A "marriage between men's and women's professional
tennis is being circulated among the leaders of the sport,"
according to Robin Finn of the N.Y. TIMES. The proposal
"advocates the creation of a five-stop series of shared
outdoor blockbuster events" and includes a calendar-based
ranking system that would bring both tours under identical
ranking systems. The proposition "has received preliminary
endorsement" from both ATP Tour Exec Dir Mark Miles and Corel
WTA Tour CEO Anne Person Worcester. Finn added that Miles
has "campaigned" for the "ambitious, optimistic and probably
necessary plan" of a joint tour.
BASIC FUNDAMENTALS: People familiar with the plan said
the "present, evolving form" of the new circuit would
"feature seven Tier One events for each tour, five of which
would be shared sites in Hamburg, Germany; Rome; Indian
Wells; Key Biscayne, and Cincinnati." The coed events would
end after the U.S. Open in September, and "both tours would
retain two major indoor events in the fall plus their
individual year-end championships." The plan would also
include Grand Slam, Davis Cup and Fed Cup appearances as part
of a player's commitment. Although proponents hope the deal
receives formal approval at the French Open in May,
"sponsorship obligations -- such as the ATP Tour's four-year,
$40 million deal with Mercedes Benz -- would most likely
prevent the plan from being implemented before 1999." But
there "remains a chance" that some events "could be
overhauled for 1998." Charlie Pasarell, Tournament Dir at
coed stop in Indian Wells: "I've believed in this concept
since 1978, that we need to create more Grand Slam-like
events. ... Will there be some casualties among the smaller
events with this blockbuster concept? Probably. But we've
got to bite the bullet somewhere."
IDENTITY CRISIS? Finn reported that "some skeptics have
warned that women on the Corel WTA Tour are risking their
identity by aligning themselves with the men." One anonymous
agent: "They could wind up being treated like a warm-up act
for the men." The ATP Tour's Miles "has indicated that the
restructuring has shared survival as its main aim, and not a
takeover of the women by the more fiscally intact men's
tour." Person Worcester said that "when you look at tennis,
it's the Grand Slams, the event where you have the men and
women playing side by side, that create the most significant
fan, television and sponsor response" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/16).
