Friday, March 27, 2009

BUSINESS NEWS

Security at Davis Cup Ties Become an Important Factor

Security, or rather the lack of it, is one of the most prevalent issues current in world sport. This week in cricket the hugely rich Indian Premier League relocated its’ 59 matches for 2009 to South Africa to ensure safety and now Tennis Australia are insisting the upcoming Davis Cup tie be moved out of the country.
The Asia/Oceania Group One tie, scheduled to play May 8 thru 10, was initially set to played at the 5,800-seat SDAT Tennis Stadium in Chennai and the All India Tennis Association will cite the lack of any problems at January’s ATP World Tour event as a prime reason for the Australian team’s first visit since 1993 to go ahead as planned.
Col Chowhan, the executive director of the All Indian Tennis Association executive director insisted there is no cause for alarm and it would be possible to hold the tie as planned. "I personally went to Chennai to oversee everything. In January we had the Chennai ATP event there, it was very successful and it was after the terrorist attack in Mumbai,” he said. “We'll be using the same stadium, the same hotel, and the same security agency for the Davis Cup tie too and we have the full support of the government. That's the reason why we chose Chennai over the other venues. It's absolutely safe."
Tennis Australia remains unconvinced and has formalized a request to the ITF. They are mindful the ITF sanctioned the playing of the recent Sweden v Israel World Group tie behind closed doors and with no spectators in Malmo. Steve Wood, the chief executive, has already been in touch with the ITF’s London headquarters and said: “We have sought and received advice from a variety of sources regarding travelling to India,"
“It is on the basis of security concerns that we have asked for the tie to be moved out of India. The ITF has received our request and is doing its own security assessment. The safety of our players and staff is of paramount importance to Tennis Australia."
The ITF intends to make a full study for the situation in the next week, and spokesman Nick Imison said: “Irrespective of whether a security issue is raised or not, our security advisors look into security aspects of every single Davis Cup tie. We will proceed on those lines. Security is of utmost importance. Our security advisors will look into the issue and get back to us in a week's time."
***
Clijsters to Test Returning to the Tour

After weeks of educated speculation, former world no.1 Kim Clijsters confirmed that she will be returning to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour during the North American hard court season in the build up to the US Open which begins August 31.
Clijsters' initial plans simply focus on three tournaments: Cincinnati, Toronto and the U.S. Open. However she is bound to attract numerous wild card invitations and her popularity in both her native Europe and Australia – where she became known as Aussie Kim after her lengthy engagement to Lleyton Hewitt – will make her an in demand asset to events around the globe.
"That's all for now. I want to see if I can still do it," said Clijsters. "I want to see where I am and what is possible, how many weeks I can be away. Those are the type of details I need to work out. I have missed playing tournaments most. I am doing it for the challenge. I have been training for 11 or 12 weeks, training harder than ever before."
The thought of making a comeback came after she accepted the invitation to play with Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi and Tim Henman in a series of exhibition matches to test the new roof over Wimbledon’s Centre Court.
"When I started preparing for the Wimbledon game I felt this drive. I wanted a new challenge," she said. "(But) this is just for fun for now to see if I can do it. I don't need to be No. 1 again. I have done that and I don't need to do it again. I am just going to see how things evolve."
A major factor in her decision to retire was that she had suffered a number of injuries and she was wary of the effect it would have on her later in life. Those fears are still there and it is something she is addressing as she prepares to return to competition.
"I am really looking at my weak points to prevent injuries," she stressed. "I train six days a week, half of which is building up stamina and physique. And I am more mature now and you know how your body will react to certain things."
"I am curious to see if life on tour with a family is possible, I think it is,” said the right-handed baseliner who won 34 singles titles and held the top ranking for a total of 19 weeks in three separate spells between August 2003 and May 2006.
“I think I can make it as good for my daughter as it is for me. I think I can be successful. "I am still young. I turn 26 in a few months. I think I am capable of doing it. But there are lot of details now, new things that have changed on tour and in my personal life."
As has been widely reported she took advice from another former world no.1 Lindsay Davenport who returned to the tour after motherhood. The Californian won three of the first four tournaments she played following her maternity break but is again uncompetitive as she awaits the arrival of a second child.
“I have stayed in touch with Lindsay in the last couple of years,” said Clijsters. “Never really about tennis, but more about the children," she said. But my last email I had with her was more about tennis. Asking her about her life on the tour and what her experience was.
"How she managed to balance the personal life and tennis life. How she worked with the WTA more so, what the options were, and so far it was very nice to hear there were no restrictions coming from that direction of the WTA or the tournament organisers.”
***
Money is Not a Factor in Federer’s Davis Cup Plans

Roger Federer says that his commitment for Swiss Davis Cup play certainly doesn't turn on a huge payday. The No.2 is happy to play for relative pocket change - as long as the event does not conflict with his fitness or career goals.
"Honestly I never heard of money being the issue here, why players are not playing," he said of the lack of big names who consistently compete in the worldwide team event. "Sometimes I walk away with $5,000, or $10,000.
"It's not that I play or not play because of the money - I'm beyond that point."
Federer all but said that today's tennis millionaires cannot be swayed, even by the lure of up to $100,000 a match, which he estimated that some top teams like the US or France can pay their men.
It's not like that for Switzerland, whose banks control one third or so of the world's entire wealth but the tennis federation lives on peanuts.
"I get paid very little when I play Davis Cup because our federation is small and doesn't have much money. We don't get paid like maybe the Americans do or the French do.  We get 50 or 100 grand each match plus prize money or whatever."
Federer said it's all about the timing of Davis play. "It's the problem with the weeks.  I can't focus on No. 1 in the world, trying to win the Grand Slams, trying to win Masters Series, and then also trying to win Davis Cup.
"It's just been too much, so something had to give.  I decided Davis Cup was the one thing I was not going to play in February.  If they would make to quarters, I would then maybe get back into the team.  But it never happened in five years, so there you go.”
***
All Kinds of Bets Floating Around About Federer’s Baby

British bookmakers have not missed a beat with the announcement that Roger Federer and girlfriend Mirka are expecting a child this summer. Odds have already been laid on the infant's chances of one day winning Wimbledon.
Ladbroke's puts the possibilities at 200/1 that the yet-to-be-born baby can follow in his father's footsteps and win the All England club title by 2035. And to cover all bases, there are similar odds that if the baby is a boy he will be named Rafael in honor of Federer’s friend and rival Rafael Nadal.
There are also possible punts on Tiger (Woods) at 66/1.
"If Federer junior is half as good as Federer senior we'll be running for cover," joked spokesman for the London betting house.
Federer and longtime partner Mirka Vavrinec are 4/5 to get married this year and 6/4 to wait until 2010.
***
Petrova Knows How to Use a Hammer and She Does

Nadia Petrova is handy with a hammer, something she learned when as a kid she used to hang out with her father when he did maintenance work. And, as a representative for Habitat For Humanity, the Russian likes to put her skills to good use.
She has previously helped out with building houses in Romania, and this week she turned her attention to a project in Little Haiti in Miami. She assisted 33 Dartmouth students in installing windows and insulation in two triplexes that will house six Miami families.
While there, she drank Cuban coffee and signed autographs for the students, who gave up their week-long spring break to participate in the project which will take four to five months to complete."

***
Montreal Tournament Director is Honored by Tourism Montreal

Courtesy of Tennis Canada

Eugene Lapierre, tournament director of Montreal’s Rogers Cup, was named the recipient of the 2009 Grand Ulysse Award.
The Grand Ulysse is the most prestigious of the Tourism Montreal awards and is given to a Montreal personality who by their career, body of work and craft, has contributed to the growing influence of the City of Montreal on an international scale.
Since taking over as tournament director in 2001, Rogers Cup has gained unprecedented international visibility, garnered strong profits, welcomed 1.4 million spectators and continues to set global attendance records for a one-week tournament. Lapierre was a leading force responsible for the construction of the 4,500-seat National Bank Court in 2004. Montreal became the only tournament outside the Grand Slams to sell tickets for a second show court.

***

We Hear---
--that Maria Sharapova will play the last match of the World Team Tennis season as the Newport Beach Breakers marquee player selection on July 22nd against Kansas City.
***
THIS WEEK
MEN
Miami
WOMEN
Miami
***
NEXT WEEK
MEN
Miami
WOMEN
Miami
***
Bob Larson’s Stock Report
Thursday Stock Prices

Stock

Last

Change

Adidas

17.77

-.08

Amer Sports

3.40

0.00

Head

0.30

0.00

K-Swiss

8.95

+.69

Nike

47.60

+1.23

Bob Larson Tennis Stock Index $78.02
* 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