. Ivanovic is questionable for
the US Open with a thumb injury.
Russia had some kind of day on Sunday. Not only did Elena Dementieva,
Dinara Safina and Vera Zvonareva win Olympic medals, but also Nadia
Petrova won the Cincy singles in a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Nathalie
Dechy and then won the doubles with Maria Kirilenko.
In Washington, Argentine teen Juan Martin del Potro continued
his surge by winning his fourth straight ATP title with a 6-3, 6-3 victory
over Serb Viktor Troicki in the final of Washington. The victory was del
Potro’s 19th straight and lifted him to a career-high ranking of
No. 17. "Del Potro is playing like a Top 10 right now,” Troicki
said. “He is not very far from being a Top 10 in the rankings. He
can go very far in the US Open.”
How about Donald Young losing again, this time in New
Haven? He's going nowhere fast.
