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Wheelchair Tennis on Arthur Ashe Stadium For First Time

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US Open wheelchair tennis was played for the first time ever today in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Great Britain’s Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid, seeded No. 2, defeated Japan’s Shingo Kunedia and Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez in the first match, 6-3, 6-2.

“We knew a few days ago that some matches would be played on Ashe,” said Hewett, 19. “I found out at 8 pm last night – it was a nice surprise.”

“It was incredible to have that opportunity as wheelchair players,” said Reid, 25. “It’s showing the respect that wheelchair tennis is gaining, a great first match here. It’s probably the nicest court I played on, so for me, it really is the stuff that dreams are made of, to play on Ashe. Hopefully, it’s not the last time.”

Following the men’s doubles match, American Dana Mathewson and Aniek van Koot, of the Netherlands, upset No. 2 seeds Yui Kamiji, of Japan, and Lucy Shuker, of Great Britain, in a tight 0-6, 6-4, [10-5], match.

The US Open Wheelchair Tennis Competition continues through Sunday across the men’s, women’s and quad divisions. It follows the same rules as able-bodied tennis except that the ball can bounce twice.

Wheelchair Tennis - Arthur Ashe Stadium
Wheelchair Tennis – Arthur Ashe Stadium

Mondays with Bob Greene: Philippoussis close to retirement

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A Triumphant Return
The Atlanta tennis event, the Infinite Energy Atlanta Slam pro tennis exhibition is back again at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on  Saturday night.  This year’s action will take place on Saturday evening.
Bob and Mike Bryan headline the event as they will take on Atlanta residents Luke and Murphy Jensen.  The event not only has doubles scheduled but also singles matches. James Blake and Sam Querrey are scheduled to play as well.
With the 2009 season still a month away the exhibition comes in the middle of the off season the Bryan brothers.
“We like to play these kind of matches in the offseason,” said Mike Bryan. “A lot of guys put the racket down and head for the gym, and they may get a little rusty. This helps keep us sharp, but it’s less pressure and a lot more fun (than a normal tour event). Of course, you never want to lose in front of 7 or 8,000 people. We want bragging rights (with the Jensen brothers).”
Breaking away
Andy Murray and Fred Perry. You thought of Andy Murray, you thought of Fred Perry.  Andy Murray has decided however to move on to K-Swiss which offers him a much more lucrative deal.
The deal with K-Swiss is believed to be worth 3 million US Dollars and will be announced early next month at the Abu Dhabi exhibition event.
British Tennis to be coached by Brits
The British Tennis Association, the LTA, has given off signals that they no longer wish to rely on foreign coaches. In recent years, the LTA has hired a lot of foreign coaches Brad Gilbert and Paul Annacone among others. With Stuart Smith stepping down as the president of the LTA after serving 3 years term it was also announced that the British Tennis Coaches Association (BTCA) has disaffiliated from the LTA.
The roof is on fire
The Arthur Ashe Stadium might get a retractable roof. Managing director of the USTA Danny Zausner has thrown out scenarios as his group prepares to issue a proposal in January to give the 22,547-seat venue a retractable roof.
The roof could cost $100 million would protect the stadium against rain delays and washouts that have plagued the US Open tournament in recent years. The USTA hasn’t quite figured out yet how to finance the new roof but maybe there is a NBA opportunity, Zausner said.
Zausner also said that it makes sense to consider turning the stadium into a multipurpose facility.
Philippoussis retirement draws near
Even though his mind is still willing, his beaten up body tells him to stop. Philippoussis has told Australian media that he is close to giving up trying to ressurect his career.
Philippoussis has lingered from one injury to the other in recent years.
‘It’s in my heart to give it one more go, and at the end of the day it comes down to my body,’ Philippoussis told the Age newspaper. ‘If my body doesn’t allow it, it doesn’t matter how much my heart wants it or my mind wants it.
‘I honestly believe, 100 per cent, but I know what it’s going to take for me to get to that level. It’s going to take a hell of a lot of hard work and discipline.’
Charity
Mardy Fish’s foundation gave a very generous donation to 110 students of the Pelican Island Elementary school. With the money the kids can now take guitar, dance and drama lessons for free.
The Mardy Fish Foundation’s program provides a place for children to participate in sports, art and music as after school activities.  It is free of charge but parents will have to pay a small fee for transportation and a small insurance fee for each child. All the equipment such as musical instruments, excercise equipment, staff salaries and snacks are provided by the foundation.
The club are currently talking about expanding to tennis lessons which should start in January.
ATP Tour has trouble attracting sponsors
Six tennis tournaments on the ATP Tour have trouble finding sponsors for their events. The six events make up for 10% of the total of tournaments on the tour.
The current global financial crisis has effected sports leagues and tournaments including the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB) and soccer and golf are all affected. Earlier this year the Dutch Open sold its’ license to the family of Australian Open 2008 winner Novak Djokovic after failing to attract a sponsor. The Paris Masters event also indicated that they lost one of their sponsors.
The ATP are however cautiously optimistic about their situation.
“We continue to have very encouraging discussions with a number of partners from different sectors,” Kris Dent, an ATP Tour spokesman,  said when asked how close the tour was to finding a new title sponsor. “We are in a fortunate position that as a business we can afford to take the time required to get the right kind of deal for the ATP.
“While clearly the current financial climate is an added challenge, we are very confident of finding the right kind of partner for the ATP at the right price for the ATP,” Dent said.
Having events spread out all over the world “means regional economic difficulties do not affect us in the way they might national associations or leagues.”
The ATP Tour will continue to keep a careful eye on the global financial situation.
The prize money for the 2009 season will not be affected. The total prize money for next year is set to a record of  $80 million.

Ask Bill: Remembering Justine

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Justine Henin was our sport’s Maggie Fitzgerald. Recall the academy award winning film “Million Dollar Baby” Well, Maggie Fitzgerald was the undersized, high-achieving, hard luck protagonist. She was tougher than nails, both inside and outside of the boxing ring. Justine Henin was similarly tough, although she was not a fictitious character made in Hollywood.
There are two stories that I will always remember about the diminutive Belgian. The 2003 US Open was marred by rainy weather. It played havoc with the scheduling, and the tournament was barely able to end on schedule. On Friday night, under the lights of Ashe Stadium, Henin battled the popular Jennifer Capriati for a US Open women’s record three hours and three minutes. The match was fraught with tension, twists, and turns. Capriati desperately wanted to win her national championship and fought like a champion. She came within two points of winning the match an astonishing 11 times. Henin battled from one set down, through cramps, a biased crowd, and her own nerves to prevail in a third set tiebreaker around midnight.

After the match, Jennifer Capriati wailed to the long-time locker room attendant Gloria Beckford: “Why!?!?!?” Even lovely Gloria could not console Capriati. Nearby, Henin was slumped on a table in the trainer’s room, receiving fluids intravenously to treat her severe dehydration.
In the City That Never Sleeps, Henin did not emerge from the locker room until the wee hours of the morning. The buzz around the grounds the next day was that she would not be able to answer the bell for the final against countrywoman Kim Clijsters, who was ranked number 1 at the time. This was a problem on many levels, including the fact that CBS Sports had gambled (and invested heavily) by having the women’s final televised during the evening’s prime time for the second consecutive year. A final round withdrawal would have ruined this goodwill, to say the least. Refunding tickets for a default would have also been financially catastrophic to the tournament.
The next afternoon when Henin arrived at Flushing Meadows with coach Carlos Rodriguez and physical trainer Pat Etcheberry, she went through some “warm up” exercises. She spent time doing plyometrics, strength and balance work on the swiss ball, catching and throwing medicine balls, and some running. Her “warm up” session would rival an offseason workout for most players. She would play!
The match was an anticlimax, and the favored Clijsters never really had a chance. Winning with guile and grit, Henin beat her rival in straight sets. Within 24 hours, she went from a doubtful starter to the US Open champion.
This spring, my wife and our baby boy took a trip to the south of France. I needed to go on a pilgrimage to the Monte Carlo Country Club, to see first-hand where Bjorn Borg used to practice. I knew it would be good karma for our baby, who is stuck with two tennis-mad parents.
When we arrived, I saw Justine, her coach Carlos Rodriguez, and a sparring partner drilling on an outside court. Henin was doing exhausting intervals and working on perfecting the forehand that had already delivered her four titles at Roland Garros. To my horror, my wife hopped out of the car with the baby and ran to courtside. “Bonjour Justine! Our baby loves you!” I hid in the car, dying of embarrassment and thinking the worst. Instead of reacting angrily (or being frightened!), Justine sweetly said “Bonjour baby. He is so cute…” I apologized quickly to Carlos (who pretended not to mind) and peeled away in our rental car.
In a few years time, when we visit the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island as a family, it will be a story that I can always share with our son. “Remember when you met Justine Henin when she was ranked No. 1 in the world…?” I can only hope that he hits his backhand as Henin did hers.
Like Maggie Fitzgerald, Justine Henin has chosen to leave on her own terms. Thankfully, her decision was a happier one than the wounded Hollywood boxer. I suspect that, like most boxers (and an increasing number of tennis players), she will embark on a “comeback.” Regardless, she is a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer and remains shoulder-to-shoulder with Serena Williams as the best player of her generation.
Adieu Justine!

Destination: Miami

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Thinking of attending an ATP tennis tournament? TennisGrandstand begins a new series that reviews pro tournaments from a fan’s perspective.
All tournaments are bound to be a great experience. After all, fans lucky enough to attend a professional tennis event are watching the world’s best tennis players compete in one of sports greatest games! So it’s the intangible that determine whether a tournament is either a “great” or merely a “good” event.
In reviewing a tournament, we take into consideration the general atmosphere of the tournament, the ease of getting into courts, the ability to watch practice sessions, food, prices, hotels and transportation, and entertainment outside the tournament grounds.
Our first destination is also known as tennis’ fifth Grand Slam: the ATP’s Masters Series event in Miami.
General Atmosphere:
The tournament is played in Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, Florida, just south of Miami. The grounds of Crandon Park provide one of the most striking event backdrops in North America, offering an excellent compliment to the exciting tennis fans witness on court.
The Hispanic fans from the Miami area and the South Americans who fly in for the tournament give the Sony Ericsson Open a decidedly latino flair. That influence transfers over to the players. Although Miami is a hardcourt event, the clay court players from South America and Spain have a large, vocal following and are often scheduled on some of the best courts for both play and practice.
Courts:
Unlike the enormous Arthur Ashe stadium at the US Open, fans can still see the ball even when perched high on top of the main stadium in Crandon Park. But the Grandstand is the best place to view action. The second largest court on the tournament grounds is easy to get in and out of, and there isn’t a bad seat in the house.
The same can’t be said of the other main courts. Courts 1 and 2 are far too small for such a large tournament. Fans must often wait in long lines that stretch out from the court entrances. Once a fan is finally able to get a seta, they can’t chance leaving for even a brief restroom break because the long process of getting into the court will begin again.
Practice Sessions:
Watching your favorites practice is rarely a problem in Miami. With only one exception, fans can sit or stand court side on all the practice courts at the event, offering a great opportunity to take pictures and video.
If you are determined to see a particular player, we recommend wearing sneakers. The practice sessions times are not posted and the grounds are large, so you may have to take numerous turn around Crandon Park to find the players you are looking for.
Food:
The Sony Ericsson Open offers fans a variety of culinary treats to choose from, ranging from pasta and seafood to pizza and ice cream. Especially delightful is the strawberries with Nutella and whipped crème wrapped in French crepes.
Prices:
Overall the ticket prices into the event are average for a tennis tournament. And in comparison to the US Open, it’s downright inexpensive.
Remember that once you get a ticket with an assigned seat for the stadium, you can sit anywhere in the Grandstand or outer courts.
Food prices in the grounds are also average for a tournament. For the amount and quality of the food, the prices are reasonable for a professional sports event in the United States.
Hotel:
If you are coming from outside the Miami area, the tournament offers a number of hotel packages with a good choice of price ranges.
Many fans who come from other parts of the world take advantage of the hotel shuttle service due to the heavy traffic in Miami. If letting someone else deal with the driving appeals to you, make sure that the hotel you choose offers shuttle service.
Check the Sony Ericsson Open official web site for more information on hotels and shuttle service. http://www.sonyericssonopen.com/
Entertainment Outside The Grounds:
It’s Miami: sun, beaches, a large variety of terrific restaurants, and South Beach nightlife. Does anything more need to be said?
Helpful Hints:
Helpful Hint # 1 – The Masters Series tournament is a combined men’s and women’s event. That’s good news for some, bad news for other fans. We leave that up to you to decide.
Helpful Hint # 2 – March in sunny Florida is hot so make sure to pack your sunscreen. (There are some exceptions: a couple of years ago in Miami, there was very cool temperatures two nights during the tournament. Fans had to pull out their sweatshirts and jackets, and line up at the on-site Starbucks for hot coffee.) The Miami area can also experience heavy rain during the day so it’s a good idea to bring along an umbrella or rain cape as well.
(This column has been published before by Lynn Mennillo)