TennisGrandStand

Unique Tennis Perspectives

You are here: Home / Archives for USTA

USTA

USTA, ESPN and Tennis Channel Announce Partnership for US Open and Olympus US Open Series

by

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., May 12, 2008 – The USTA, ESPN and Tennis Channel today announced a groundbreaking television and multi-platform partnership creating a summer-long “Open Season” for tennis featuring more than 400 national television hours for the US Open and the Olympus US Open Series — an increase of nearly 100 hours. Commencing in 2009, ESPN and Tennis Channel will join CBS, and become the US Open cable television broadcasters for the first time. Under the new deal, the US Open will receive 200 hours of total coverage, an increase of over 50 hours — the most in US Open history. This marks the first time that the Series and the US Open will be carried by the same cable broadcast partner — creating a more consistent TV package for the sport. For 2008, USA Network will remain the US Open’s exclusive cable broadcaster.
For 2009 and beyond, ESPN2 will become the lead cable broadcaster for the US Open and the Olympus US Open Series, broadcasting nearly 200 hours of tennis coverage during the eight-week North American summer tennis season. Tennis Channel, which continues as a Series broadcaster with nearly 150 hours of Series coverage, will now also broadcast more than 60 hours of live US Open coverage. For the first time, Tennis Channel also will broadcast daily US Open preview and highlight shows. CBS Sports will continue to broadcast nearly 40 hours of live US Open coverage — bringing the overall national coverage of tennis during the summer season to more than 400 hours.
The six-year deal will also deliver the US Open across multiple platforms including ESPN, ESPN2, Tennis Channel, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN International, ESPN360 broadband programming, ESPN.com, TennisChannel.com, and ESPN Mobile Properties. In addition, USOpen.org retains all rights to live streaming of US Open matches.
“This completes a five-year process of reinventing the television and digital landscape for the sport of tennis in North America,” said Arlen Kantarian, CEO Pro Tennis, USTA. “Tennis will now be prominently featured for eight straight weeks on ESPN — the premiere destination in sports; Tennis Channel — our sport’s namesake network; and CBS — our longtime network partner. This new partnership will provide more tennis, to more people, in more ways than ever before.”
“Tennis has provided many memorable moments in ESPN history, and to finally acquire the excitement and drama of the US Open is a crowning achievement,” said John Skipper, ESPN Executive Vice President, Content. “The sport is a perfect fit for our growing digital businesses, and fans will know to find the best tennis action all year on ESPN2 and on ESPN360.com.”
“Tennis Channel is proud to now become a long-term partner in one of the greatest spectacles in all of sports,” said Ken Solomon, Chairman and CEO, Tennis Channel. “For us, the US Open and the Olympus US Open Series that leads up to it each summer go far beyond sports, as collectively the ‘Open Season’ represents an unprecedented eight weeks of the best mass appeal content in the world. Our multi-platform broadcast and marketing partnership with the USTA and ESPN, coupled with CBS’ world-class coverage will create significantly greater awareness of professional tennis in the years to come.”
US Open Television Coverage
ESPN’s US Open coverage will include approximately 100 hours, including weekday afternoon coverage and exclusive weekday primetime broadcasts. Tennis Channel will broadcast more than 60 live hours from the US Open, including exclusive primetime broadcasts on Saturday and Sunday evenings of Labor Day weekend. Below is a summary of the schedule and a full US Open TV schedule is attached:
First Week
• ESPN2: Live every weekday from 1-6 pm and primetime from 7-11 pm.
• Tennis Channel: Live every weekday from 11-2 pm; live outer court coverage from 2-6 pm; daily Preview Show from 10-11am; nightly Highlights Show at 11pm followed by encore of matches until 10 am the next morning.
Labor Day Weekend
• CBS: Live coverage from 11-6 pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

  • ESPN2: Live coverage on Monday from 7-11 pm.

• Tennis Channel: Live coverage on Saturday and Sunday from 7-11 pm; nightly Highlights Show at 11pm followed by encore of matches until 10 am the next morning.
Second Week/Quarterfinals
• ESPN2: Live Tuesday – Thursday from 11-6 pm and live primetime quarterfinals from 7-11 pm.
• Tennis Channel: Live outer court coverage from 11-6 pm; daily Preview Show from 10-11am; nightly Highlights Show at 11pm followed by encore of matches until 10 am the next morning.
Finals Weekend
• CBS: Live coverage during Finals weekend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, including the Men’s Doubles Final, the Men’s and Women’s Semifinals, the Women’s Primetime Final on Saturday night and the Men’s Final on Sunday.
• ESPN2: Live coverage of Women’s Doubles Final at 1 pm Sunday; US Open Wrap-Up Show from 8-10 pm.
US Open Digital and Extended Platforms
The components of this multi-platform deal include cable television, broadband, mobile properties, and Spanish language distribution via ESPN Deportes. Highlights include:
• ESPN360.com, ESPN’s signature broadband network, can present action from all TV courts during ESPN2 windows, plus simulcasts of ESPN2’s coverage, totaling more than 300 hours.
• ESPN.com will provide blanket coverage of the US Open, with the latest news and scores, as well as commentary, photos and daily video news and summaries from ESPN commentators.
• ESPN Mobile Properties will present live action, press conferences and highlights.
• ESPN has the right to display a multi-court mosaic platform during its TV windows.
• Tennischannel.com will have rights to stream live match action on a non-exclusive basis.
• ESPN International, which has been a US Open broadcast partner for several years, will continue to provide US Open broadcasts to Latin America and sub-Sahara Africa.
• USOpen.org also plans to stream US Open matches and will continue to feature exclusive live scoring.
Olympus US Open Series TV Coverage
• ESPN2 will remain the lead broadcaster of the Series and provide nearly 100 hours of consistent live weekly coverage, including back-to-back Men’s and Women’s Finals on Sundays from 3-7 pm.
• Tennis Channel will continue to provide nearly 150 hours of Series coverage, and weekly encore telecasts of Semifinals and Finals.
• CBS will continue to provide live Finals coverage from select Series events.
• Since its launch four years ago, the Series has doubled television viewership, increased event attendance and generated new corporate partners for the sport.
• In 2008, Olympus became the first Series title sponsor, with the Series renamed the “Olympus US Open Series.”
• In total, the 2007 Olympus US Open Series — including the US Open — generated a record 1.7 million attendees, more than 120 million TV viewers, and over 32 million website visits in the 8-week period.

George Bush’s DAVIS CUP Connection – A Strange Tale From 80 Years Ago

by

The United States and France will renew their storied Davis Cup rivalry this week in the quarterfinals in Winston-Salem, N.C. as captain Patrick McEnroe’s U.S. squad – Andy Roddick, James Blake, Bob and Mike Bryan – will look to continue their run towards a second consecutive Davis Cup title against French captain Guy Forget and his nominated team of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet, Paul-Henri Mathieu and Michael Llodra.
Interestingly, this 15th meeting between the two Davis Cup superpowers (series tied 7-7) comes 80 years after one of the most famous and most-politically involved Davis Cup matches in the history of the competition, in which, perhaps appropriately enough, the great, great uncle of President George W. Bush – Joseph Wear – was a central figure.
In the spring of 1928, Wear, a former player who medaled in tennis at the 1904 Olympic Games, was the Davis Cup Committee Chairman for the United States Lawn Tennis Association – now the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA). The United States was, for the first time since 1919, not in possession of the Davis Cup after the four French Musketeers – Rene Lacoste, Henri Cochet, Jacques Brugnon and Jean Borotra – snatched the Cup from Bill Tilden and the U.S. team the previous year in Philadelphia – ending the U.S. record seven-year stranglehold on the Cup.
Wear met with USLTA President Sam Collom and the Davis Cup Selection Committee to decide which Americans would represent the United States in Davis Cup play. The United States were due to meet Italy in the Davis Cup Inter-zone Final in Paris, and presumably, in the Davis Cup Challenge Round against the French in what would be the christening event for its’ new tennis stadium, Stade Roland Garros (now the site of the French Championships). On the agenda of the Davis Cup Selection Committee and the USLTA Executive Committee was whether Tilden, regarded as one of the world’s most famous athletes at the time, had violated his amateur status when he filed newspaper reports from Wimbledon, for which he was paid. Wear, and USLTA President Sam Collom, reviewed the evidence at the USLTA Davis Cup Selection Committee and no suspension or discipline was discussed in depth.
Wear and Collom set sail on July 6 for Paris and the Davis Cup matches on the S.S. France. While on board, radio dispatches were sent to Colom and Wear of the meeting of the USLTA’s Advisory Committee, where charges were, in fact, filed against Tilden for a breach of his amateur status. Collom advised the USLTA’s Advisory Committee that no suspension would be issued until Collom would get to speak to Tilden in person. While Collom and Wear were on board the S.S. France, the USLTA’s Advisory, Davis Cup and Amateur Rule Committee met in New York – minus the USLTA President and Davis Cup Committee Chairman – and voted to suspend Tilden as the playing captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team. The Committees also voted to have Wear replace Tilden as captain of the U.S. team. Under USLTA rules, Collom and Wear were helpless to overrule the committee. Wear, upset at the committee members’ decision, cabled the USLTA in New York and resigned his post as USLTA Davis Cup Committee Chairman upon setting foot back on U.S. soil upon his return from France.
At the draw ceremony to announce the line-ups for the Inter-zone Final between the United States and Italy, Collom announced publicly Tilden’s suspension from the team. Headlines in the world press resulted as Tilden was regarded as one of the world’s most famous sports personalities. The story was particularly sensitive in France, where the French Tennis Federation had invested significant financial resources in the construction of Stade Roland Garros, expecting to reap a financial windfall to help pay for the stadium’s construction with the match-up between the Tilden-lead U.S. team and their “Four Musketeers.” Without Tilden, the French Tennis Federation would not have its’ marquee match-up for the opening of its stadium and would face a severe financial crisis. Fans that already had purchased tickets for a potential U.S. vs. France Challenge Round had already requested refunds upon learning of Tilden’s suspension from the U.S. team.
The French Tennis Federation contacted the French Foreign Ministry to inquire whether the issue of Tilden’s suspension could be turned over to the American Ambassador to France, Myron Herrick. It is believed that Herrick brought the issue as far as the White House, where President Calvin Coolidge endorsed Tilden’s reinstatement. (Coolidge had an interest in the Davis Cup since his Secretary of War from 1923-1925 was none-other than Dwight Davis, the event’s founder). Herrick allowed the USLTA to devise some sort of punishment after the conclusion of the Davis Cup in exchange for re-instatement to the team “in the interest of international good feeling.”
While the diplomatic gears moved in full motion, Wear captained the Tilden-less U.S. team to a 4-1 win over Italy to advance the United States into the Davis Cup Challenge Round against France. Tilden rejoined the U.S. team for the Challenge Round, while Wear remained as U.S. Captain. The French went on to defeat Tilden and the U.S. by a 4-1 margin in front of overflowing and enthusiastic French crowds at Roland Garros.
Wear returned to the U.S. Davis Cup captaincy in 1935, when he steered the United States into the Davis Cup Challenge Round with a 4-1 victory over Germany. The United States would then lose to the Fred Perry-led British team 5-0 at Wimbledon, but Wear did have the opportunity to coach an up-and-coming young red-headed future champion by the name of Don Budge. Wear, in fact, is the only U.S. Davis Cup Captain to captain both Bill Tilden (1928) and Don Budge (1935). The uncle of George W. Bush’s grandmother Dorothy, was himself an accomplished tennis player himself having won a bronze medal in men’s doubles at the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis, Mo.
“No one in tennis is held in higher regard than the Philadelphian,” wrote Allison Danzig in The New York Times in 1931, who noted that Wear won the 1914 “Racquets” championship with Dwight Davis. (Racquets is a sport similar to court tennis or squash.) “His appointment as Davis Cup chairman in 1928 was hailed as the entry of one of the country’s most representative sportsmen into its lawn tennis councils and was forseen as a guarantee of the maintenance of the association’s international relations upon their high plane of noblesse oblige…From the beginning, he won the confidence of the candidates for the team and became their warm friend, and no one was ever a more welcome or respected figure in an American Davis Cup camp.”
We hope that the drama in this week’s United States vs. France Davis Cup series remains only on the court.

Ask Bill – Enjoy Roger Federer While He Lasts!

by

The USTA made a great move in hiring Patrick McEnroe to serve in the newly created General Manager position; he will be responsible for player development in the country. It would be nearly impossible to have found a candidate with as much universal respect as McEnroe. He embodies the highest standard of character and is no pushover. The players respect him, coaches admire him, administrators can relate to him (or, at least, he to them!), and the media realizes that he has become “one of them” as well.
A few years ago when I was serving as the President of the US Professional Tennis Association’s Eastern Division, I asked Patrick to speak at a coaches’ conference. His wife had a performance the same evening, and getting from Manhattan out to the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows and back to the city for her show was going to be challenging due to traffic. He never wavered. He charmed and challenged all the attendees and set a strong tone of expectations for American teaching professionals. Knowing that the event had a limited budget, Patrick donated his time. Everyone in tennis seems to have similarly positive experiences with Patrick. With this appointment, he continues his ascendancy as one of the true leaders of our sport. I can attest that he “thinks globally, but acts locally.”
I have been thinking of Patrick’s oldest brother, John, lately as his career relates to the constant Federer Debates. By the end of 1984, John McEnroe was being referred to as the greatest player ever by former champions such as Rod Laver, Jack Kramer, and Don Budge. That season, he lost a mere three matches, and, like Federer in 2006, seemed in a class of his own. By then, McEnroe had eclipsed Bjorn Borg, and proved to be a superior talent to Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl. At 25 years old, he won his eighth major title at the 1984 US Open. Recall that in that era, the top ranking players did not enter the Australian Open as a matter of course, so McEnroe was generally competing in three majors each year (the Masters and WCT Finals would have been considered “bigger” tournaments to win from 1978-85, at least).
By almost any measure, McEnroe’s 1985 season was also brilliant. He won 72 matches and lost just nine. He took eight singles titles. However, he tweaked his hamstring, which slowed him down by perhaps a half-step. He had begun an intense relationship with his future wife Tatum O’Neal. He no longer seemed to be the best mover in the sport. His focus was less myopic. He lost in the second week of each of the four majors that season.
After that season, John McEnroe stayed at the top echelon of the sport but he was never again a serious contender for the major crowns, and his efforts to regain his #1 ranking through the years were frustratingly futile. Others had caught up to him, and they would soon sprint past him. The hunter became the hunted, and the hunted certainly resented that role. The moral of that story: enjoy Roger Federer while he lasts. It might be a minor injury that compromises his sublime movement. It might be an off-court situation that divides his attention. It might be that the next generation simply improves sufficiently to displace the mighty Federer. In sports, these changes can happen pretty quickly.
If Serena Williams is fully engaged with her tennis, and is feeling healthy, can Justine Henin beat her? Maybe on clay. The quarterfinal result from Key Biscayne was a pretty wicked taming of the world’s #1 ranked woman. They are the two best players of their generation, so their matches are fascinating.
There are still some single-session tickets available for the juicy Davis Cup quarterfinal between the US and France in Winston-Salem, NC. The French team is deep and a threat to win any of the five rubbers. Team USA is, of course, looking to become the first back-to-back champions in a decade.
Enjoy the business end of the Sony Ericsson down in Key Biscayne…
Click here to view photos from the Miami Sony Ericsson Open
Click here to read the latest news from the Miami Sony Ericsson Open
For videos click here

Patrick McEnroe Named General Manager, USTA Elite Player Development

by

Written by the USTA
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., April 2, 2008 – The USTA today announced that Patrick McEnroe has been named General Manager, USTA Elite Player Development, as part of a new strategic direction for the development of future American champions. This initiative will provide a greater focus on top American junior players and young pros in an effort to achieve championship status. As part of a unified effort, the USTA will create a “Champions Advisory Board” and “Coaches Commission,” bringing together the best in American tennis to provide input into talent identification, program development, and coaching. In addition, the new direction will include the launch of “USTA Pro Track,” providing a pathway for top American juniors to achieve at the highest levels of the game.
McEnroe, who led the U.S. Davis Cup team to its first title in 12 years last December, will remain in his role as Captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team. He will begin his new full-time position as General Manager on May 12, and will report to Arlen Kantarian, CEO, Professional Tennis. McEnroe will oversee the USTA’s National Coaches and coaching program, as well as the USTA Training Centers in Boca Raton, Florida, and Carson, California.
For the first time, the USTA is now training and housing top junior talent on a full-time basis in the new state-of-the-art training facility at its Boca Raton Training Center on the campus of the Evert Tennis Academy. Its creation is the first-step in the hands-on development of top junior talent by the USTA.
“This is the beginning of a new strategic direction for the USTA as we create a unified effort to help keep America a dominant force in tennis for years to come,” said Arlen Kantarian, CEO Pro Tennis, USTA. “Patrick McEnroe is one of the most respected and forward-thinking minds in tennis today, and has achieved success at every level of the sport. With Patrick at the helm, we look forward to building a broad coalition of support toward one common goal – – create the next generation of American champions.”
“This is one of the sport’s highest callings and I am thrilled to unify and lead a team to work together to keep America the home of champions,” said McEnroe. “The USTA has significantly stepped-up its commitment to the development of elite champions, and I am honored to lead this effort. I look forward to working with our past champions, top coaches, academies, and other industry leaders for the betterment of American tennis.”
In his 11-year pro career (1988-98), McEnroe won one singles and sixteen doubles titles, including the 1989 French Open doubles title. He reached a career high singles ranking of No. 28 in September 1995 and an individual doubles high of No. 3 in 1993. He was a member of the U.S. Davis Cup team in 1993, ’94 and ’96. As U.S. Davis Cup Captain he began his tenure committed to working with younger talent. His 14 wins are tied for second all-time for a U.S. Davis Cup Captain and he now has a roster that has played as a group for a record nine straight ties and captured the Davis Cup for the U.S. for the first time in 12 years in 2007. He also was coach of the 2004 U.S. Olympic men’s tennis team.
A respected television and radio commentator, McEnroe graduated from Stanford University with a degree in political science as a three-time singles All-American (1986-88) and member of two NCAA championship teams (1986 and ’88). As a junior in 1984, McEnroe claimed the USTA Boys’ 18s National Grass Court singles title, the USTA Boys’ 18s National Clay Court doubles title and French Open boys’ doubles title. He was a member of the U.S. Junior Davis Cup Team in 1986 and ’87.
McEnroe, 41, is married to actress Melissa Errico. The couple resides in Manhattan and has a daughter, Victoria.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT PATRICK McENROE…..
“Patrick is a strong leader and understands the players, the sport and what it takes to build champions. He is a driven man of the highest character. I look forward to working with him as part of the USTA’s inclusive effort to develop American champions.”
— Billie Jean King
“The USTA continues to make the right moves in regards to Player Development. Patrick is an excellent choice to head its new Elite Player Development unit. I look forward to seeing him down here in Boca Raton at the USTA Training Center.”
— Chris Evert
“The USTA made a great choice in selecting Patrick for this position. Patrick is a good friend, a great Davis Cup Captain and a solid ambassador for the sport of tennis. I wish him nothing but the best and will help in any way I can.”
— Pete Sampras
“I’ve known Patrick for a long time and have always been impressed with his commitment to the sport. Patrick is a great guy for the job.”
— Andy Roddick
“I have witnessed first hand Patrick’s desire to build champions and win. This shows that the USTA is committed to doing everything it can to develop the next group of American champions. I know Patrick will have an open mind and a creative vision that will allow our top talent to develop into champions.”
— James Blake
“The USTA is clearly on the right track – great hire. Patrick is a man who puts what is best for American tennis in front of everything else. We look forward to working with him and the USTA on this new focused effort to create American champions and inspire individuals to play the game.”
— Nick Bollettieri
“Hiring Patrick to head Elite Player Development is an outstanding move by the USTA. He will have the respect of the players, the coaches and from the tennis world at large. His keen competitive instinct, his exceptional understanding of the game and his classy leadership capabilities help to make him uniquely qualified for this honor and responsibility.”
— Dick Gould
Patrick’s coach at Stanford
Click here to view photos of the Sony Ericsson Open

Andy Roddick, James Blake and World No.1 Doubles Team Bob and Mike Bryan to Face France In Davis Cup Quarterfinal, April 11-13

by

Written by the USTA
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., March 27, 2008 — The USTA and U.S. Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe today announced that the defending Davis Cup champions will feature world No. 6 Andy Roddick, No. 9 James Blake and the No. 1 doubles team in the world Bob and Mike Bryan in the 2008 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Quarterfinal.  The U.S. will face France on an indoor premiere hard court in Winston-Salem’s Joel Coliseum, April 11-13.
This is the tenth straight time that U.S. Davis Cup Captain McEnroe has used this lineup — a record for the U.S. Davis Cup team — dating back to the 2005 World Group Play-off in Belgium.  The previous U.S. record was three consecutive ties, held by eight different teams.  In addition, Mardy Fish — the third-ranked American — will come to Winston-Salem as a reserve and practice with the team.
The weekend festivities will begin Friday before the matches with a special ceremony to recognize the 2007 Davis Cup champions.  During the ceremony, a banner will be raised and the team will be presented custom-designed 14-karat gold rings commissioned by the USTA with five diamonds on the top, representing McEnroe and each of the four players.
“We’re looking forward to adding another chapter to our rich Davis Cup history with France,” said U.S. Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe, who has led the U.S. to a 14-6 record since taking over as Captain in 2001.  “We received tremendous support from the crowd last year in Winston-Salem and we hope to experience that same excitement again this year.”
Good seats are still available and can be purchased by calling (888) 484-USTA (8782) or online at www.ticketmaster.com.  The event is being organized, staged and promoted by the USTA.
The United States began the defense of its record 32nd Davis Cup title with a 4-1 win over Austria on an indoor red clay court in Vienna.  Should the United States defeat France, the U.S. would travel to either Germany or Spain for the World Group Semifinal in September.
The United States and France will meet for the fifteenth time in their more than one-hundred-year history.  The series is tied 7-7 with France winning the last meeting in the 2002 World Group Semifinal at Roland Garros in Paris.  From 1925-1930, France and the U.S. met each year in the final, with the U.S. winning the first two match-ups.
Versus and Tennis Channel will air same-day coverage of all three days of competition.  Versus’ live coverage will begin each day, starting at 1 p.m. ET Friday and Sunday, and 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.  Tennis Channel will re-air coverage at 8 p.m. ET.
The opening day of play in the best-of-five match series features each country’s No. 1 singles player against the No. 2 player from the other country.  The pivotal doubles match is played Saturday, followed by Sunday’s “reverse singles,” starting with each country’s No. 1 player squaring off followed by the No. 2 players in the fifth and final match.
Roddick, 25, has a 27-9 record in Davis Cup matches since joining the team in 2001, which ties him for second all-time in singles victories for the U.S. Davis Cup team.  Last year, he went undefeated (6-0) to lead the U.S. to its first Davis Cup title since 1995.  He has been the No. 1 player for the United States in all but two appearances — his debut at the 2001 Davis Cup First Round at Switzerland and the 2002 Davis Cup First Round win over the Slovak Republic (behind Pete Sampras) in Oklahoma City.
Blake, 28, has an 18-9 overall record in Davis Cup (15-8 in singles, 3-1 in doubles), having represented the United States in 14 ties over the past seven years.  Blake turned professional after completing his sophomore season at Harvard as the No. 1 player in college tennis.  In 2001, he became the first former Harvard student to represent the U.S. in Davis Cup in 75 years.  Dwight Davis, a senior at Harvard, founded the Davis Cup competition in 1900.
Bob Bryan, 29, ranking No. 1 in the world in doubles with twin brother Mike, holds a 14-1 record in Davis Cup doubles with twin brother Mike and is 3-2 in singles.  The duo is tied for first all-time in U.S. Davis Cup history with 14 doubles wins as a team.  The Bryan brothers have won 44 doubles titles as a team and are the most successful sibling doubles team in the Open Era.  Bob also won the mixed doubles titles at the US Open with three different partners: Katarina Srebotnik (2003), Vera Zvonareva (2004) and Martina Navratilova (2006).
Mike Bryan, 29, has played every doubles match for the U.S. Davis Cup team since he and his twin brother, Bob, joined the team in September 2003.  They are the only brothers to pair in victory for the United States Davis Cup team.  Together, they ended 2007 as the No. 1 doubles team in the world for the fourth time in five years.  Mike has 46 career ATP doubles titles and won the 2002 US Open and 2003 French Open mixed doubles titles with Lisa Raymond.
Last April, Winston-Salem hosted the 2007 World Group Quarterfinal in which the United States defeated Spain, 4-1.  The event was played in front of sold-out crowds that made the quarterfinal the third-highest-attended Davis Cup weekend in the United States.  The team used that victory as a springboard to capture its first Davis Cup title in 12 years, going on to defeat Sweden in Gothenburg and Russia in the final in Portland, Ore.
Founded in 1900, Davis Cup is the world’s largest annual international men’s team competition with 127 nations competing this year.  The U.S. leads all nations with 32 Davis Cup titles.
AIG is the official sponsor of the U.S. Davis Cup team.  Wilson is the official ball of the U.S. Davis Cup team.

Zina Garrison and Rodney Harmon Named Coaches of 2008 US Olympics Tennis Teams

by

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., March 18, 2008 – The USTA, the governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S., today announced that U.S. Fed Cup Captain Zina Garrison and Rodney Harmon, USTA Director of Men’s Tennis have been named as the women’s and men’s coaches for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Tennis Teams.  In addition, Dan James, Head U.S. National Wheelchair Team Coach, has been named coach for the U.S. Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Team.
The 2008 Olympic Games will be held August 8-24 in Beijing, China, with the tennis competition being staged August 10-17 at the Beijing Olympic Tennis Centre. The 2008 Paralympic Games will be held September 6-17 in Beijing with the tennis competition scheduled for September 8-15 at the same venue. The Olympic competition will conclude eight days prior to the US Open and will be played on the same DecoTurf II hard court surface as the US Open.
“With the top names in tennis competing in Beijing prior to the US Open, the Olympics add another dimension to what will be a memorable summer of tennis,” said Jane Brown Grimes, Chairman of the Board and President, USTA.  “Tennis as a sport benefits greatly from being showcased on such a prestigious international stage as the Olympics.”
“Zina, Rodney and Dan each possess that combination of character and competitive fire that define leadership and are synonymous with the Olympic ideal,” said Arlen Kantarian, CEO Pro Tennis, USTA.  “Each brings experience as an accomplished player and coach, with a unique ability to connect with the athletes to lead our quest for 2008 gold.”
“I’m honored to be selected again as the Olympic coach,” said Garrison.  “Some of my fondest tennis memories are from the Olympics and the incomparable thrill of winning a gold medal.  The goal is to share in that Olympic experience with our team this summer.”
“We have the nucleus of a very competitive international men’s team who will all be medal contenders in Beijing,” said Harmon, who has been USTA Player Development Director of Men’s Tennis since February 2002.  “I know the American men will relish the opportunity to compete on one of the biggest stages in sport.”
The 2008 U.S. Olympic tennis team will consist of up to six men and six women, with a maximum of four men and four women competing in the singles competition and a maximum of two men’s and two women’s teams competing in doubles. Olympic team selections will made by June 23.  The U.S. Olympic Committee will approve all team and staff selections for the Olympic Games.
The United States has won 15 Olympic medals in men’s and women’s tennis since its return as a full medal sport in 1988 — more than any other nation.  U.S. players have won 10 medals at the Paralympics, including a gold and a silver in 2004.
The 2008 Paralympic wheelchair tennis team will consist of a maximum of four men and four women in the wheelchair singles competition, with no more than two doubles teams in the wheelchair doubles competition. In the quad wheelchair competition (limited movement or strength in at least three extremities), a maximum of three players may compete in the event, with a maximum of three in the singles event and one team in the doubles event. Team selections will be based on ITF Wheelchair Tennis World Rankings from May 19, 2008.
“The Paralympics is the ultimate platform for worldwide competition among outstanding wheelchair athletes,” said James.  “It is a tremendous privilege to coach at the highest level of international play and I am eager to begin our quest for medals.”
Wheelchair tennis was introduced to the Paralympic program in 1988 as an exhibition event before becoming a full medal sport at the 1992 Paralympic Games in Barcelona.  Paralympic tennis is an open competition, eligible to those athletes with a mobility-related disability and all competitors must compete in a wheelchair.
The USTA was officially designated by the USOC as the national governing body for the Paralympic sport of wheelchair tennis in June 2002, becoming the first Olympic national governing body to earn this recognition. As the national governing body for wheelchair tennis, the USTA manages wheelchair tennis in the United States, including the sanctioning of tournaments, overseeing the ranking systems, creating and managing a High Performance program for developing elite disabled athletes and coaches.  The U.S. Olympic Committee will approve all team and staff selections.