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Historic Port Washington Tennis Academy To Return To Glory Under SPORTIME, John McEnroe Academy

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SPORTIME, the New York area’s most substantial operator of state-of-the-art racket sports facilities, announced that a $7 million renovation and modernization of the former Port Washington Tennis Academy, which launched the careers of John McEnroe, his brother Patrick McEnroe, who Co-Directs the John McEnroe Tennis Academy and serves as President of both the Johnny Mac Tennis Project charity and the International tennis Hall of Fame, Vitas Gerulaitis, Tracy Austin and other legends. The facility will now be rebranded SPORTIME Port Washington and will be the Long Island home of The John McEnroe Tennis Academy.

“Our new Port Washington facility has been a part of American tennis history on every level, and a part of the history of the McEnroe family. We are proud to be able to make this restorative investment and to return this iconic facility to elite status,” said SPORTIME CEO Claude Okin. “Bringing the Port Washington facility into the SPORTIME family of clubs, and bringing Johnny Mac back to Port, along with the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, will truly link the past with the future in Port Washington. Our belief is that our investment and expanded commitment on Long Island will be great for local players and families, and for the racket sports business here.” 

“The Port Washington Tennis Academy, now SPORTIME Port Washington, is a special New York place that is part of tennis history, and was a big part of my life and my brothers’ lives when we were training as juniors, ” said tennis legend John McEnroe. “I am thrilled to be able to expand my Academy to Port Washington, a full circle moment for me. I look forward to supporting and mentoring a new generation of talented and motivated young players there, and across the tri-state area.”

Upon completion of the facility renovations, currently underway, SPORTIME Port Washington will provide SPORTIME members and guests, and John McEnroe Tennis Academy students, with 7 beautiful soft-surface, Har-Tru tennis courts, 6 new hard-surface tennis courts and 12 new, dedicated, pickleball courts in their own building. These upgrades, along with countless others, and with SPORTIME’s introduction of John McEnroe Tennis Academy programming, will make SPORTIME Port Washington a premier destination for adult and junior tennis and pickleball on Long Island.

Scheduled to be completed by September 2023, SPORTIME’s $7 million dollar + facility improvement project will include the following:

  • New or refurbished roofs for all buildings
  • New court building interiors with upgraded insulation in all buildings
  • New and improved court lighting in all buildings
  • Upgraded locker rooms
  • New, easily accessible bathroom locations, in addition to the locker rooms, near courts and dining areas
  • New HVAC systems serving the entire facility – all court buildings will now be air-conditioned, providing comfortable temperatures and dehumidification year-round
  • Conversion of 6 existing Har-Tru courts to 6 new, cushioned, oversized hard courts, so that our future John McEnroe Tennis Academy stars, and adult players, can play, train and compete on both surfaces

The John McEnroe Tennis Academy now has its second Long Island location at SPORTIME Port Washington, 100 Harbor Road, Port Washington, NY.  For more information, visit www.SportimeNY.com/portwashington.

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About the John McEnroe Tennis Academy

In September 2010, tennis legend John McEnroe and SPORTIME partnered to launch the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, in John’s hometown of New York City, at the SPORTIME Randall’s Island Tennis Center in Manhattan. SPORTIME Randall’s Island is SPORTIME’s flagship location, and the flagship location of the Academy. In September 2012, JMTA expanded to SPORTIME Lake Isle, an 8-court, state-of-the-art, year-round facility in lower Westchester, and to SPORTIME Syosset in central Long Island, an 11-court indoor facility that has long served as SPORTIME’s high performance training center on Long Island. In 2013, JMTA Summer Tennis Training was added in the Hamptons, at SPORTIME Amagansett, SPORTIME’s 34-court, seasonal, outdoor tennis facility in the Town of East Hampton. With the satellite locations, the JMTA brand is currently featured at 4 sites with a total of 77 tennis courts, serving approximately 1,500 players annually and, as of September 2023, will be featured at 5 sites with a total of 96 courts, serving more than 2,000 players annually. Learn more: www.sportimeny.com/jmta.

John’s passion and belief is that great players can be developed in urban and suburban settings, while still having the opportunity to live at home, pursue their educational goals, and participate in a variety of extracurricular activities. The Academy works to recruit the most talented and the most highly motivated young athletes in the New York Metropolitan area and beyond. Inspired by the vision and presence of Johnny Mac, under the guidance of JMTA Managing Director, Bennett Schlansky, executed daily by Co-Directors Patrick McEnroe and Lawrence Kleger, and featuring an international staff of tennis, athletic training and performance directors and coaches, JMTA delivers a complete on and off-court training program, and develops complete players. JMTA includes off-court athletic training, mental toughness, video analytics, educational seminars, college placement assistance and more, designed to assure the best possible outcome for elite junior players, and for other committed players striving to be the best that they can be. JMTA’s youngest students, who train with red and orange balls on 36’ and 60’ courts, participate in cutting-edge Mac Red and Mac Orange programs designed by world-renowned U-10 visionary Mike Barrell, now SPORTIME’s Executive Director of Tennis, and executed by SPORTIME/JMTA’s expert U-10 directors and coaches.

About SPORTIME Clubs

Since 1994, SPORTIME has been proud to operate the finest tennis and sports facilities in New York State. SPORTIME’s 15 club locations, most recently expanded to include the iconic Port Washington Tennis Academy, now SPORTIME Port Washington, currently offer 194 indoor and outdoor tennis courts and 62 pickleball courts, as well as rinks, turf, camps, gyms and more, at sites across Long Island, in NYC, in Westchester and in the NY Capital Region. SPORTIME clubs are state-of-the-art, yet affordable, and feature the best tennis, sports and fitness facilities and programs, including the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) and SPORTIME Volleyball Club (VBC). SPORTIME clubs serve individuals of every age and athletic ability, 365 days a year. Learn more: www.sportimeny.com.

John, Patrick McEnroe To Lead Tour Group To Tanzania, Dedicate Serengeti Tennis Court

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McEnroe Brothers to Host Eight Day Trip in December; Will Dedicate Court In The Serengeti and Support Growth and Awareness With Other Charitable Initiatives In Cooperation With The Tanzanian Government

(New York, February 21, 2023) -Insider Expeditions, a leader in global travel excursions, today announced a new partnership with John and Patrick McEnroe to bring the tennis legends to Tanzania this December as part of a new goodwill, awareness and sport initiative. In cooperation and support of the Tanzanian government, the Brothers McEnroe will be accompanied by as many as 120 tennis aficionados during a special eight-day trip which will include the dedication of a tennis court in the Serengeti.

“We are excited to welcome John and Patrick McEnroe and their guests to Tanzania for this special event in December,” said Tanzania’s Hon. President Samia Suluhu Hassan. “Our country continues to grow through efforts like this, which expose the vistas and our people to new experiences from visitors around the world. Adding a special element like tennis to this mix will also help us with another one of our key initiatives, which is to create more health and lifestyle opportunities for our young people. While many know of John, their interests sometimes lie with sports like soccer, so using a great individual sport like tennis to teach life skills from legends first-hand will make for an experience people will never have imagined.”    

“My family and I look forward to a very exciting trip to Tanzania, where we will have the chance to introduce tennis to the Maasai youth, probably for the first time,” John McEnroe said. “Thanks to Insider Expeditions for creating this opportunity for us all to learn about this beautiful country while being able to expand the game of tennis to a new audience in a country on the rise in the global business and tourism landscape.”

“To be able to go to on this unique trip with ties to a tennis growth experience for all involved is going to be very special,” Patrick McEnroe added. “We have all heard about the beauty of Tanzania, so being able to make this trip with my wife and those individuals joining us should be quite amazing.”

The luxury journey will include a tennis match between the McEnroe brothers in the midst of the Serengeti, one of Africa’s most iconic safari destinations. Unmatched wildlife, local cultures and stunning landscapes combine to produce what is often described as the holiday of a lifetime and coupled with celebrity tennis professionals as hosts—this is truly a once in a lifetime experience. The itinerary includes the best Tanzania’s National Parks including the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti which are home to the Big Five as well as numerous birds and reptiles.

Guests will also join John and Patrick when they visit a traditional Maasai Village to bring good will and cultural exchange and introduce the Maasai youth to the game of tennis as part of a special court dedication.

Travelers will enjoy African hospitality while staying at the Four Seasons Serengeti, And Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge and the Gran Melia. This bucket list tour package includes all gourmet meals on an all-inclusive basis, domestic air, almost daily Safari game drives in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, a welcome reception hosted by the President of Tanzania, tennis themed activities and memories to last a lifetime.

Tennis fans will not want to miss this historic moment in tennis history.  This is a once-in-a-lifetime expedition to one of the most majestic landscapes on the planet with tennis legends.

To learn more or join the tour, please visit: https://insiderexpeditions.com/mcenroe.

About Insider Expeditions

Insider Expeditions is a premier travel company that curates and hosts one-of-a-kind experiences for groups and individuals on all seven continents. Our extensive global network — from presidents to poets, prestigious universities to pioneering explorers, superstar artists to high impact non-profits — enables us to create genuinely unparalleled voyages to the most remarkable corners of our planet.

Our trips range from educational journeys for leading universities, to business delegations for Fortune 500 companies; from mission-driven expeditions with non-profits to creative brainstorming journeys for entrepreneurs; from wellness and yoga retreats to extraordinary family reunions; from creative workshops with artists, to musical or sports adventures with celebrities.

Patrick McEnroe To Join SPORTIME, John McEnroe Tennis Academy, As Co-Director

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SPORTIME tennis club on Randall’s Island in New York City and The John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) have announced the appointment of Patrick McEnroe as Co-Director, alongside longtime JMTA Director Lawrence Kleger. McEnroe, the younger brother of JMTA founder John McEnroe, joins a team, led by SPORTIME Managing Director Bennett Schlansky. A world-class staff of directors, coaches, trainers and others support John’s and the Academy’s mission to stimulate interest in tennis in the greater NYC area, to make tennis accessible to New York area youth and to use tennis as pathway of opportunity, helping young players to reach there potentials as players, students and people.

“I am very pleased that my brother Patrick has decided to join us at JMTA, as we continue to refine our model and expand our impact,” John McEnroe said. “There probably isn’t anybody that understands American tennis and New York tennis better than Patrick and nobody in the world that has better or more experience coaching talent at the highest levels of the game. Patrick is going to help us make a difference.”

“My brother John, Lawrence Kleger and the entire team at JMTA have set a new standard in New York with the quality and breadth of what they offer, and with their charitable efforts for young players of both genders and all backgrounds,” Patrick McEnroe said. “I am looking forward to bringing my lifetime of learning, as a player, coach and program manager, to my new role. I think that JMTA is just getting started and that my involvement can be a great addition. I am excited to work on my brother’s team! ”

Ben Schlansky explains, “The opportunity to add Patrick to the Sportime/JMTA team was unexpected and, frankly, a ‘no brainer.’ Our CEO, Claude Okin, has known Patrick for almost 20 years, and we have all watched Patrick’s evolution from touring pro, to Davis Cup Captain, to GM of USTA Player Development, and more, plus some folks forget that he won a Grand Slam. And now he is a tennis dad, so he has added that perspective. Patrick’s contribution should be amazing for Sportime and JMTA, and Claude and I are so excited to have him on our team.”

This sentiment was echoed by Patrick’s JMTA Co-Director, Lawrence Kleger, who said, “I am very excited to have Patrick join our JMTA team.  I have known Patrick since he was a kid and have always liked and respected him.  I look forward to working side by side with him.  Without question, Patrick will help us take the Academy to the next level.”

Patrick McEnroe won one singles title and 16 doubles titles, including the 1989 French Open Men’s Doubles title, during his 10-year professional career, and achieved career-high rankings of World No. 28 in singles and World No. 3 in doubles.  After retiring from the tour in 1998, Patrick had a successful run as U.S. Davis Cup captain, winning the cup in 2007. After leaving his Davis Cup role in 2010, McEnroe focused on his television commentary work, and also led the player development charge for the USTA until 2014. McEnroe is a life-long New Yorker, where he lives with his wife, Broadway star and actress Melissa Errico and their three daughters. McEnroe will impact a variety of areas in his position with SPORTIME and JMTA, including curriculum, corporate engagement, and fundraising for scholarship and community-based programs, as well as coach and staff recruitment and training, calling on his many years of working with and managing other great coaches, and learning from them.

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About SPORTIME

SPORTIME is proud to operate the finest tennis facilities in New York State, with over 150 indoor and outdoor courts at 12 clubs across Long Island, in NYC, in Westchester and in the NY Capital Region.  SPORTIME’s clubs are state-of-the-art, yet affordable, and feature the best tennis facilities and programs, along with great gyms, camps and sports and fitness offerings.  SPORTIME is proud to be the home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Randall’s Island since 2010, with JMTA Annexes at Syosset/Bethpage, Long Island, and Lake Isle, Eastchester, since 2012.

About The John McEnroe Tennis Academy

In September 2010, tennis legend John McEnroe and SPORTIME partnered to launch the John McEnroe Tennis Academy in John’s hometown of New York City, at the SPORTIME’s flagship Randall’s Island Tennis Center in Manhattan. In September 2012, JMTA expanded its geographic reach to SPORTIME locations in Westchester and on Long Island: SPORTIME Lake Isle, an 8-court, state-of-the art, year-round facility in Eastchester, New York in lower Westchester; and SPORTIME Syosset in central Long Island, an 11-court indoor facility, that has long served as SPORTIME’s high performance training center on Long Island. John’s passion and belief is that great players can be developed in urban settings, while still having the opportunity to live at home, pursue their educational goals, and participate in a variety of sports and extracurricular activities. The Academy works to recruit the most talented and the most highly motivated young athletes in the New York Metropolitan area and beyond. Inspired by the vision and daily presence of Johnny Mac and under the guidance of JMTA Managing Director, Bennett Schlansky, JMTA Directors, Lawrence Kleger and Patrick McEnroe, JMTA Performance Director, Richard-John Mensing, Jr., and JMTA Director of Mental Performance and Toughness, Dr. Dom Lausic, and with a world-class staff of tennis, athletic training and performance directors and coaches, JMTA delivers a complete training program designed to assure the best possible outcome for serious players; whether for junior tournament players, future and current collegiate stars, or for those seeking to play on, or currently playing on the ATP, WTA and ITF tours.

About the Johnny Mac Tennis Project

The Johnny Mac Tennis Project (JMTP) changes young lives by removing the economic and social barriers to success through tennis. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, JMTP introduces the sport of tennis as a life-long health, fitness and social activity to thousands of under-resourced New York City area kids, particularly those living in East Harlem and the South Bronx, two communities immediately adjacent to our base at SPORTIME Randall’s Island. For a smaller group of dedicated young athletes, JMTP provides a pathway to success through competitive tennis, leading to college scholarships, careers in the industry, and, for a few, professional tennis careers and, perhaps, Grand Slam titles.

Patrick and John McEnroe
Patrick and John McEnroe

Andy Roddick To Play, Patrick McEnroe To Coach For World TeamTennis at Historic Forest Hills

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Mylan World TeamTennis today announced that the league will return to the New York area, with the New York Empire playing their 2016 home matches at venerable Forest Hills Stadium at The West Side Tennis Club, the home of the US Open for over 60 years. The restored facility will be configured to seat 2,500 for six home matches from July 31 through August 13. The team has also named Patrick McEnroe as head coach, and will have former US Open champion Andy Roddick as a marquee player.

“There are few more beautiful places to play tennis than Forest Hills, and it’s great to help bring professional tennis back to the facility for the 2016 Mylan WTT season,” said McEnroe. “This is a perfect way to link the past of the game with the new thinking that Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss have infused into the sport through World TeamTennis. Fans will love the exciting, competitive team play so we hope they will come out and support the Empire. New Yorkers love their championship teams and our goal in year one is to win it all.”

“We are excited that Mylan World TeamTennis is back in New York,” said Mylan WTT CEO/Commissioner Ilana Kloss. “An iconic venue like The West Side Tennis Club will be a great showcase for the best in professional team tennis competition.”

The tennis setup at Forest Hills Stadium will create an intimate viewing experience for fans with individual tip-up reserved seats, boxes, and VIP hospitality packages, including courtside tables that will include full food and beverage service. Individual match tickets will go on sale later this spring. To purchase season tickets or to get more information, please email info@nyempiretennis.com, visit www.nyempiretennis.com or call the New York Empire office at (844) 5-EMPIRE (844-536-7473).

McEnroe, who won the 1989 French Open doubles title, also had a successful run as U.S. Davis Cup captain as he guided his squad to the 2007 title. After leaving his Davis Cup role in 2010, McEnroe focused on his television commentary work as well as leading the player development charge for the USTA until 2014. He is very familiar with Mylan World TeamTennis having played six seasons. McEnroe is a life-long New York City resident where he lives with his wife, Broadway star and actress Melissa Errico, and their three daughters.

“As both a player and an owner I have always enjoyed all that encompasses Mylan WTT,” added Roddick. “To be able to play on the legendary courts at Forest Hills and be involved with a team in a city that I love, New York, will make this even more special.”

Roddick will play his ninth season of Mylan World TeamTennis in 2016 and first with the inaugural New York Empire. He most recently played in 2014. In May 2013, Roddick joined the WTT Ownership Group along with Venus Williams. He won the 2003 US Open and reached the final of a Grand Slam four different times and captured 32 tour-level singles titles, including five ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns. Roddick also founded the Andy Roddick Foundation which has raised more than $14 million for charity since 2001 and works to expand opportunities for young people to learn, thrive and succeed.

Colleen Hopkins will serve as team general manager. Hopkins is the founder of Hopkins Events, a special event agency with a focus on event management and operations, sponsor activation and client hospitality.

The 2016 season marks a return to professional tennis at one of the sport’s most historic facilities. The West Side Tennis Club hosted the US Nationals/Open Tennis Championships a total of 62 times, first from 1915 to 1922 on the grounds, and from 1923 to 1977 in the stadium. Built in 1923, the stadium was America’s first tennis stadium.  In addition, the finals of the Davis Cup were held at the club 10 times, more than any other venue. Following the US Open, the WCT Forest Hills Invitational was held at the venue two times, and the WCT Forest Hills Tournament of Champions, was held at the venue 11 times, the last time in 1990 before the facility was renovated to its current grandeur.

The Nationals/Open saw some of its biggest moments and changes while at West Side, including the introduction of seedings in 1927, tiebreakers in 1970, equal prize money for men and women in 1973, and night play and the conversion of the courts from grass to clay in 1975. Currently, the stadium is also used as a music venue for concerts. One of the highlights of the 2016 Forest Hills Stadium summer concert series will be Mumford & Sons on June 16.

The Empire schedule, promotions and full roster of players will be announced in the coming few weeks with the 2016 Mylan WTT Player Draft taking place in Miami on March 25.  For all other details on the Empire go to www.NYEmpireTennis.com or follow on Twitter (@nyempiretennis) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/NYEmpireTennis).

West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills
West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills

“The Choke of the Year:” Victoria Azarenka Behind The Mic

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Victoria Azarenka takes a medical timeout. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Barring a toe injury that kept her from finishing a warm-up event in Brisbane, Victoria Azarenka has not lost a match all year. There have been a few tense moments during her matches in Australia, most notably when she fell behind a break to American Jamie Hampton in the third, and most recently when she squandered five match points against Hampton’s compatriot Sloane Stephens. But the World’s No. 1 has been solid when it matters most and finds herself in her second consecutive Australian Open final.
If only she could be as clutch when she trades the racquet for a microphone.
In another serious gaffe, the Belorussian spoke to Sam Smith after her win over Stephens:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUbWztL4ozQ&w=560&h=315]
The crux of Smith’s question spoke to Azarenka’s “difficulties” in finishing off the feisty American, who was in her first Slam semifinal. However, the former player and commentator was referring to the medical timeout Azarenka took before the start of the final game, one that lasted nearly ten minutes and required the top seed to leave the court.
Evidently under the impression that Smith was asking about her inability to serve out the match at 5-3, Azarenka laughed off the scary prospect of having avoided “the choke of the year” and admitted to feeling “overwhelmed…one step away from the final.”
Smith’s first question made a brief reference to the timeout, but when she got no answer, she moved on. The decision not to press Azarenka about her apparent injury, both by Smith and later Tom Rinaldi, only fueled the speculation further and gave the defending champion more rope with which to hang herself.
To Smith she admitted, “I just couldn’t lose, that’s why I was so upset!” When Rinaldi asked her why she left the court, she said she could not breathe and had “chest pain.”
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldpEmOoIsL4&w=560&h=315]
By the time she made it the formal press conference, Azarenka faced a lengthy interrogation about her injuries and their legitimacy. Azarenka defended herself and called her prior diction “my bad.” Critical of the MTO process, Patrick McEnroe called for an overhaul of the rule itself so players like Azarenka are not “able to manipulate the rules.”  Stephens’ coach David Nainkin called what happened to his charge “cheating within the rules.”
A meme-interpretation of Twitter’s response to        Azarenka’s MTO.

All of this came days after her battle with Hampton, who was visibly hampered despite bringing her higher-ranked opponent to the brink of defeat. During another one of her now-infamous on-court interviews, Azarenka accidentally implied Hampton’s injury was not as bad as it seemed, quipping, “Can I have a back problem?”
Hampton was later revealed to have two herniated discs.
How can the woman who can seemingly do no wrong on the court be so inept the moment she steps off of it? She combines perfectly timed, almost balletic groundstrokes with a boxer image, usually taking the court with earbuds in and hoodie up. Prickly between points, her signature celebratory moves include finger spinning and tongue wagging. Often (to quote rival Maria Sharapova) “extremely injured,” she has become notorious for withdrawing from smaller events only to show up on the biggest stages playing flawless tennis.
A woman that cannot afford even one bad quote, Azarenka is quickly compiling a chapbook full of verbal “oops,” one big enough for the tennis community to want to ride their No. 1 out of town on a rail.
But before we burn a 23-year-old woman at the stake, let us remember with whom we are dealing. Victoria Azarenka is, above all things, an athlete. The “swagger” for which many deride her is proof of that. What goes on with an athlete’s mind and body is sacred to them and ultimately irrelevant to the task at hand.
As Azarenka was asked about her “difficulties,” there was no doubt that she believed Smith (and others) were referring to her near  “Choke of the Year.” How often do we criticize players for blaming injuries on missed opportunities? Yet here is a woman who made no excuses, blamed mind before body, and the media calls for a crucifixion.
There are many things about Victoria Azarenka that grate. Her honesty should not be one of them.

Around The Corner: Sydney, Auckland and the Kooyong Classic

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Juan Martin del Potro

With just over a week until the start of the Australian Open, there is little time to tinker with one’s game for the first Grand Slam of the year.
While the top four players in the world will be taking the week to rest themselves in anticipation for a deep-run in Melbourne, there are plenty of other of the game’s great players who are in action.
The ATP has two tournaments, one in Sydney and another in Auckland, while the Kooyong Classic exhibition will boast a strong field as well. Here’s a closer look at what tennis fans can expect.
Apia Sydney International
Juan Martin Del Potro starts his year in Sydney as the top seed. After making a strong return to the circuit last season following a wrist injury, the 2009 U.S. Open champion is ready to make some noise this year. Del Potro is certainly capable of challenging anyone in the top four and I would put him in the  mix of the few serious contenders at the Aussie Open.
The Argentine could see Marcos Baghdatis in the quarters here and then Feliciano Lopez who is the fourth seed. I would however, put the winner of the first round match between Viktor Troicki and veteran Aussie Lleyton Hewitt to advance against Del Potro in this section of the draw.
Hewitt has won the even four times, in 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005. Don’t expect a repeat as his career is clearly on the downward spiral and injuries have taken their toll on the two-time Grand Slam champion. This may be the last year we see Hewitt playing on the ATP Tour, so enjoy him while you still can.
John Isner from the United Statesis the second seed. Patrick McEnroe recently stated that he feels Isner has the potential to reach the top ten in the ATP rankings. While I do not see that as being a realistic assessment for the 6’9” Isner just yet, this guy is certainly a strong top-thirty player who can cause incredible damage on a hard court due to his imposing serve. It will be Isner’s first action of the year so it will be interesting to see how he comes out of the gate.
Isner could face either veteran Xavier Malisse or Radek Stepanek in the quarters and given his ranking he should be beating opponents like these. However, at this stage of the year anything is possible.
A likely semi-final opponent would be third seeded Richard Gasquet who had a solid week at the Hopman Cup where he defeated Fernando Verdasco, Lleyton Hewitt and Wu Di before falling to Tomas Berdych in the finals.
Heineken Open
All-court wonder and the always hustling David Ferrer is the number one seed in Auckland. Ferrer started the year off by making the finals of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi and was the runner-up in that exhibition to Novak Djokovic. Ferrer starts his week off with a bye at the Heineken Open and will face the winner of the match between Albert Ramos and Lukas Rosol. In other words, a nice way to ease into the tournament.
Ferrer’s main opposition will be from third seeded Fernando Verdasco who has just competed in the Hopman Cup. There, the Spaniard defeated Lleyton Hewitt 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, knocked-off Wu Di of China 6-3, 6-4 and was beaten by Richard Gasquet 6-2, 6-4. So essentially, he won the two matches he was supposed to win and could not find a way to be competitive against a solid opponent in Gasquet. Never any consistency with Fernando, but he has the tools to go deep in any draw.
The second seed here is Nicolas Almagro, but unless we’re talking about a clay court match I wouldn’t count on this guy to get too far. While he did make the semi-finals in Chennai, the field was rather weak and he was no match for Canadian Milos Raonic who took him out 6-4, 6-4.
Look for guys like Philipp Kohlschreiber, Donald Young and perhaps Sam Querrey to enjoy some success in this draw. It is nice to see Young seeded in the tournament (7th) and hopefully able to build on a nice season in 2011. There is still so much potential with the American and he still has many years ahead of him despite already being a presence on the ATP Tour for several seasons.
AAMI Kooyong Classic
Always a high-quality exhibition tournament, the Kooyong Classic again boasts a strong field in 2012. Ten players make-up the draw that has both a championship and consolation side to it.
American Andy Roddick will be the most high-profile player involved and will make his season debut on the tennis court at Kooyong. Roddick’s buddy and current number-one American male tennis player, Mardy Fish, will also be present.
This year will be of the utmost importance to Roddick who struggled mightily a year ago. He needs to re-assert himself and prove to his fellow players that he is still relevant in the sport today. Usually a strong starter, Roddick will be one to watch closely here this week.
Continuing with North-American players, we have Canadian Milos Raonic who has just made the finals in Chennai. Raonic is going to be very exciting to watch this year, especially if he can stay healthy. This guy’s game is perfectly suited toWimbledonand it is no surprise that he grew up idolizing Pete Sampras.
The rest of the players here include Jurgen Melzer, Bernard Tomic, Tomas Berdych and recent Qatar finalists Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Of all the stops this week, Kooyong will be the one I’m most interested in due to its very strong field.
Keep checking back with us all week long for updates and check out my Twitter feed as well if you like. Only one more week until the first Slam of 2012 so we have lots to look forward to!

Birmingham, Ala., to host USA vs. Switzerland Davis Cup Series

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The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Arena in Birmingham, Ala., has been selected as the site for the 2009 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas first round match between the United States and Switzerland, March 6-8. The indoor arena is expected to seat more than 17,000. Tickets will go on sale in mid-January.
The United States and Switzerland are two of the 16 nations competing for the 2009 Davis Cup title as part of the Davis Cup World Group. The U.S. leads all nations with 32 Davis Cup titles.
“The tennis fans in Alabama are in for something special. There is nothing in tennis, or sport, like a Davis Cup match,” said U.S. Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe. “It’s a tough assignment at home, so crowd support will certainly be an advantage for us. It should be one of the most star-studded Davis Cup matches this year.”
The United States has used the same line-up – world No. 8 Andy Roddick, No. 10 James Blake, and the world’s second-ranked doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan – for 10 of the last 11 Davis Cup matches, including all four wins during its 2007 title run. World No. 2 and five-time reigning US Open champion Roger Federer has announced his intention to play in the first round of Davis Cup for the first time since 2004 and is expected to be joined by No. 13 Stanislas Wawrinka, with whom he won the Olympic gold medal in men’s doubles this past summer in Beijing.
The best-of-five match series begins Friday, with two singles matches, featuring each country’s No. 1 player against the other country’s No. 2 player. Saturday’s schedule features the pivotal doubles match. The final day of play on Sunday will feature two “reverse singles” matches, when the No. 1 players square off followed by the No. 2 players meeting each other in the final match.
“We are excited that the USTA has chosen Birmingham to host the Davis Cup,” said Gene Hallman, Executive Director of the Alabama Sports Foundation. “We look forward to showcasing our fine state in front of a global audience and expanding on Birmingham’s strong tennis tradition.”
This will be the first Davis Cup tie ever played in Alabama, making it the 33rd state to host the prestigious competition. It also will be the first major professional tennis event in Birmingham since the city hosted the 1994 U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships. The city also hosted a USTA Pro Circuit men’s challenger from 1991-93 and 1995-2003 as well as a women’s $10,000 event from 1983-88. Blake won the doubles titles and was the singles runner-up at the Challenger in 2001 and the Bryan brothers won the doubles title in 1999.
The United States and Switzerland have split their two previous meetings in Davis Cup. Switzerland won the last meeting in the 2001 first round in McEnroe’s debut as U.S. Davis Cup Captain and Roddick’s Davis Cup debut. The Swiss were led by relative unknown Federer who won both his singles matches and the doubles point.
The two nations first met in the 1992 Davis Cup Final in Ft. Worth, Texas, as Andre Agassi and Jim Courier each won a singles match and Pete Sampras and John McEnroe teamed for a doubles victory to give the U.S. the title. A 10-year-old Roddick was among the capacity crowds. He said the experience “changed my life. It changed the way I viewed tennis, especially the way I viewed Davis Cup.”
Founded in 1900, Davis Cup is the world’s largest annual international team competition. The USTA organizes, stages and promotes all Davis Cup events in the U.S.
Wilson is the official ball of the U.S. Davis Cup team.

On This Day In Tennis History Is Latest Book Release From New Chapter Press

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – New Chapter Press has announced the publication of its latest book – On This Day In Tennis History -a calendar-like compilation of historical and unique anniversaries, events and happenings from the world of tennis through the years – written by Randy Walker, the sports marketing and media specialist, tennis historian and former U.S. Tennis Association press officer.
On This Day In Tennis History ($19.95, 528 pages), is a fun and fact-filled, this compilation offers anniversaries, summaries, and anecdotes of events from the world of tennis for every day in the calendar year. Presented in a day-by-day format, the entries into this mini-encyclopedia include major tournament victory dates, summaries of the greatest matches ever played, trivia, and statistics as well as little-known and quirky happenings. Easy-to-use and packed with fascinating details, the book is the perfect companion for tennis and general sports fans alike and is an excellent gift idea for the holiday season. The book features fascinating and unique stories of players such as John McEnroe, Don Budge, Bill Tilden, Chris Evert, Billie Jean King, Jimmy Connors, Martina Navratilova, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Anna Kournikova among many others. On This Day In Tennis History is available for purchase via on-line book retailers and in bookstores in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. More information on the book can be found at www.tennishistorybook.com
Said Hall of Famer Jim Courier of the book, “On This Day In Tennis History is a fun read that chronicles some of the most important-and unusual-moments in the annals of tennis. Randy Walker is an excellent narrator of tennis history and has done an incredible job of researching and compiling this entertaining volume.” Said tennis historian Joel Drucker, author of Jimmy Connors Saved My Life, “An addictive feast that you can enjoy every possible way-dipping in for various morsels, devouring it day-by-day, or selectively finding essential ingredients. As a tennis writer, I will always keep this book at the head of my table.” Said Bill Mountford, former Director of Tennis of the USTA National Tennis Center, “On This Day In Tennis History is an easy and unique way to absorb the greatest-and most quirky-moments in tennis history. It’s best read a page a day!”
Walker is a writer, tennis historian and freelance publicist and sports marketer. A 12-year veteran of the U.S. Tennis Association’s Marketing and Communications Division, he served as the press officer for the U.S. Davis Cup team from 1997 to 2005 and for the U.S. Olympic tennis teams in 1996, 2000 and 2004. He also served as the long-time editor of the U.S. Open Record Book during his tenure at the USTA from 1993 to 2005.
More information on the book can be found at www.tennistomes.com as well as on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1627089030&ref=name and on myspace at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=428100548
People mentioned in the book include, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, Goran Ivanisevic, Andre Agassi, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Monica Seles, Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic, Maria Sharapova, Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, Amelie Mauresmo, Anna Kounikova, Jennifer Capriati, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Martina Hingis, Gustavo Kuerten, Svetlana Kuznetsova, James Blake, Wilmer Allison, Mal Anderson, Arthur Ashe, Juliette Atkinson, Henry “Bunny” Austin, Tracy Austin, Boris Becker, Kark Behr, Pauline Betz, Bjorn Borg, Jean Borotra, John Bromwich, Norman Brookes, Louise Brough, Jacques Brugnon, Butch Buchholz, Don Budge, Maria Bueno, Rosie Casals, Michael Chang, Philippe Chatrier, Dodo Cheney, Henri Cochet, Maureen Connolly, Jimmy Connors, Jim Courier, Ashley Cooper, Margaret Court, Jack Crawford, Allison Danzig, Dwight Davis, Lottie Dod, John Doeg, Laurence Doherty, Reggie Doherty, Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers, Jaroslav Drobny, Margaret duPont, Francoise Durr, James Dwight, Stefan Edberg, Roy Emerson, Chis Evert, Bob Falkenburg, Neale Fraser, Shirley Fry, Althea Gibson, Pancho Gonzalez, Evonne Goolagong, Arthur Gore, Steffi Graf, Bitsy Grant, Darlene Hard, Doris Hart, Anne Jones, Gladys Heldman, Slew Hester, Bob Hewitt, Lew Hoad, Harry Hopman, Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman, Joe Hunt, Frank Hunter, Helen Jacobs, Bill Johnston, Perry Jones, Bob Kelleher, Billie Jean King, Jan Kodes, Karel Kozeluh, Jack Kramer, Rene Lacoste, Bill Larned, Art Larsen, Rod Laver, Ivan Lendl, Suzanne Lenglen, George Lott, Gene Mako, Molla Mallory, Hana Mandlikova, Alice Marble, Dan Maskell, Simone Mathieu, Mark McCormack, John McEnroe, Ken McGregor, Kitty Godfree, Chuck McKinley, Maurice McLoughlin, Frew McMillian, Don McNeill, Elisabeth Moore, Angela Mortimer, Gardnar Mulloy, Ilie Nastase, Martina Navratilova, John Newcombe, Yannick Noah, Jana Novotna, Betty Nuthall, Alex Olmedo, Rafael Osuna, Frank Parker, Gerald Patterson, Budge Patty, Fred Perry, Nicola Pietrangeli, Adrian Quist, Patrick Rafter, Dennis Ralson, Vinnie Richards, Nancy Richey, Cliff Richey, Bobby Riggs, Tony Roche, Mervyn Rose, Ken Rosewall, Elizbeth Ryan, Gabriela Sabatini, Pete Sampras, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Manuel Santana, Dick Savitt, Ted Schroeder, Gene Scott, Richard Sears, Frank Sedgman, Pancho Segura, Vic Seixas, Frank Shields, Pam Shriver, Stan Smith, Fred Stolle, Bill Talbert, Bill Tilden, Tony Trabert, Lesley Turner, Jimmy Van Alen, John Van Ryn, Guillermo Vilas, Ellsworth Vines, Brian Gottfried, Virginia Wade, Holcombe Ward, Watson Washburn, Mal Whitman, Mats Wilander, Tony Wilding, Helen Wills Moody, Sidney Wood, Robert Wrenn, Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, Todd Woodbridge, Marat Safin, Leslie Allen, Sue Barker, Jonas Bjorkman, Mahesh Bhupathi, Donald Dell, Albert Costa, Mark Cox, Owen Davidson, Pat Cash, Mary Carillo, John Isner, Roscoe Tanner, Vijay Amritraj, Mark Woodforde, Tim Henman, Richard Krajicek, Conchita Martinez, Mary Joe Fernandez, Cliff Drysdale, Mark Edmondson, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Zina Garrson, Roland Garros, Wojtek Fibak, Tom Gullikson, Andres Gimeno, Vitas Gerulaitis, Fernando Gonzalez, Tim Henman, Goran Ivanisevic, Andrea Jaeger, Ivo Karlovic, Richard Krajicek, Petr Korda, Luke Jensen, Murphy Jensen, Rick Leach, Iva Majoil, Barry MacKay, Ivan Ljubicic, Cecil Mamiit, David Caldwell, Alex Metreveli, Nicolas Massu, Todd Martin, Gene Mayer, Thomas Muster, Tom Okker, Charlie Pasarell, Mary Pierce, Whitney Reed, Leander Paes, Renee Richards, Helen Sukova, Michael Stich, Betty Stove, Ion Tiriac, Brian Teacher, Wendy Turnbull,  Richards, Fabrice Santoro, Ai Sugiyama, Patrick McEnroe, Camille Pin, Phil Dent, Jelena Dokic, Mark Edmondson, Gael Monfils, Xavier Malisse, Dinara Safina, Barry Lorge, Stefano Pescosolido, Fabrice Santoro, Roscoe Tanner, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Roger Smith, Erik van Dillen, Gene Mayer, Tamara Pasek, Stefan Koubek, Jie Zheng, Gisela Dulko, Kristian Pless, Chuck McKinley, Marty Riessen, Brad Gilbert, Tim Mayotte, Andrea Petkovic, Klara Koukalova, Bobby Reynolds, Dominik Hrbaty, Andreas Seppi, Christopher Clarey, Casey Dellacqua, Anders Jarryd, Janko Tipsarevic, Nadia Petrova, Christian Bergstrom, Ramesh Krishnan, Emily Sanchez, Marcos Baghdatis, Mark Philippousssis, Wally Masur, Paul McNamee, Daniela Hantuchova, Gerry Armstrong, Younes El Aynaoui, Thomas Johansson, Pat Cash, Lisa Raymond, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Chanda Rubin, Tony Roche, Alex O’Brien, Petr Korda, Karol Kucera, Amelie Mauresmo, Juan Gisbert, Pablo Cuevas, Jim Pugh, Rick Leach, Julien Boutter, Larry Stefanki, Chris Woodruff, Jill Craybas, Sania Mirza, Mike Leach, Maggie Maleeva, Guillermo Canas, Guillermo Coria, Donald Young, Dick Stockton, Johan Kriek, Milan Srejber, Zina Garrison, Slyvia Hanika, Karin Knapp, Laura Granville, Kei Nishikori, Scott Davis, Paul Goldstein, Alberto Martin, Nicolas Kiefer, Joachim Johansson, Jonathan Stark, Jakob Hlasek, Jeff Tarango, Amanda Coetzer, Andres Gomez, Richey Reneberg, Francisco Clavet, Radek Stepanek, Miloslav Mecir, Jose-Luis Clerc, Colin Dibley, Mikael Pernfors, Martin Mulligan,  Robbie Weiss,  Hugo Chapacu, Victor Pecci, Charlie Bricker, Greg Rusedski, Robin Finn, Kimiko Date, David Nalbandian, Goran Ivanisevic, Mikhail Youzhny, Nicole Pratt, Bryanne Stewart, Novak Djokovic, Rennae Stubbs, Corina Morariu, Marc Rosset, Kenneth Carlsen, Kimiko Date, Ryan Harrison, Richard Gasquet, Jimmy Arias, Jim Leohr, Felix Mantilla, Cedric Pioline, Annabel Croft, Brooke Shields, Jaime Yzaga, Slobodan Zivojinovic, Alberto Mancini, Peter McNamara, Andrei Chesnokov, Fabrice Santoro, Bud Collins, Mardy Fish, Sebastien Grosjean, Donald Dell, Petr Kuczak, Magnus Norman, Hicham Arazi, Nduka Odizor, Lori McNeil, Horst Skoff, Karolina Sprem, Ros Fairbank, Linda Siegel, Chris Lewis, Kevin Curren, Thierry Tulasne, Guy Forget, Fred Tupper, Jaime Fillol, Belus Prajoux, Ricardo Cano, Georges Goven, Ray Moore, Charlie Pasarell, Paul Annacone, Tomas Smid, Dmitry Tursunov, Elena Dementieva, Arnaud DiPasquale, Carl Uwe Steeb, Bill Scanlon, Jose Higueras, Jay Berger, Jana Novotna, Bill Dwyre, Lisa Dillman, Sean Sorensen, Paul McNamee, Jiri Novak, Benjamin Becker, Ion Tiriac, Neil Amdur, Tim Gullikson, Jan-Michael Gambill, Taylor Dent, Bryan Shelton, Vijay Amritraj, Martin Verkerk, Brian Gottfried, Carlos Moya, Jacco Eltingh, Adriano Panatta, John Feinstein, Aaron Krickstein, Wilhelm Bungert, Derrick Rostagno, Torben Ulrich, Daniel Nestor, Ray Ruffels, Cliff Drysdale, James Reilly, Andy Murray, Leander Paes, Alicia Molik, Barry MacKay among others.
New Chapter Press is also the publisher of The Bud Colins History of Tennis by Bud Collins, The Roger Federer Story, Quest for Perfection by Rene Stauffer and Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli and the soon to be released title The Lennon Prophecy by Joe Niezgoda. 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.newchapterpressmedia.com

Mondays With Bob Greene: Doubles is like Marriage

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STARS
Jelena Jankovic beat Nadia Petrova 6-4 6-3 to win the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany
Tomas Berdych won the AIG Japan Open Tennis Championships men’s singles, defeating Juan Martin del Potro 6-1 6-4 in Tokyo, Japan
Caroline Wozniacki beat Kala Kanepi 6-2 3-6 6-1 to win the women’s singles at the AIG Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo, Japan
Sorana Cirstea defeated Sabine Lisicki 2-6 6-4 7-6 (4) to capture the Tashkent Open in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Dmitry Tursunov beat Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6 (6) 1-6 6-4 to win the Open de Moselle in Metz, France
Teimuraz Gabashvili won the Ethias Trophy by beating Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4 6-4 in Mons, Belgium
Richard Krajicek beat Goran Ivanisevic 7-6 7-5 to win the AFAS Tennis Classics in Eindhoven, Netherlands
SAYINGS
“There are some days you wake up and you know it’s not going to be your day.” – Nadia Petrova, after losing to Jelena Jankovic in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix final.
“Doubles is like marriage. It has to be good from the first day.” – Mischa Zverev, who teamed with Mikhail Youzhny to win the doubles at the AIG Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo.
“She is having a great year and I knew it would be hard to beat her. But the game went according to plan.” – Venus Williams, after beating Dinara Safina 6-4 6-2.
“It feels great to be back at number one, but my goal is to finish the year as number one. I’m playing better and better, I am improving. I don’t feel any extra pressure.” – Jelena Jankovic, on her return to the top spot in the WTA Tour rankings.
“I feel fortunate to be healthy again, but I want to remain at the top of the game for many more years to come and go after the number one ranking again.” – Roger Federer, after pulling out of the Stockholm Open.
“I need to take a break now to get it back to 100 percent, which is why I have to regretfully take this decision and withdraw. I have played a lot this year and my body needs to recover.” – Serena Williams, after withdrawing from the Kremlin Cup with an ankle injury.
“After I lost the first set I checked the clock and saw it was only 20 minutes, so I told myself I had to make it at least an hour. Of course I’m very happy about my win today, and for both of my wins over the Williams sisters this year.” – Li Na, after beating Serena William 0-6 6-1 6-4 and knocking the US Open champion out of the number one ranking.
“I think I have to come to Germany more often.” – Victoria Azarenka, who has reached the semifinals in both tournaments she has played in Germany this year.
“People want to see me because I was once the number one in the world and won Grand Slam titles. People want to see the guys who they idolized. Now, as we get older, we’re really thankful that people want to see us. It’s really wonderful, and we’re going to try to give our best back.” – Yevgeny Kafelnikov, playing his first competitive tennis match in five years, the BlackRock Tour of Champions event in Eindhoven, Netherlands.
“I have played one match with her here and I have won. Not bad.” – Goran Ivanisevic, saying his 5-year-old daughter Amber, who was watching her father play for the first time, is his lucky charm.
“I still cannot fully realize that I’ve won. In the middle of the match I thought my chances of winning were about 40 percent.” – Ksenia Palkina, a teenager from Kyrgystan ranked 203rd in the world, after she upset second-seeded Olga Govortsova in the first round of the Tashkent Open.
“Our success in these junior team events against the world’s best competition is a good indication of where our players stand amongst their peers at this state. Of course there is a lot of work to be done for these kids to become world-class professionals. But, if these results are any indication, the future is very promising.” – Patrick McEnroe, on the United States sweep of the Junior Fed Cup and Junior Davis Cup competitions.
STEPPING UP
In the game of musical chairs that is called the WTA Tour rankings, Jelena Jankovic is once again in the top spot. The Serb moved up to number one when Serena Williams was upset by China’s Li Na. Jankovic held the top ranking for one week in August. Since Justine Henin retired in May, four players have been number one: Williams, Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova. Williams held the top spot for four weeks after defeating Jankovic in the US Open final. Overall, Jankovic has won more matches than any other player on tour this year.
SURPRISE SEMIFINALIST
Adrian Mannarino had a ball in Metz, France. Ranked 181st in the world, the French qualifier didn’t lose a set in his run to the semifinals at the Open de Moselle. Then he ran into Paul-Henri Matheu, who barely escaped Mannarino 7-6 (8) 7-6 (1). The 20-year-old Mannarino had not won an ATP-level match before he upset sixth-seeded Andreas Seppi in the opening round at Metz.
STUMBLING BLOCKS
China’s top two players are making a lot of noise on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour this year. At Wimbledon, Zheng Jie became the first Chinese player to beat a reigning world number one when she shocked Ana Ivanovic on her way to the semifinals. At the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany, last week, Li Na matched that feat, knocking Serena Williams out of the tournament and the number one ranking, 0-6 6-1 6-4. It was Li’s 11th career win over a top 10 player but first over a number one.
SELA GROUNDED
An El Al plane carrying Israeli tennis star Dudi Sela had to make an emergency landing in Beijing when a bird flew into one of its engines. Sela was returning to Israel after losing in a tournament in Tokyo. While the plane was heading back to Beijing, Sela called his brother Ofer in Israel to let him know what was happening. El Al sent a replacement jet to fly the 150 passengers to Israel.
SERENA HURT
An ankle injury has forced Serena Williams to withdraw from the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. The American withdrew two days after being upset by China’s Li Na in Stuttgart, Germany. The winner of four tournaments this year, Williams said her left ankle has been bothering her since the US Open last month, which she won.
SO DELIGHTED
Yevgeny Kafelnikov admits he is delighted to be back playing competitively after a five-year layoff. “It was quite exciting,” the Russian said after losing to Michael Chang in a BlackRock Tour of Champions match at Eindhoven, Netherlands. “I haven’t had this feeling in a long time.” Once he decided to play again, Kafelnikov worked hard to lose the weight he had gained after retiring. Then he asked to play in the AFAS Classics tournament in Eindhoven. He came away winless in his return, losing also to Paul Haarhuis and Goran Ivanisevic.
SUPER WIN
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga became only the eighth player in the last 20 yeas to win his first ATP title by defeating a top-five opponent in the final, knocking off third-ranked Novak Djokovic to capture the Thailand Open in Bangkok. Greg Sharko, senior editor of ATPTennis.com, says Tsonga is the first to accomplish the feat since fellow Frenchman Michael Llorda did it four years ago when he beat Guillermo Coria, who was number three in the world at the time. In 1988, Mikael Pernfors won his first title in Los Angeles, beating fourth-ranked Andre Agassi. Jim Courier’s first title, in 1989 in Basel, Switzerland, came when he beat third-ranked Stefan Edberg. Others who beat top five players to capture their first tournament titles were Omar Camporese in 1991, Alberta Costa and Filip Dewulf in 1995, and Hyung-Taik Lee in 2003.
SET FOR KOOYONG
Two Swiss players – US Open champion Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka – will warm up for the 2009 Australian Open by playing at the invitational Kooyong Classic. Weakened by mononucleosis, Federer missed the tournament in 2008. Also scheduled to play in the event are Marat Safin, Fernando Gonzalez, Marcos Baghdatis, James Blake and Ernests Gulbis. The eighth spot for the tournament, which guarantees each player three matches on the same surface as that used at the Australian Open, will be named later.
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SKIPPING STOCKHOLM
Saying he needs a break, Roger Federer will not play in the upcoming Stockholm Open. Federer has not played since winning his fifth consecutive US Open last month. “(This) has been a tough year for me as I was always playing catch-up after being diagnosed with mononucleosis at the beginning of the year,” said Federer, who lost his number one ranking to Rafael Nadal in August after holding it for a record 237 consecutive weeks.
SWITCHING SPORTS?
Paradorn Srichaphan is thinking about switching sports, perhaps becoming a race car driver. Beset by injury for almost two years, Thailand’s best player has been busy promoting motorsports in his country. “I’ve been really bored and it would be huge challenge to move from one sport to the next,” Srichaphan said. “I’m involved in a racing team and my sponsors are interested in having me racing for them, but only when I retire from tennis. I still plan to return to the tour.”
SLIPPERY COURT
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has penalized Croatia for playing Davis Cup matches against Brazil on a court that was considered too fast. As part of the Davis Cup Committee’s ruling, Croatia will lose 2,000 points and pay an undisclosed fine. Marina Mihelic, head of the Croatian Tennis Federation, said she was “surprised and annoyed” by the decision. The ITF said Croatia violated the federation’s “court pace rating rule,” which assesses the speed of surfaces other than grass and clay. It’s the first such case involving the rule, which was implemented this year. The ITF rejected Brazil’s appeal to have Croatia disqualified, the victory awarded to Brazil and financial compensation paid to Brazil.
SWEEP
The United States Junior Davis Cup and Junior Fed Cup teams captured the 2008 World Finals without dropping a single match. The international team competition for players age 16 and under held in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, continued the American domination of junior events. The American boys’ and girls’ squads won the World Junior Tennis Championships for 14-and-under in August in Prostejoy, Czech Republic. It is the first time the same country has won all four titles in the same year. The American Junior Fed Cup team beat Colombia, Chinese Taipei, Serbia, Hungary and Great Britain. The American Junior Davis Cup squad beat Latvia, Chinese Taipei, Sweden, India and Argentina.
STENNING LAUDED
Mark L. Stenning has been awarded the prestigious Chairman’s Award by the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. The Chairman’s Award recognizes outstanding service by a Hall of Fame board member. Stenning joined the ITHOF in 1980 and currently holds the position of chief executive officer. He also currently serves on the Davis Cup and Fed Cup Committees of the United States Tennis Association.
SPONSOR
TENNIS.com is the new title sponsor of the Zurich Open, a stop on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. The Tennis Company, headquartered in Santa Monica, California, calls itself the world’s leading website for tennis fans. Aside from TENNIS.com, the company publishes Tennis Magazine and Smash Magazine. The Tennis Company is also a managing partner in the Indian Springs, California, tournament. Among others, The Tennis Company’s partners include Chris Evert, Billie Jean King and Pete Sampras.
SHARED PERFORMANCES
Stuttgart: Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Patty Schnyder beat Kveta Peschke and Rennae Stubbs 6-2 6-4
Tokyo (men): Mikhail Youzhny and Mischa Zverev beat Lukas Dlouhy and Leander Paes 6-3 6-4
Tokyo (women): Jill Craybus and Marina Erakovic beat Ayumi Morita and Aiko Nakamura 4-6 7-5 10-6 (match tiebreak)
Tashkent: Ioana Raluca Olaru and Olga Savchuk beat Nina Bratchikova and Kathrin Woerle 5-7 7-5 10-7 (match tiebreak)
Metz: Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra beat Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski 5-7 6-3 10-8 (match tiebreak)
Mons: Michal Mertinak and Lovro Zovko beat Yves Allegro and Horia Tecau 7-5 6-3
SITES TO SURF
Vienna: www.ba-ca-tennistrophy.at
Stockholm: www.stockholmopen.se
Moscow: www.kremlincup.ru
Madrid: www.mutuamad-mastersmadrid.com
Zurich: www.zurichopen.net
Ortisei: www.itfvalgardena.com
Budapest: www.tennisclassics.hu/
TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK
(All money in USD)
ATP
$1,000,000 ATP Kremlin Cup, Moscow, Russia, carpet
$800,000 IF Stockholm Open, Stockholm, Sweden, hard
$755,000 Bank Austria TennisTrophy, Vienna, Austria, hard
WTA TOUR
$1,340,000 Kremlin Cup, Moscow, Russia, carpet
SENIORS
BlackRock Tour of Champions, Budapest, Hungary, carpet
TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK
ATP
$2,450,000 Mutua Madrilena Masters Madrid, Madrid, Spain, hard
$125,000 Tashkent, Uzbekistan
WTA TOUR
$600,000 Zurich Open, Zurich, Switzerland
$100,000 Internazionali Tennis Val Gardena, Ortisei, Italy, carpet

Switzerland (and Federer) Set For Another Davis Cup Showdown With The USA

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The U.S. Davis Cup team drew a tough first round match at home against Switzerland – and presumably five-time Wimbledon and U.S. champion Roger Federer – in the 2009 Davis Cup competition. The first round tie will be held March 6-8, 2009 at a site chosen by the United States Tennis Association. The last time the two nations met in Davis Cup play, Federer orchestrated one of the greatest single performances ever achieved by a player against a U.S. Davis Cup team, accounting for all three points in the 3-2 first round upset of the United States in 2001 in Basel, Switzerland. In review of this historic effort from Federer, the following is an excerpt from my upcoming book due out November 1 ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY on that series as well as an excerpt from Rene Stauffer’s book THE ROGER FEDERER STORY, QUEST FOR PERFECTION which discusses the month of Feburary, 2001 – one of the most important in Federer’s career.
February 9, 2001 – Patrick McEnroe makes his debut as U.S. Davis Cup captain and his top player Jan-Michael Gambill wins his first “live” Davis Cup rubber in defeating Michel Kratochvil 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 as the United States and Switzerland split the opening two matches in the first day of play in the 2001 Davis Cup first round in Basel, Switzerland. Todd Martin is defeated by Swiss No. 1 Roger Federer 6-4, 7-6, 4-6, 6-1 in the opening rubber of the tie.

February 10, 2001 – Justin Gimelstob earns a dubious Davis Cup distinction when he and Jan-Michael Gambill are defeated by Switzerland’s Roger Federer and Lorenzo Manta 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 as the United States goes down 2-1 to the Swiss after the second day of play in the Davis Cup first round in Basel, Switzerland. The loss, which ultimately becomes his Davis Cup finale, drops Gimelstob’s Davis Cup record to 0-3, tying him with Robert Wrenn and Melville Long for the worst-ever record for a U.S. Davis Cup player. Wrenn loses two singles and a doubles match in the 1903 Davis Cup Challenge Round against Britain for his 0-3 record, while Long turns the same trick in the 1909 Davis Cup Challenge Round against Australasia. Gimelstob also loses in doubles with Todd Martin in the 1998 Davis Cup semifinal against Italy and, also in that tie, loses a dead-rubber singles match to Gianluca Pozzi.
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February 11, 2001 – Roger Federer clinches a near single-handed victory for Switzerland over the United States in the first round of Davis Cup, defeating Jan-Michael Gambill 7-5, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 in the 3-2 win in Federer’s hometown of Basel. Federer, who beat Todd Martin in the opening singles and paired with Lorenzo Manta to beat Gambill and Justin Gimelstob in the doubles rubber, becomes one of seven players to win three live matches against a U.S. Davis Cup team, joining Laurie Doherty of Britain, Henri Cochet of France, Frank Sedgman and Neale Fraser of Australia, Nicola Pietrangeli of Italy and Raul Ramirez of Mexico. Says Federer, the future world No. 1, “My total game was good the whole weekend. I can’t complain. I was serving well, feeling well from the baseline. … Usually when I get tired I let go a little bit mentally, but that was absolutely not the case. It was just total relief, total happiness at one time. I was so happy for the team, happy for Switzerland — to beat such a big country.” Eighteen-year-old Andy Roddick, another future world No. 1, makes his Davis Cup debut in the dead-rubber fifth-match and becomes the eighth-youngest American to play a Davis Cup match in defeating George Bastl 6-3, 6-4. Incidentally on the same day back in the United States, Venus and Serena Williams as well as Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras appear on the celebrated American television show “The Simpsons.”
Stauffer also documents Federer’s first ever ATP tournament victory in Milan, Italy the week before playing the United States in the tail end of his chapter “No Pain, No Gain.”
At the start of the season, Federer and Martina Hingis won the Hopman Cup in Perth. It was not an especially significant event but it was, after all, the International Tennis Federation’s sanctioned world mixed tennis tour­nament. He reached the third round of the Australian Open-avenging his Olympic loss to DiPasquale in the first round before losing to eventual finalist Arnaud Clement. February, however, became the best month of his career to date. At the indoor event in Milan, Italy after the Australian Open, Federer defeated Olympic Champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov for the first time in his ca­reer in the semifinals to reach his third career ATP singles final. Federer seized the opportunity and, with his parents in the stands cheering him on, he finally won his first ATP singles title, defeating No. 53-ranked Julien Boutter of France 6-4, 6-7 (7), 6-4.

Lundgren was correct. A milestone was achieved. “The relief is enormous,” Federer said. “I’ve had to wait a long time for this moment. It should get easier from here on out.” But the excursion to Milan didn’t end very happily for Roger’s father. In his excitement, he locked his car keys inside the car and had to smash in the car window to retrieve them.

A week later, another career milestone was achieved for the 19-year-old as he returned to Basel for Davis Cup duty against the United States. There was no stopping Federer. He beat Todd Martin and Jan-Michael Gambill in two breath-taking performances in singles, and in between, paired with Lorenzo Manta to defeat the American team of Gambill and Justin Gimelstob in dou­bles. With his three match victories in the 3-2 Swiss defeat of the USA, he joined Raul Ramirez, Neale Fraser, Nicola Pietrangeli, Frank Sedgman, Henri Cochet and Laurie Doherty as the seventh and the youngest player to win three live matches in a Davis Cup tie against the United States. “It’s like a dream,” said Federer, who shed tears of joy after his match-clinching victory over Gambill.

The Americans, by contrast, were stunned. “You’d have to be blind not to see that he’s got a great future in store for him,” said Gambill. U.S. Captain Patrick McEnroe didn’t try to make any excuses although he was missing his two strongest players, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, in this match. “We knew that Federer would be tough but we didn’t expect this,” he said. “Whenever he got hold of the ball, the point was his.”

February would bring even more success for Federer. The week after his single-handed defeat of the U.S. Davis Cup team, he reached the semifinals in Marseille where his 10-match winning streak was ended by Kafelnikov. The next week, he reached his fourth career singles final, losing to Nicolas Escude of France in a third-set tie-break in the final of Rotterdam. The ATP chose him their “Player of the Month” and effusively praised in their official press communication, “The Federer Express has arrived!” A playful warning was also issued in the press release stating that Federer, “has been blessed with so much talent that it almost seems unfair to his opponents.”