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Archive for the ‘Tennis News’ Category

Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson is reportedly part of a group looking to buy the LA Dodgers, according to the Los Angeles Times. Johnson would reportedly join with former Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves executive Stan Kasten and financier Mark Walter, CEO of Guggenheim Partners.

... Read Full Story

Tiger Woods earns $1B becoming highest paid athlete

Forbes reported last week that Tiger Woods became the first athlete to earn $1 billion in career earnings from endorsements, prize winnings, golf course design and appearance fees. Woods reportedly earns $30 million a year from Nike and receives $10 million per project for his golf design work. He also just won $10 million last week for winning the FedEx Cup title.

The crazy part is that Woods in only 33 years old and has many years of competitive golf, endorsements and golf course design ahead of him. It’s not a stretch to say that he’ll likely make well in excess of $2 billion by the time his career ends. It’s estimated that he has now earned more than NBA great Michael Jordan ($800 million) and retired Formula One driver Michal Shumacher ($700 million). ... Read Full Story

Greg Norman & Chris Evert in Happier Times

Golf great Greg Norman and tennis legend Chris Evert announced they have separated Friday just 15 months after they were married.

It is not know if they plan to divorce.

In a statement, the couple said only, “We will remain friends and supportive of one another’s family.” The statement said they requested privacy for them and their families.

The timing of the announcement was in part to prevent speculation on Evert’s absence at the Presidents Cup, matches between the United States and an International team of countries from every continent but Europe and Antarctica.

“I don’t think it will be a distraction,” said Robert Allenby of Australia, part of the International team. “That’s just not the way Norman is. He’s normally very private with his life. I know Norman. Next week his whole focus will be purely on what we have to do as a team and how we have to come together. He’ll be right behind us 110 percent.”

Norman and Evert became sports’ most high-profile couple when they started dating, got engaged and married. Evert, with 18 Grand Slam titles, attended her first PGA Tour event last year at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, which Norman played with his son, Gregory. And she was with him every step at the British Open last year at Royal Birkdale.

Norman and Evert were seen together recently at the U.S. Open tennis championship in New York. He said Friday in Naples that it was his favorite event he had attended with his wife.

If you would like to find out how to hire Chris Evert or Greg Norman for a speaking engagement, appearance, endorsement, autograph signing or special event, request Chris Evert or Greg Norman booking agent information from PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency. PFP is a top celebrity booking agent for American Idols, entertainers, sports stars and celebrities.

Jack Kramer, tennis legend and promoter, died of cancer on September 12, 2009 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 88.

Jack Kramer (George Wilhelm / Los Angeles Times / August 22, 2002)

ESPN’s Cliff Drysdale reported the death during the Rafael Nadal-Juan Martin Del Potro semifinal at the U.S. Open.

Kramer,  Wimbledon and two-time United States singles champion, was the leading promoter of the professional tennis tours in Los Angeles for 60 years.  He was a world class tennis player particularly known for his consistent serve and volley attack,  powerful serve and forehand.

“He put more continuing pressure on an opponent than any other player I ever saw or played against,” Ted Schroeder, Kramer’s partner for two United States doubles championships, told The Associated Press in 2002. “That goes all the way back to Bill Tilden.”

Kramer was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame  in 1968. The Los Angeles Tennis Open was known as the Jack Kramer Open — the only World Tour event to be named for a player.

Serena Williams lost to unseeded, unranked Kim Clijsters 6-4, 7-5 at yesterday’s US Open semi final due to a penalty she received for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The penalty just happened to be match point.

Serena Williams threatens line judge at US Open Semi Final. She loses match to penalty

“She was called for a foot fault, and a point later, she said something to a line umpire, and it was reported to the chair, and that resulted in a point penalty,” Brian Earley the line referee said. “And it just happened that point penalty was match point. It was a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct.”

Williams words to the umpire were, “I swear to God I’m [expletive] going to take this [expletive] ball and shove it down your [expletive] throat, you hear that? I swear to God.”

Williams is called to the chair and is heard saying “I didn’t say I would kill you. Are you serious?”

Watch Video

After the penalty, Williams went over to shake hands with Clijsters, who appeared stunned that she just won the match.

Williams went on to say in her postmatch news conference “I used to have a real temper, and I’ve gotten a lot better”. “So I know you don’t believe me, but I used to be worse. Yes, yes, indeed.”

Watch post match video

“I didn’t threaten [her]. I don’t remember anymore [what I said], to be honest. I was in the moment. And, you know, everyone’s fighting for every point. It was a really crucial point,” Williams said.

Asked if the line judge deserved an apology, Williams added: “An apology? From me? Well, how many people yell at linespeople? Players, athletes get frustrated. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen that happen.

“All year I’ve never been foot faulted, and then suddenly in this tournament they keep calling foot faults. I said something that I guess they gave me a point penalty for. Unfortunately it was on match point.”

John McEnroe later said that ‘you can’t defend the indefensible.’ Sure it was a bad call, but you can’t just shoot off your mouth like that in a public match and not expect some consequences.

Roger Federer

My favorite tennis tournament is Wimbledon, held each year on the grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England.

I don’t claim to be a big tennis fan. In fact, I haven’t paid a lot of attention to the sport since the Jimmy Connors – John McEnroe – Bjorn Borg era. However, I always follow Wimbledon with at least a casual glance because of its storied history. This year marks the tournament’s 123rd year of competition.

It’s going to be hard for this year to surpass last year’s classic, which featured one of the all-time great men’s finals in which Rafael Nadal won his first Wimbledon title by defeating top-seeded Roger Federer. The final was a fragmented affair due to two rain delays, which stretched the event to over seven hours. The playing time itself made it the longest final in Wimbledon history at 4 hours and 48 minutes.

Best Match Ever – Federer Vs. Nadal 2008 Highlights

Nadal won the first two sets by the same score, 6–4. After being interrupted by rain delays, Federer won the third set in a tie-braker, 7-5. The fourth set mirrored the third by also going to a tie-breaker, in which Nadal took a 5–2 lead. Later in the tie-break, Nadal had two championship points, including one on his serve, but Federer persevered, went onto win 10-8 and forced a final set. In the fifth and final set, Nadal prevailed, winning 9–7. Wimbledon champion John McEnroe lauded it as “the greatest match I have ever seen.”

Those are big words from McEnroe, who many believe (including myself) was part of the greatest Wimbledon final, a classic against Bjorn Bjorg in 1980.

Borg was gunning for his 5th straight Wimbledon title with the younger McEnroe standing in his way. McEnroe jumped out to a strong start by quickly winning the first set, 6-1. Bjorg roared back and took the next two sets, 7-5 and 6-3. In the fourth set, Bjorg held two match points at 5-4 but McEnroe saved them with diving volleys. What ensued would become arguably the greatest tie-breaker in history. McEnroe had seven set points and Borg five more match points, four on his own serve. McEnroe went onto win the 4th set, 7-6 and the tie-braker 18-16. In the 5th and final set, Bjorg conceded only three points on his seven service games and won, 8-6. McEnroe would later admit that the emotional and physical strain of the tie-braker had exhausted him.

My favorite women’s final was in 1978 between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, which Navratilova won in three sets, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. This was considered the greatest women’s rivalry in history, a series that stretched 80 matches. According to Navratilova, the 1978 final was her most memorable of them all. She had just deposed Evert as the world’s top-ranked player and was intent on proving her superiority with a first-ever Grand Slam title.

Nerves seemed to effect Navratilova early but her serve and volley style eventually dominated and she won 12 of the last 13 points. The rest, as they say, is tennis history with Navratilova winning more Wimbledon singles titles (9) than anyone.

A piece of trivia….what female has won the most combined Wimbledon titles (singles, doubles, mixed doubles)? Answer…Billie Jean King (20)

If you would like to find out how to hire tennis speakers for a speaking engagement, appearance, endorsement, autograph signing or special event, request booking agent information from PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency. PFP is a top celebrity booking agent for athletes, entertainers, sports stars and celebrities.