Tuesday, August 25, 2009
BUSINESS NEWS
USTA Signs Yogurt Manufacturer as Sponsor of US Open
The USTA announced that Stonyfield Farm, the world’s largest organic yogurt maker, has entered into a one-year sponsorship agreement with the US Open to promote its Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt brand.
As part of the new partnership, Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt will receive significant signage in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Stonyfield plans an aggressive sampling program from a dedicated promotional booth on-site at the US Open, as well as multiple mobile carts on the Boardwalk that leads from the Long Island Railroad and 7 train to the East Gate entrance to the NTC. Stonyfield will hand out tens of thousands of four ounce samples of Oikos.
In addition, Stonyfield will serve as a presenting sponsor of “US Open Live,” the live-streaming of the US Open on USOpen.org. In 2009, USOpen.org, the official website of the US Open, will offer the most extensive live streaming in the history of the event, airing all matches within the ESPN and Tennis Channel broadcast television windows. Streaming up to five matches simultaneously, US Open.org will make more than 150 matches available for free within the United States. Live streaming also will integrate live match stats updates, fan commenting and picture-in-picture capabilities.
***
Murray Commits to Davis Cup Play
British Davis Cup captain John Lloyd has had much to worry him this summer with the prospect of relegation to the backwaters of the Euro/Africa Zone Group Two looming if his team suffers a fourth successive defeat in the upcoming meeting with Poland in Liverpool. But he has received gratifying news from world no.2 Andy Murray who has committed to the cause come what may.
Murray has missed two out of Britain’s last three ties, March’s home defeat to the Ukraine when he was suffering from a virus and last February when he opted out of travelling to Argentina after the Australian Open. The run has seen Lloyd’s team slip from a place in the world group to teetering on the verge of the competition’s third tier amidst the likes of Monaco, Egypt, Lithuania and Ireland.
But the 22 year-old Scot, who overtook Rafael Nadal to take a career high second spot in the world rankings earlier this month and will be no.2 seed at the upcoming US Open came out with the admission that Lloyd was praying to hear.
“I always want to play Davis Cup if possible,” said Murray who became Britain’s youngest ever to appear in the competition when he made his debut against Israel aged 17 years and 293 days in March 2005 and boasts an 8-1 success record in singles play. "If I feel fresh and 100% fit I will be there to help the team because we are not in the best position right now."
Murray is unlikely to be joined in the side by his elder brother Jamie whose doubles ranking has dropped out of the world’s top 100 and currently stands at 120, putting him behind Liverpool’s Ken Skupski, fellow Scot Colin Fleming and the soon to retire James Auckland. Ross Hutchins, currently ranked 37 at doubles, seems likely to be chosen to likely face the crack Polish duo of Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski who are currently just outside the world’s top ten.
However last week the elder Murray won the Italian Challenger title in Trani with fellow Brit Jamie Delgado.
***
Djokovic is Optimistic About the US Open and Beyond
Novak Djokovic lost four Masters Series finals this year. All four were to higher ranked players.
“I was born in wrong era”, he managed to show a sense of humor after losing in Cincinnati against Federer on Sunday. “I was very close in most of those finals, but I don't think this is some kind of curse or something.”
Nadal beat Djokovic in Monte Carlo and Rome, and Murray was better in Miami.
“Everybody is playing (great) tennis. Those two guys, Nadal and Federer, and of course Murray, they're all playing fantastic tennis. Roger and Rafa are maybe two of the best players that ever played this game. Roger for sure, is”, added #4 from Serbia. "It's kind of hard because they raise their level in the final stages of the tournaments, especially the finals. So for me to reach the final stages is a big success. Hopefully in the future I'll be able to get some titles.”
Though he beat Federer in two previous occasions in this season, Djokovic is not downhearted after Sunday loss. For him Cincinnati was successful station on the road to the last major in 2009.
“I will try to work in these seven days before the U.S. Open on these things, on a better approach to the match and being aggressive from the start. If I manage to do that, I think I can get far."
He will have extra help in New York. Todd Martin, former US Open and Australian finalist, has been added to Novak’s coaching staff.
“We will start to work this week, but I will not stop working with Marian Vajda, my current coach. I will work with both of them. Playing in two major finals and being #4 makes Todd very experienced. He has lot of ideas that will help me in my game, but I will not disclose them. Don’t expect success in a week time, since this is a process”, announced Djokovic who himself played US Open final two years ago.
***
Connors Will Try Again in the TV Broadcast Booth
Jimmy Connors on/off relationship with both tennis and the US Open is very much on again as the former world no.1 and five times champion of the US Open will step into the hot seat as the Tennis Channel’s lead analyst with his 57th birthday just days away when main draw action begins at Flushing Meadows next Monday.
The Tennis Channel’s first-ever coverage of the year’s final major, with 72 live match hours and 240 hours of dedicated tournament programming, will see Connors return to an American commentary booth for the first time in more than 20 years although he did work for Britain’s BBC for a couple of years until reportedly finding his pay check bore no resemblance to that of John McEnroe.
Connors has been absent from the tennis scene since parting the ways with Andy Roddick a year and a half ago after 21 months of a coaching relationship. “I’m excited to be a part of Tennis Channel’s US Open team and can’t wait to get back to New York," said Connors who will work alongside Bill Macatee and Martina Navratilova. "There’s nothing in tennis like the US Open. I’m looking forward to helping Bill, Martina and everyone else at the network change the way the tournament is seen on television."
The champion who won the US title on grass and green clay at Forest Hills before capturing another three titles when the event switched to hard court has had a feisty career in broadcasting. Long before parting the ways with the BBC, he ended a long term relationship with NBC when, according to former agent Donald Dell in his book Never Make The First Offer, he refused to travel to Barcelona to cover the 1988 Olympic tennis event.
***
Myskina Has No Plans to Resume Career
A well-known in the past, Russian tennis player Anastasia Myskina has no plans to return to sport, despite recent statements of Russian press.
Since the end of her tennis career a few years ago, Anastasia has worked on television, presently designs her own fitness program and now plans to play in a movie.
In addition, Myskina recently married a wealthy Russian billionaire and has had a child.
According to her, Russian tennis was not particularly affected because of her retirement. She thinks that currently Russia has a lot of young talented tennis players, who will be able to play instead of her in the Fed Cup.
"I think Anastasia Myskina will not resume her tennis career,” says Russian tennis specialist Vladimir Kamelzon. “She retired from tennis to become a journalist. Unfortunately, at her age Myskina could still play very well, but she decided to quit”.
***
Svetlana Kuznetsova to Provide Financial Help for St. Petersburg Tennis
Svetlana Kuznetsova wants to provide all possible assistance to the development of tennis in her native city of St. Petersburg, the player told St. Petersburg’s Governor Valentina Matvienko at a recent meeting.
“We need to create conditions for quality training, to build good courts and fitness centers. And also, probably, we will have to bring foreign experts to train our coaches. I want to help my city. The governor told me that it would help to develop tennis in St. Petersburg and in the whole country,” said Kuznetsova.
Kuznetsova’s possible support, according to most experts, will be good news for St Petersburg’s tennis school, currently experiencing difficult times. Because of the economic crisis, the Russian government was forced to cut tennis funding, which eventually led to the closure of several major tennis academies throughout the country including St Petersburg.
***
New Haven Promotes Tennis on a “Really Big” Tennis Court
To celebrate the start of the 2009 Pilot Pen event in New Haven, Conn., defending champion Caroline Wozniacki and World No. 10 Flavia Pennetta took over the Yale Bowl for “Football Tennis”.
The world’s largest tennis court was created for the occasion and laid out inside the Yale Bowl, an historic American football stadium that is considered one of the true treasures of American sports. While history has been made inside the Yale Bowl on numerous occasions, the world famous football field has never been home to a tennis match, let alone a tennis match on the largest court ever created.
“Football Tennis” is the third stunt created by Sony Ericsson this summer, following on the heels of last week’s “Street Tennis” in Toronto during which Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki took over Yonge Street for an impromptu tennis match and the previous week’s “Fountain Tennis” which brought out Kim Clijsters and Elena Dementieva to one of America’s largest amusement parks, Kings Island in Cincinnati.
Other promotional events have included playing on car rooftops in Miami, in a metro station in Madri and on a desert island in the Arabian Sea in Doha.
***
Laver’s Memoirs to be Published
New Chapter Press will publish Rod Laver's memoir of his second Grand Slam, ‘The Education Of a Tennis Player,’ to coincide with the 40th anniversary of his historic achievement. Written with fellow Hall of Famer, journalist and historian Bud Collins, the book is Laver's first-hand account of his 1969 Grand Slam season, capped off by his 7-9, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 win over fellow Australian Tony Roche in the final of the US Open on September 8.
Originally published in 1971, the book was updated by Laver and Collins in 2009 with new content including his recovery from a near-fatal stroke in 1998. The memoir features descriptions of Laver’s most suspenseful matches and memorable portraits of his biggest rivals Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Tony Roche and Pancho Gonzalez. Laver also writes about his childhood and early days in tennis, his 1962 Grand Slam and offers tips on how players of all levels can improve their game. He also shares some of the strategies that helped him to unparalleled success on the tennis court.
The book, which will be sold at the USTA Bookstore during the US Open and via traditional book retailers in the United States, will also be available in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia by early 2010. Special limited edition hard-cover editions of the book are available for $29.95, while paperback copies are for sale for $19.95.
***
We Hear---
--that a press conference will be held today in Miami to announce Venus and Serena Williams becoming minor shareholders of the Miami Dolphins football team.
--That the US Open qualifying begins today with 128 men and 128 women hoping to win three matches and qualify for one of the 16 open spots of the main draw which begins Monday. There is $1 million in prize money, just for the qualifying competition.
***
THIS WEEK
MEN
New Haven
WOMEN
New Haven
***
NEXT WEEK
MEN
US Open
WOMEN
US Open
***
Bob Larson’s Stock Report
Friday Stock Prices
Stock
Last
Change
Adidas
23.67
+.53
Amer Sports
4.60
0.00
Head
0.20
0.00
K-Swiss
10.06
0.00
Nike
55.65
-1.35
Bob Larson Tennis Stock Index $94.18
* 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