Serving Up a Good Cause

As the tennis season is in its final stretch, players will soon find themselves with some down time. If I was a tennis player, playing 10 months out of the year, I would want to relax, maybe even avoid the game for a little while. Besides, the tennis "off-season" is only about a month and a half long, so why not take advantage of it?

However, what I find great is that, instead of laying low, many players take the extra initiative to give back and play for something that is not a shiny trophy or an attractive paycheck - they play for charity or set up a charity event. Many tennis alums and current pros are doing it and raising a whole lot of money doing so!

I came across an article this week on ESPN.com that reported on Andre Agassi's annual charity event, "Grand Slam for Children." The event benefits the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas that Agassi built in 2001. Agassi's academy has become one of the most well-known schools in Las Vegas, with 98% of its students being minorities and residing within a low-class two-mile radius of the school. Grades K-12 attend and are educated with the best teachers, as well as some over-the-top facilities like touch screen computers. Students have some of the highest test scores in the area and many have goals of attending some of the most accredited colleges in the country.

So how much money was raised in one night for these kids? A million? Five million, maybe? Nope. Nine million dollars! That is a ridiculous amount of money! Agassi invited some celeb buddies and casino tycoons to help him out and everyone gave back more than expected! What a great accomplishment for an even greater cause!

Agassi has contributed to many charity endeavors and other players have followed suit. Each year, Andy Roddick holds a very formal gala and celebrity-athlete exhibition match that benefits his own charity, The Andy Roddick Foundation. Guests have included Lionel Richie and Elton John and some of Roddick's closest friends and fans. Over the years, the foundation has raised over $5 million dollars to help needy children. Again, a very impressive number.

While some athletes work with great causes off the court, many use their off-time to raise some money on-court. Last March, in between a lull period in the game, the Bryan brothers, Mardy Fish and Maria Sharapova took place in a two-day charity event in California. The Williams Sisters have taken place in a number of exhibition events and have raised hundreds of thousands in doing so. Even Anna Kournikova, who has been wiped off of the tennis planet, takes place in some events from time to time, as she knows that she can raise money. Hey, if you can do that, go for it, I say! Anything for a good cause.

So, all in all, I think the time off from the competitive, game play mindset and into the charity mindset is a great thing - for those who benefit from the money raised and for the sport of tennis. Obviously, it is great that those who need it most are getting the help they deserve. It is also great that tennis can be seen as a sport in which the ATHLETES themselves give back. I never really see much publicity about individual football players or basketball stars putting together a formal gala or a game of pick-up at a local gym to benefit charity. It would generate a lot of money, I would think. However, it is not being done.

Tennis is great model for charity and others should follow through with it. Any event can easily build hype when the big names come to a town that has no tennis tournaments nearby during the year. In turn, fans get to see their favorite players up close, in the action, and everything soon becomes focused on the fan. When you put charity back in the mix, a winning pair is made. This is a reason as to why these events are so successful. People will come out to see something that they never get to see and will be helping others at the same time - fantastic!

Props to tennis players for raising some money off the court. It only adds to the class and charm that the game constantly needs. If only other sports and athletes would see this - it would broaden the appeal of any sport and most importantly, help those who need it most. No trophy or big paycheck involved.

Update!

I told you I would update you on anything and everything involving the tennis betting scandals.

Now it seems like women's tennis is in some hot water.

See what is going on...

Scandal...You Bet!

Back in August, tennis was hit with one of its biggest controversies yet – betting and match fixing. Gambling is obviously present in all sports – Fantasy Football, college March Madness, horseracing, boxing, the list goes on and on. However, betting issues have never really been discussed too much in tennis. In fact, I didn’t even know how BIG betting was in the sport. Take a guess at HOW BIG betting is?? How about $1 billion big!? According to SI.com, $1 billion was bet for the US Open alone. When dealing with that ridiculously large amount of money, I understand why even the slightest suspicion of a player fixing their match in return for some money has become such a big deal and whipped tennis into the scandal spotlight.

So, what has been going on with the betting scandal? Let’s look at Nikolay Davydenko. Never heard of him? Well, he is actually sitting at #4 in the world. Davydenko is known for playing A LOT. He enters many of the tournaments that the big names opt out of and, since he has moved up in the rankings, he is usually the highest seed – hence receiving an easier draw. So, he tends to do very well, thus gathering ranking points. Sounds like a great strategy.

Back in August in a Poland tournament, Davydenko was playing in his second round match against Martin Vassallo-Argullo, #87 in the world. The match seemed to be a routine day at the office, as Davydenko won the first set 6-2. Immediately after this easy set, activity started to get fishy on Betfair.com, a British online gambling site. Bettors rushed to bet over $7 million dollars that Davydenko would lose the match – 10 times the amount that is routinely betted for a tennis match. However, all of this “mysterious betting” occurred AFTER Davydenko won that first set. Hmmmm… was it ironic then that Davydenko ended up losing the second set and then retiring from the match, citing a foot injury? Yes, after that first almost-flawless first set, the betting amounts skyrocketed with wagers of Davydenko losing…and Davydenko forfeited the match…and lost.

According to ESPN, Betfair “detected the unusual action during the match through its 40-man fraud team” and canceled all of the bets for that match. The company has never done that before in its seven years of operation.

"The evidence was so compelling," said Robin Marks, Betfair's head of media. "With the money coming in at the end of the first set and the sheer volume of the money, it was clear something was wrong. We notified the ATP during the match and told them we were unhappy."

Since then, the credibility and integrity of the ATP, the athletes, and the sport of tennis have been under much scrutiny. The ATP has decided to meet with Davydenko and betting companies in late October to discuss the issue and decide if there has indeed been illegal fixing of matches between bettors and players. If a player is found guilty, they could face a $100,000 fine or have all of their price money withdrawn. They can also be suspended for an undisclosed period of time. No player has ever been suspended from play due to illegal gambling activity. Davydenko is cooperating with the media and trying to keep his game face active. But, it will not be up to him to decide his fate.

The ATP and anti-gambling groups are now teaming up to prevent this activity from escalating and are even warning athletes of the dangers of the practice. Meetings with coaches have occurred and signs are posted in locker rooms that prohibit the activity. Some big tournaments are even using surveillance cameras in the locker rooms. While some may say that this is beginning to take away the privacy of some of the athletes, I disagree. Take a look at how common illegal match fixing has actually become and you may feel differently…Kind of scary if you ask me.

Since Davydenko’s incident, numerous players have come out and said that, upon many occasions, they have been approached by bettors. During much of the time, players are asked to lose, as Davydenko is being looked upon to have done. On Bookmakers Review, a betting information website, the site quotes numerous players who have been faced with the option to fix a match. Click on some of the old posts. It is very interesting.

Even the big names are faced with this controversy. Bob Bryan, half of the Grand Slam-winning doubles duo known as the Bryan Brothers, has stated that match fixing is definitely an option for everyone:

“There have been anonymous calls to players' rooms with some monetary offerings -- I know that," the U.S. doubles champion told the Los Angeles Times. "And I know every player I've talked to has turned it down."

Even one of my favorite players, #3 Novak Djokovic, and Top 20 player Dmitry Tursonov have been asked to lose a match in return for a fat check. I cannot believe how prevalent this is and it shocks me that some less successful players might actually be going along with it.

Tennis is obviously one of the most individual sports out there. Most importantly, there is no on-court coaching – players are on their own and have to make the necessary tactical adjustments themselves and play their own mental game. Therefore, I can see how easy it would be to fix a match. Any player can say that they are hurt and have to retire. Some can easily shank a few forehands into the seats by “accident” to eventually lose a match, citing a “bad day on the court.” Especially for those players who do not earn large paychecks each week, it can be very easy to intentionally lose a match and receive more money that one would in a following round.

However, players need to keep in mind that they are talented and have worked so hard to achieve excellence in such a grueling sport. Fixing a match should be unthinkable and is more than unfair for the opponent, the sport, and most importantly, the fans.

I hope this situation gets sorted out and those who have stupidly involved themselves in match fixing are punished. Tennis does not need this negative publicity, as the sport is still trying to gain a larger following. Tennis is classy and fair and does not deserve to have such a sick controversy in its presence. It will be interesting to see how the meetings with Davydenko go, and I will definitely be keeping information up-to-date as it unfolds.

Men's Tennis in a Fashion Magazine!

After my daily check-in to ATPTennis.com yesterday, the official website of men’s professional tennis, I saw a small picture of a model in a near-perfect pose. Hmmm…I thought to myself. I clicked on the picture and it turns out that it was a picture of Frenchman, Gael Monfils. If it wasn’t for the caption telling me who this was, I would have never known. I have watched Monfils on television countless times and have seen him in person, too. As one of the few African American players on tour, he is very recognizable. However, I seriously thought that the ATP was launching some new campaign and using a random model to do an advertisement or something. I had no idea that the picture was from France’s Sport & Style magazine and that the magazine had done a huge spread on the up-and-coming tennis player.

While numerous tennis players have done fashion spreads, most notably women who are sometimes more known for their fashion and magazine covers than tennis (i.e. Anna Kournikova), I really enjoy it when men tennis players are published in a high-end magazine with snazzy pictures and an interesting story. Not only is it great eye candy for me as a female spectator, but it is a very positive change for the athlete, the sport of tennis, and the public.

In many of my classes, we have discussed that journalism has indeed changed, sports journalism most specifically. While hard facts like the speed of a serve or break points converted in a Grand Slam are important, people want to hear something DIFFERENT from time to time. It is sometimes more appealing to publish a picture in a magazine of a male athlete looking snazzy in a suit or a female dressed up to perfection in a gorgeous dress. I love it when my Tennis Magazine sometimes has a feature on the lavish homes of the players where they ramble on for a page about what is kept in their refrigerator. Sports journalism needs things like this. Tennis needs this, too.

Tennis is obviously not one of the “Big Four” sports in the country, so the game needs all of the attention that it can get. Therefore, I think that player agents should be more aggressive in promoting their clients. If I didn’t play tennis all the time and was flipping through a magazine and saw some athletic and good looking guy in a perfect pose with a nice suit – it would capture my attention, I am sure. Soon finding out that it was a pro tennis player may be the one thing that causes me to look out for him next time a match is on TV or a “hard facts” article is published in my newspaper. I think I would definitely be more likely to watch the match or read that article.

So, advice to the agents. Get your players in the magazine spreads! Get them in a snazzy suit! Get them talking about the ketchup and Gatorade in the fridge. It helps gain exposure and appeal of the game and is a great marketing technique. Here are some of my personal critiques of a few spreads that have been done by some of the biggest names in tennis:

James Blake - Men's Vogue did a 12-page photo spread with Blake looking charming, relaxed, and very professional. It portrayed his style of game and his personality very well. It also was a great step for him to discuss the many trials and tribulations that he has been through in his life. The story that is now the basis for his best-selling book, Breaking Back. Very personable and anyone always is up for an "overcoming obstacles" story.

Roger Federer - Men's Vogue did one of the best features on Federer that I have ever seen. I remember exactly where I was when I read the story and was in awe. The photos were perfectly classy and, like Blake, were a perfect model of Federer's work ethic and personality. The story was also great and showed a side of Federer that we didn't know. He talked of fashion (and how he is not a fan of it), Tiger Woods, and how he manages to get around without getting recognized (yeah...right!).

Andy Roddick - Okay. This one is not one of my favorites. Andy is my favorite player and this is obviously not his body. As you can see, Roddick agrees. I cannot believe that Men's Fitness has professionals who airbursh that bad. It just looks WRONG! The story was boring, too. We don't care how many reps you can do!

Tommy Robredo - Yes, a tennis player poses nude! Make up your own opinions about this one, as I will keep my mouth shut. It is for charity, though, so relax.

Making a Comeback

Last week, Lindsay Davenport came out on top at the Bali Open, just like she has done many times in her career. With three Grand Slam titles under her belt, another title in Indonesia should be of no news. However, this victory is a different one - Davenport has been away from the tour for over a year. Why, may you ask? Injury? No. Fatigue? Nope. Personal issues? Not that either, well, not really.

On June 10, Davenport had a baby! At the age of 31, Lindsay gave birth to a baby boy, Jagger, with her former tennis pro husband, Jon Leach. Davenport’s biological clock was obviously ticking and she said a year ago that the time was right to take a break from the game and start a family. It takes a lot of heart to do that, especially in a sport where fitness is highly scrutinized, especially on the women’s circuit. Once you leave, it is hard to come back. If a forehand is looking sloppy or some footwork is lagging, everyone knick-picks it and does not give you a chance. I cannot imagine how hard the girl had to work to get back in shape after having a baby. Making such a great comeback – a tournament victory, in fact – after having a BABY three months ago – a fantastic accomplishment!!

Many female tennis players have had notable comebacks that required them to revamp their physical fitness and mentalities after facing some life-changing events.

The most significant one that comes to my mind is Monica Seles. By the time she was 19, Seles had won eight Grand Slams and was number one in the world. She was showing the potential to be one of the greatest female tennis players of all time. Her biggest rival, Steffi Graf, was sitting directly below her in the rankings with two Slams and definitely hungry for more. Her fans were hungry for it, too.

In 1993, during a quarterfinal clash with Magadelana Maleeva, a psychotic fan jumped from the stands and stabbed Seles in the back on the court. The man said he did it not because he hated Seles, but because he was so obsessed with Steffi Graf that he would do anything to make her number one – even if it meant dethroning Seles by attacking her. Crazy man!

I was never aware of this occurrence because I was not even seven years old when this happened. However, once I became the crazy tennis fan that I am now and I saw footage from the catastrophe, this event always sticks in my mind. Never have I heard of anything so obscene and so sick in my life. Luckily for Seles, doctors told her that she could come back to the courts within three short months. However, she was left so traumatized that it took her about 27 months. I don’t blame her at all. If I was in Monica’s tennis shoes, I don’t even know if I would be able to step on a court again. I would be so uncomfortable, so troubled to even pick up a racket. However, she finally put the past behind her and rejoined the tour in 1995 – to win her first title back in China, 6-1, 6-0, and make it to the US Open finals two years in a row. Seles was looking fit, healthy, and on top of her game again. A great comeback, indeed.

However, Seles was then struck by the news that her father and coach had cancer. She tried to play some matches, but her mindset was not all there. She had some weight problems and was scrutinized by the media for it. She never recovered from it and retired from the game last year.
This scenario is obviously much more of a different comeback than Davenport having a baby. Seles went through a trauma that made it unthinkable to ever come back to the top of her game. She dealt with the event with a strong mind and courageous heart and I give her all of the credit in the world. So what if she was never titled “great” again? She was more than great for coming through her life-altering trauma and coming back on tour with a bang. Do people see that? Sadly not really. Instead, Seles was criticized for her weight, her mindset, and how she was not playing up to the game that she once had. I sometimes think the press needs to stop for just one second and look beyond the physical parts of the game. Besides, tennis has always been said to be half mental – so focus on the mental part of it!

To even attempt to come back to the game after being away to start a family or recover from a trauma, that takes a lot of heart. It deserves much more recognition than the criticism an athlete may get as a result of “not being prepared” to make a comeback on the tennis court.

I have always been interested in how players overcome their struggles to come back to the game. It is inspirational and wonderful for the sport. I found this article that discusses some of the greatest comebacks in tennis. It is very interesting…Take a look.

The Power of the Racket

I am currently taking a class called Marketing on the Internet. Last week, my professor discussed the concept of Moore’s Law. Okay, don’t tune out now at the mention of some snazzy, technological law…the concept is actually very, very interesting.

Moore’s Law was founded by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore who realized that approximately every 18 months, technology improves so much that computer memory chips pack the same amount of technology into half of the space. Therefore, this doubles the performance of a computer every 18 months! So, to put it in perspective, go back to the 1970’s. Computers were large in size, slow in operation, and uncommon in society. Since the 70’s, computer technology has now increased by 75 BILLION times! That is mind-boggling! Everything is faster, easier, and changing the world around us.

The same thing has happened with tennis. Upon breaking a string on my racket this weekend (my first string break, too…now I am officially a tennis player!), I was forced to play with my “back-up” racket. That racket is about 3 years older than my current racket and what a difference! It was heavier, even though the head was smaller, and the strings on the racket were not giving me much “umph” in hitting the ball. I ended dropping the next four games and losing my match. It could have been my mentality. It could have been the old racket, too, because that was definitely a different feeling.

So, if for one second, we put that Moore’s Law to use, I think that it can relate to tennis. Any sport actually. Technology in tennis has definitely evolved over time.

First of all, as I saw this weekend – rackets have definitely changed! A three year difference in my two rackets is a big difference in feeling, tension, and overall impact in match play. Ironically, just as computers began to boom, the tennis racket revolution began in the 1970’s, too. Up until the 70’s, rackets were the old-school wooden ones that you see in old videos. They broke easily, were small, but very heavy, too. Little speed and power was generated as a result – not really a good thing for the game of tennis.

In 1974, Prince revolutionized tennis rackets with its “oversize” model. The racket had an aluminum frame, which made the racket lighter and easier on the arms. It also had a head with a larger sweet spot. In turn, it was easier to hit the ball with power and precision. I cannot even imagine how hard it was to hit a ball with a small wooden frame!

Newer models of rackets then began to be made from fiberglass, boron, and graphite, which made rackets even “lighter and stiffer” than older models. They improved athletic performance and, as the above article states, velocities up to 30 percent greater than the old designs. This revolutionized the sport and is why, today, Andy Roddick can consistently top 135 mph on his serve and why stick-thin Venus Williams holds the women’s serve record at 127 mph. It also has produced faster and more exciting points because pros can hit harder and have more sweet spot power.

While I feel that this is great for the game and makes it easier for non-professionals to play, too, not everyone agrees with me.

Take John McEnroe. Does this guy ever have anything nice to say?
“I'm 48 now, and I hit my serve harder than when I was 25,” adds the three-time Wimbledon champion. “It's gone way too far. There should be a limit…It has become a power-dominated game.”

I disagree. I think that power is what makes great play. For me, I absolutely HATE playing someone who I define as a “pusher.” A pusher is that one person (usually a tiny, quick opponent) who gets to EVERY ball, makes contact with it almost EVERY time, and LOBS the ball over the net. Hence, the ball flies HIGH over the net at a snail’s speed and bounces somewhere inside the court on the other side. You have to lob it back to them because you are stuck in an awkward position to strike the ball. What’s worse is the process begins all over again! I hate pushers and prefer the power game. Luckily, newer rackets (and the rackets that most college students use – best for my benefit) are becoming lighter and making it much easier to quickly strike a ball with SPEED!!

It is crazy how much the sport of tennis has changed. From wooden rackets to graphite ones, tennis skirts that are worn at the knee to leopard-like bathing suits (see my previous post!), to a serve not even breaking 100 to speeds today of over 140 mph, tennis is constantly evolving, just like the world around us.

I will be interested to see what happens in the coming years. I don’t know how much more the game can really change. Then again, I don’t know how much faster computers can get. Maybe one day, I will be able to serve at Venus’ speed or will be playing with a multi-color ball or something. Who knows, but I am so excited just thinking about it! McEnroe can just shut his mouth. I know, it will be very, very difficult for that to happen!

Swing and a Miss!

As well as being a huge tennis and sports fan, I am also a big pop culture junkie. People magazine comes in my mailbox every week and I am constantly visiting celeb websites like Eonline.com, People.com, and TMZ. I also am guilty of checking up on the infamous website, PerezHilton.com, also known as “Hollywood’s Most Hated Website.” Perez has been known to post any and every gossip story about every celebrity in the world. Last week, I saw a picture of a professional tennis player that Perez was posting on his site - and I was speechless. It turns out that it was American Beth Mattek, playing her first round at the US Open. Here is the post…take a look for yourself…take a breath before you click!

I am sure you are thinking the same things that I thought when I saw that picture...is that outfit even appropriate for tennis? It is appropriate for some clubbing in NYC - maybe - but not tennis in NYC! I immediately decided to look up more of this girl because I knew the press probably had a field day with this one. Indeed, I was right. It turns out that Mattek, ranked number 123 in the world, has had more than her fair share of wardrobe disasters. At Wimbledon in 2006, the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world, Beth wore knee socks and short-shorts that should have been part of a bathing suit. Spectators dubbed the outfit as “ghastly” and “awful.” Mattek has also sported some leopard skins, a cowboy hat, and wears basketball shoes. Not very typical for tennis.

Tennis has always branded itself as a sport of posh, prestige, and professionalism, as historic tennis was played by kings and the wealthy. Even today, when people think of tennis, the "country club" stereotype is typical - upper-class citizens meeting weekly at their outrageously priced country clubs to play a friendly tennis match and sip cocktails afterwards. The sport is classy, respectable, and full of good sportsmanship.

The professional circuit also reflects these values. Besides athleticism, players are expected to act maturely and sophisticated. In addition to a thick rulebook of tennis etiquette, players get fined for swearing at a chair umpire. Some may also need to pay up if they say something rude or derogatory about a tournament. In January, Nikolay Davydenko was fined a whopping 10-Grand for dissing a tournament in Australia. Appearance is important, too. You rarely see tattoos or piercings on athletes - something that is becoming more and more common in other sports like football and basketball.

However, there are always those players who push those extra buttons and this year's US Open was no different. Besides Mattek dressing in her more-than-we-need-to-see outfit, there were some other outrageous outfits at the Open. As the US Open comes to a close, rather than talking about what has happened the last two weeks (you can read about that anywhere), I am going beyond the matchplay and into the not-so-fashionable minds of some of the players. Here are my Top 5 "Outrageous Looks of the Open." Be sure to ask yourself, "What were they thinking?"

5 - Venus Williams. Usually Venus wears the cutest dresses, but I am not digging these shorts. I also think that the shirt is a little too mature for her. Venus is still young...the collar doesn't suit her style. This outfit is mixed up in all of the wrong ways.

4 - Maria Sharapova's "Coat." No doubt Sharapova wore a gorgeous red dress with gems around the neckline, but her black, see-through warm up coat was a no-no. It is hot enough in NYC, why need a coat?

3 - Fabrice Santoro. Whoa! My eyes hurt just looking at that shirt during the marathon James Blake match. It is like a cross between a bad golf polo and a messed up rainbow!

2 - Janko Tipsarevic. Glasses are not meant to be worn during an intense sport! Don't they fog up or fill with sweat? I had glasses in my early days and it was a pain...get some contacts! This guy is one of the few with tattoos and piercings, too.

1 - Beth Mattek. Miss Beth is back in doubles this time. If you think that her singles dress caused a stir, her doubles-ware is no different. A matching visor, too! I cannot even comment!

The lesson here: Sports figures need to remember that they have a purpose as a professional athlete. They have a duty to compete and to drive themselves or their team to higher success. Putting more attention on oneself through something other than raw athleticism and passion is not the best way to demonstrate that. I am not saying that appearance is not important (I even admit to wanting to look kind of flashy when I am playing), but when you take the attention away from the sole purpose of sport, simply through an outfit, it is not appropriate. This is especially true in a classy sport like tennis.

So, here's to this year's US Open, another tournament on American soil filled with dozens of fantastic and passionate matchplay. There were many hits, some misses, and lots of memories!