Tuesday, September 15, 2009
BUSINESS NEWS
Memorial Service for Jack Kramer Set for Saturday, September 26
A memorial service to celebrate and honor Jack Kramer has been set for Saturday, September 26.
A celebration of life will be a fitting way to help honor an American icon who was much more than a tennis champion, although it is a good place to start. He was one of the leaders who moved big-time tennis from under the table shamateurism to what we know as big-time tennis today that saw Juan Martin Del Potro be presented $1,850,000 Monday night for winning the US Open.
He joined others to create what is now the ATP and became a counselor for those who wanted professional tennis to offer a career to those talented players. His name became synonymous with “tennis racket.”
He will be remembered on Saturday, September 26, at 11:00AM appropriately on a tennis court, Straus Stadium “Centre Court,” at the Los Angeles Tennis Center – UCLA,
420 Charles E. Young Drive West, Los Angeles, California 90024
Kramer family correspondence may be sent via:
Jack Kramer Family
231 North Glenroy Place
Los Angeles, California 90049
Contact Telephone: 805 / 443 – 4477
In lieu of flowers, etc, 501(c) (3) charitable contributions may be made in honor of Jack Kramer, as follows:
Pacific Southwest Youth Tennis Foundation
Los Angeles Tennis Center
Post Office Box 240015
Los Angeles, California 90024 – 9115
***
Federer Says 2009 Has Been a Great Year, Anyway
He didn’t make it six in a row, but Roger Federer wasn’t about to lock himself away in a dark room. He gave Juan Martin Del Potro full credit for breaking his run and was ready straight away to put his US Open final defeat behind him.
“Five was great, four was great, too. Six would have been a dream, too. Can't have them all,” he said. “(It’s been) Unbelievable. Unbelievable run. Being in all major finals and winning two of those, I'm losing the other two in five sets. Sure, I would have loved to win those two as well. Being so close, I think was two points from the match today. That's the way it goes sometimes.
“But (the) year has been amazing already and it's not over yet. Got married and had kids, don't know how much more I want. Yeah, I mean, this one I think is easy to get over just because I've had the most amazing summer. I tried everything, you know. Didn't work. I missed chances. He played well and in the end it was a tough fifth set. It's acceptable. But life goes on. No problem.
“I hope I can keep it up because I'm playing great tennis right now. I'm confident and I think I'm hitting a good ball. This doesn't take away anything from how much I've achieved this year, so I've had a wonderful season in terms of Grand Slams. Next to that, I also got back to No. 1 in the world. I hope I can defend that until the end of the year and then hopefully win the World Tour final in London. Along the way, I hope I can get some other titles like my home tournament in Basel. We'll see how it goes.”
***
Serena Williams Issues an Apology for Her Saturday Actions
She’s had time to reflect and, after an initial lukewarm statement for her behavior in the semifinals of the US Open, Serena Williams has eaten a huge slice of humble pie and admitted she was wrong to threaten a line judge after being called for a foot-fault that put her two match points down. Williams’ outburst led to a point penalty and her loss to Kim Clijsters.
“I wanted to apologize first to the lineswoman, to the USTA, and my fans most of all, and to Kim Clijsters who ended up having such a wonderful tournament and winning the championship, and what an amazing feat that was,” she said after winning the doubles title with Venus. “But just I - for a major emotional outburst that I had. I think I pretty much covered it. I just really wanted to apologize sincerely, because I'm a very prideful person and I'm a very intense person and a very emotional person. I think it all showed. Most of all, I'm a very sincere person. I wanted to offer my sincere apologies to anyone that I may have offended. I would again like to thank the fans for all the support that I've gotten. I think it's awesome and cool that I've got so much support. I appreciate everything.
“I don't think my foot touched the line in that call. Looking back on it, I think the lady did the best that she could. She was just doing her job. I guess at the time, she probably saw it as what it was. You know, she was just doing her best. I would like to give her a big ole hug and let her know that I'm, just put it all behind us like I have and just move on from it. I mean, I have, and like I said, learn.”
***
Croatia is Confident Before the Davis Cup Tie with The Czechs
With mixed emotions after US Open results, but ready for a fight for second Davis Cup final, Croatians are counting down days to the semifinal against Czechs.
“I am very satisfied with quarterfinal in New York”, says Marin Cilic, first player of Croatia. “I had lot of matches and I am very well prepared for everything this weekend.”
Cilic beat Andy Murray, but lost to eventual winner Juan Martin Del Potro. “Those were two totally different opponents and matches. I started well against Del Potro, but after first set he prevented me to dictate play. He didn’t miss and all the pressure was on me. Murray is not that physically strong as Del Potro and I needed only to be accurate. I need more matches against top players to get able to keep high level during the whole game. Against Del Potro I played well only in the first half and that is something I must work on.”
Ivo Karlovic left Flushing after only one game. “I expected better results in America, but that is behind me now. I am interested only in Davis Cup now and I am convinced that we will win.”
Croatian captain Goran Prpic is more cautious then his players. “Czechs are better if you look at ATP rankings, but that is only piece of paper. We have chosen clay to weaken their players, Radek Stepanek and Tomas Berdych. We play in Porec, at the same place where we won first two this year ties and we are not afraid to take responsibility.”
***
The Women’s Side of the US Open Was Notable
It’s all over for her for now, but Melanie Oudin drew plenty of attention as she made her way through the US Open draw. Even Roger Federer took notice.
"I think it's nice for a change that sort of somebody's coming up we haven't heard about much before, because it seems like many women now are kind of known," he said. "So if they make a breakthrough, it's not much of a surprise anymore like it used to be. Because before we had 14, 15, 16-year olds making a breakthrough. Every time it was a big story. I think this is very exciting and very much needed on the women's side. I thought she's done very well. I mean, I haven't seen all of her matches, but the quality players she beat, I mean, it's fantastic. I guess just the fighting spirit and being solid off the baseline, having some options in her game. It's something that sometimes you don't see so often, unfortunately."
Another positive for the women’s game has been the return of Kim Clijsters.
"Well, I mean, I think also there again is a beautiful story. I think she's played very well. Right off the bat in Cincinnati when she came back, that was nice to see and gave you an idea of her almost being also one of the favorites for the US Open, which is quite an amazing achievement. But it's like riding a bike: once you know how to ride a bike, you never forget that. That's why I'm not that surprised. But it's nice that she found she hasn't lost the love for the game. Going out, what was it, 23, out of the game, that's for me just shocking. I don't understand how you do that. But, sure, they make the breakthrough earlier. Being a woman, obviously you don't maybe want to wait till you're 35 to have kids. But it's nice to see her back in the game and she played great."
***
Clijsters Sees The New Stars Enjoying Their Success
Caroline Wozniacki, Melanie Oudin, Yanina Wickmayer are all new to big-time tennis, and Kim Clijsters can see the joy on their faces as they savor the success they are having. The pressure, she says, will come later.
"It's all so new and great, you know, so you don't really worry too much about the pressure and the attention that's going on because it's all so new," she said. "It's so much fun for me to just watch on TV and see the emotions that come out of them when they win a match. I get so happy when I just see that. But then again, I think, you know, I'm talking to like my coach and everyone, ‘Wow, she's only 17’. They were like, ‘Yeah, but you were like that’. You don't think like that at the moment. Everything just kind of happens. You don't really think about the age or anything. Unless like now that I'm older, I look back and I'm like, ‘Wow, they're young’.
"You see that, the new face that's still on there. They enjoy everything so much. They look at things in a different way when they get to a Grand Slam, because it's so new. That's something I think in the beginning is really good for them. But I think as they progress and they make a name on tour, I think that that will change. The pressure will gradually start to build in a little bit."
Compared to some of the other players that have making headlines at the US Open, Kim Clijsters is something of a veteran. But she’s not so old, at 26, that she doesn’t remember what it was like when she first came on tour.
"I think when I was 15, 16 coming on, I remember Wimbledon, when I did well there, you know, I really had to stop myself from like asking everybody for autographs in the locker room and everything," she recalled. "I just remember just being so in awe with everything that was happening around me and then playing on the center court and everything. It just overwhelms you a little bit. You kind of just forget what you have to do out there to play good tennis.
"So that has definitely changed. I still have an immense respect for all the Grand Slams and the history that's happened in each and every one of them, but it's easier now to push that aside when you're out there and just focus on your game and not be too worried or too, you know, impressed by everything that's happening around you, how big the stadium is, you know, media attention. Everything has an impact I think when you're younger. I definitely think my game, my face has definitely changed a little bit in that way."
***
Ivanisevic Deserves Credit for Croatia’s Success
Anna Kournikova has been praised by several of her fellow Russians for making tennis popular in her country and attracting sponsorship money. Goran Ivanisevic had the same affect in Croatia, according to Marin Cilic.
"He is the one who brought tennis on a high level in Croatia, and everybody looked at him as a hero. Even from all the other athletes he was one guy who was most likeable with his personality and everything. So for us I think, younger ones, was also big help money wise, and there was much more sponsors coming into the tennis, and also federation. So it was a big help for the young ones to come up. And definitely, I mean, he also played with me when he was finishing his career. He helped me a lot, so he's a really nice guy. I mean, he was in 2002/2003 he was staying in Zagreb and practicing all the time with me when he was there. He connected me with his ex coach, Bob Brett, which I am here with. He was also a great help, otherwise I wouldn't be able to get in a connection with Bob."
***
Oudin is a Modest Young Lady
Melanie Oudin began the US Open as a promising young player, and ended it as a celebrity. Now she is being seen as the savior of American tennis, someone to keep the flag flying when the no-longer-young Venus and Serena eventually are gone. And she has naturally become an inspiration to other American players the same age as her.
"Just the fact that I'm the same age as a lot of them playing the juniors, a lot of my fellow Americans, I think that it's inspiring to them that I'm doing well. It tells them that they can do as well as me if they keep working hard, and, you know, and they want it enough," she said.
And what most stood out to her after her astonishing run to the quarterfinals? "Well, I never thought that I'd play Maria Sharapova on Arthur Ashe Stadium at the US Open this year. Definitely did not see that coming. So that whole match, just getting to play her and beating her, I've never met her before, so shaking her hand after the match was the first time I met her. It was crazy. The whole thing, though, I loved it."
Now she will be under the spotlight far more than before, but she is keeping her feet firmly on the ground.
"I don't think of myself as a celebrity at all," she said. "Just because it's me, like I've never like thought of myself like that. I just love to play tennis. That's it, you know. Just playing tennis. My love of the game and going out there, I love playing in front of people. I love people watching me and people know who I am, but I don't really ... I guess, people knowing who I am would make me a celebrity and people would want to be like me and they admire me and stuff. I think that's really nice, but I just don't see myself as being that kind of, like, star, you know."
***
Djokovic-Martin Combo Seems to be Working
Novak Djokovic and Todd Martin might seem like the Odd Couple, with the young Novak often playing the role of joker and Todd the role of the serious older figure, always choosing his actions and words carefully. And that’s the way it is, and Djokovic says it works.
"Yeah, I think it's obvious, and people can see that we're quite, quite different," said Djokovic. "You know, I like to speak and fool around, and he likes to take his time whenever he says anything to anybody. He likes to take his time. He's a wiser man than me, absolutely, and more experience and had more intelligent. You know, I think we make a good combination. He's a great, great guy. What I like with him is that he's always looking for positives in anything we talk about, anything we work on.
"He always tries to motivate me and find that confidence and prove to me that I have good quality and that I can improve more on the court. This is the person that I need with his, you know, the facts are that he was top 5 player, played a couple of Grand Slam finals. With that experience, obviously he can add up to, you know, the things that I can learn."
***
Molik to Make a Full-Scale Comeback
Following recent appearances in the doubles events at New Haven and at the US Open, Australia’s two-time major doubles champion, Alicia Molik is to make a full-scale comeback to the game at a series of seven tournaments on the ITF Pro Circuit to be held in Australia over the remainder of 2009.
The 28-year old, a former top 10 player in both singles and doubles, announced her retirement from professional tennis in early September 2008 due to an elbow injury. This marks a ‘third stage’ career for Molik after she previously left the tour for an extended period when she contracted an inner-ear virus that affected her balance. She joins the ITF Pro Circuit for the first time since May 2006 with back-to-back $25,000 tournaments in Darwin starting this week.
***
Djokovic Believes New York Likes Him Again
Last year Novak Djokovic left New York under something of a cloud after remarks he made resulted in the crowd turning against him. It was clear that this year he was able to mend any bridges that needed to be mended, and he enjoyed a much better relationship with the spectators.
“Well, it's very important from my standpoint, and I think any professional athlete has to have the good relationship between him and the fans,” he said. “Fans are the ones who are coming to, paying the tickets to come to see you and support you. They look up to you as a role model, and they appreciate what you do. They respect you as a successful athlete, so you've got to give them something in return.
“This is a fact. And the crowd here, you know, they love entertainment, and I have a feeling that I might even got the best relationship with this New York crowd throughout last couple of years of any tournaments. I just feel great, you know. They have been supporting me. And when you have crowd behind you, it's a big advantage, you know. It kind of lifts you up in the bad moments, and it's very important.
***
We Hear---
--that DecoTurf will continue to be the surface of the US Open through December 2014. That includes the 12 indoor courts, in addition to all 34 outdoor courts. This agreement started in 1978 when the Open moved from the soft courts at the Westside Tennis Club in Forest Hills.
***
THIS WEEK
MEN
Davis Cup Semifinals
WOMEN
Guangzhou
Quebec City
***
NEXT WEEK
MEN
Bucharest
Metz
WOMEN
Seoul
Tashkent
***
Bob Larson’s Stock Report
Monday Stock Prices
Stock
Last
Change
Adidas
24.65
+.64
Amer Sports
4.85
0.00
Head
0.40
0.00
K-Swiss
9.64
+.26
Nike
54.91
-.08
Bob Larson Tennis Stock Index $94.45
* The index is based on the total value of one share of each stock we report daily.
***
Results
For complete ATP and WTA results, please see our web site at www.tennisnews.com
Bob Larson - Publisher
Cort Larson - Editor
Bob Larson's Daily Tennis is published
Monday through Friday except Holidays
Monday and Thursday in November and December.
Delivery via e-mail to all countries
Subscription rates are; $97USD a year,
$57USD for Six months, $37USD for Three months.
Bob Larson Tennis
P.O. Box 24256
Edina, MN 55424 USA
952-920-8947 (voice) or 952-920-8940 (fax)
E-mail address bob@tennisnews.com
Visit our website at: www.tennisnews.com
(c) Copyright 2009. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis
Subscribe