U.S. OPEN: IN AGASSI, DID TENNIS GET ITS MAN?

     In Chicago, Bernie Lincicome writes, "Well, tennis got what
it wanted, Andre Agassi."  USTA president Bumpy Frazier
announcing the champion of the U.S. Open: "Ladies and gentlemen,
the most popular tennis player in the entire world, Andre
Agassi."  Michael Stich, on the comment: "What a stupid thing to
say."  Lincicome: "Yes it was, but forgive tennis for getting
beside itself over Agassi finally filling another crack in his
potential, not to mention a huge hole in its appeal" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 9/12).
     STATE OF THE GAME:  CBS's Mary Carillo: "The best thing that
could have happened to tennis was Andre Agassi winning the U.S.
Open."  CBS's Tim Ryan, referring to Sally Jenkins' 5/94 "Is
Tennis Dying?" piece in SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:  "There is a lot of
action in tennis in reaction to that piece" (CBS, 9/11).  Cliff
Drysdale, Bud Collins, Tracy Austin, and Tony Trabert appeared on
PBS' "Charlie Rose" to discuss the state of the game ("Charlie
Rose," 9/9).  Agassi appeared this morning on both CBS' and ABC's
news programs.
     TENDING HOUSE:  The Women's Tennis Council, "currently in
the midst of fending off a takeover threat" by IMG, took an
"internal step forward in strengthening its own position" by
naming Anne Person Worcester as the first CEO of the WTA Tour
(N.Y. TIMES, 9/10).  The Tennis Industry Association (TIA)
approved a plan at the U.S. Open to invest $15M over the next
three years in an effort to "revitalize the sport and attract new
players" (DAILY sources, 9/12).  Phillip Morris USA plans to
organize and promote a women's legends tour that will feature
Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, among others.  The tour will
play in six unannounced cities and hold a final championship
event in early December at Delray Beach, FL (PHILADELPHIA DAILY
NEWS, 9/9).
     IMAGE MAY NOT BE EVERYTHING:  CBS cut to a shot of Brooke
Shields using a Minolta to take a picture of her beau, Agassi, a
Canon pitchman.