COUCOURTSIDERTSIDE Spring 2008 Inside the Lines Olympus Becomes First Title US Open Moves to “3 Plus 1” Player Challenge System Sponsor of US Open Series Additional challenge per set for the “Chase s e g Review” electronic line calling to increase usage a m Andy Roddick I y t t and create uniformity. e G U.S. Pursues 2nd Consecutive Davis Cup The U.S. Davis Cup team continues its title defense against France in the quarterfinals on April 11 –13. Semis Up Next for U.S. Fed Cup Team In a rematch of last year’s semifinal, Russia will host the U.S. Fed Cup team on April 26–27. Quest for Gold at 2008 Olympics Zina Garrison and Rodney Harmon are In a partnership that further validates the the USTA that began in 2003. named coaches of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Olympus US Open Series concept of packag - Under the deal, Olympus will be integrated Tennis Teams. ing a summer season of tournaments linked int o all television broadcasts of the Series and QuickStart Tennis Coming to Pro Events to the US Open, Olympus America Inc. has will receive prominent on-court presence at QuickStart Tennis, the exciting new tennis signed a landmark deal with the USTA to all Series events as well as at the US Open. program for kids, will roll out at pro events become the first worldwide title sponsor of “The Olympus US Open Series has been throughout the summer. the Series, as well as a US Open Corporate great for the players,” said Andy Roddick, “but Champion. The six-year deal represents the more importantly, it has made it easier for Americans Off to Fast Start most comprehensive sponsorship partner - fans to follow the road to the Open on televi - Strong showings by Andy Roddick, Serena ship in Olympus’ history and represents a sig - sion and really create a summer season. I Williams, Mardy Fish and Lindsay Davenport nificant and far-reaching expan sion of the think it’s huge that Olympus has stepped up provide early season highlights. relationship between Olympus America and to contribute to the game.” Patrick McEnroe McEnroe Named General Manager of Elite Player Development As part of a new strategic direction for development and coaching. The new direction will also include the development of future American the launch of “USTA Pro Track,” providing a pathway for top champions, Patrick McEnroe has been American juniors to achieve at the highest levels of the game. named General Manager, USTA Elite “This is the beginning of a new strategic direction for the Player Development. This initiative will USTA as we create a unified effort to help keep America a dom - provide a greater focus on top American junior inant force in tennis for years to come,” said Arlen Kantarian, players and young pros in an effort to achieve cham - CEO, Professional Tennis, USTA. “Patrick McEnroe is one of the s e g a m pionship status. As part of a unified effort, the USTA will most respected and forward-thinking minds in tennis today. I y t t e G create a “Champions Advisory Board” and “Coaches With Patrick at the helm, we look forward to building a broad / r e y d l l Commission,” bringing together the best in American coalition of support toward one common goal—create the next e h c t i M tennis to provide input into talent identification, program generation of American champions.” g i a r C Page 1 Welcome As the calendar turns to spring, the American Tennis Off to Fast Start s s e professional game in the United States e g g a a m m I I y y t t t continues to flourish after a b anner Serena Williams t e e G G / / o n l wins the Sony a l e m B year. Olympus has joined our team as k l Ericsson Open. c o A t S w e title sponsor of the Olympus US Open h t t a Series. Patrick McEnroe has joined M the team as the General Manager of Elite Player Development. The U.S. Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams are getting ready to compete in quarterfinal and semifinal match-ups. And American pros have already made some major headlines …and are Bob and Mike Bryan team up promising to make more. to win in Miami. We are seeing encouraging signs s s e e g g a for the resurgence of American tennis a m m I I y y t t t t e e G G / at every level of the sport. Working / a n l a a t m u k B c o a t together with our partners—players, c S Sam Querrey c e w b e e h t takes the title R t tournaments, tours, sponsors and a M at the Tennis television partners—we look forward Channel Open. to building on this momentum. Mardy Fish tops Roger Federer at the Pacific Life Open. Arlen Kantarian CEO, Professional Tennis Coming When Serena Williams won the Sony Ericsson Open this past weekend for her second title of 2008, it marked another in a series of strong showings by American players in the Attraction young season. Lindsay Davenport has already won two titles this year, as she continues her climb up A T S U the rankings. And so has Andy Roddick, who has also beaten each of the world’s Top 3 players—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic—in the past month. In fact, while Roddick was capturing the Dubai championship in March, Sam Querrey was winning his first ATP title, at the Tennis Channel Open in Las Vegas—marking the first time U.S. men won multiple singles titles on the ATP tour in the same week since 1996. With his win, Querrey became the first American other than Roddick or James Blake to win an ATP singles title in nearly two years and entered the Top 50 in the world rankings for the first time. Mardy Fish nearly joined the group of 2008 U.S. title-holders, reaching the final of the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells by defeating Federer. The new indoor tennis pavillion at the USTA Billie Meanwhile, Bob and Mike Bryan won the men’s doubles at the Sony Ericsson Open Jean King National Tennis Center nears completion. and remain the world’s top-ranked doubles team. Page 2 Chase Review Moves to “3 Plus 1” Player Challenge System At the 2008 US Open, the player challenge system for electronic line calling—known as the “Chase Review”—will change from its current two challenges per set plus one for tiebreakers to three challenges per set plus one for tiebreakers. The additional challenge per set is being added to increase usage of the player challenge system, while helping to create a uniform protocol across the pro game. With this addition, all professional tennis events where an electronic line call - ing system is in place—including all Olympus US Open Series events this summer—will be using the “3 plus 1” protocol. In 2006, the US Open became the first Grand Slam to use electronic line calling technology, which was intro - duced to improve officiating for players while increasing the intrigue and excitement for in-stadium fans and tele - vision viewers. The new technology was immediately embraced by officials, players and fans alike. Olympus US Open Series Encore for Kids’ Bonus Points Distribution Open Casting Call Gets Streamlined for 2008 The US Open began a new tradition in 2007, as talented youth performed the national anthem and other patriotic The Olympus US Open Series Bonus Challenge links the performance songs in Arthur Ashe Stadium during each night session. of the top three men’s and top three women’s finishers at Series events to The anthem singers were selected from more than 175 their performance at the US Open. The Olympus US Open Series Bonus boys and girls ages 14 Challenge points distribution has been simplified for 2008 (as shown on and under who audti - the chart). tioned before a panel As in past years, a player must play and earn points in at least two of celebrity judges at Olympus US Open Series events to qualify for bonus prize money. New York City’s famed Radio City Music Hall. The tradition will continue in 2008, as the USTA will again host an open casting call at Radio City Music Hall on Monday, June 9, to select the young vocalists to per - form nightly at this year’s US Open. The event will coincide s e g a with the 2008 US m I y t t e Open ticket on-sale. G Page 3 United States Hosts France This Weekend in Winston-Salem s e g The defending champion United States will pursue a record- a m I y t t ex tending 33rd Davis Cup title on April 11-13 when it hosts e G / s y France in the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Quarterfinals to be held u o B l e i r in Winston-Salem, N.C. The rivalry between the U.S. and France b a dates back to 1905, with the two G countries splitting their previous 14 encounters. The 2008 quarterfinal marks a return to Winston-Salem’s Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coli - seum, the site of last year’s quarterfinal victory over Spain. That tie played to daily sold-out crowds of 14,453, making it the largest Davis Cup crowd in the U.S.