New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani "has a
longstanding invitation" to speak to inaugurate the Arthur
Ashe Stadium at Flushing Meadows on Monday night, but he has
not confirmed whether he will attend, "complicating
preparations for the event," according to Clifford Krauss of
the N.Y. TIMES. One USTA "senior official" said, "It's
obviously an insult." But Giuliani's Press Secretary
Colleen Roche said that aides "were trying to iron it out."
But "tennis officials expressed concern that the Mayor's
lack of response was linked to a political battle that goes
back to the 1993 mayor race between" Giuliani and tennis
booster David Dinkins. Giuliani has criticized aspects of
the deal that Dinkins made with the USTA, including a
provision that the city is obligated to pay fines if
aircraft from La Guardia Airport flew over the tennis center
during matches. Last year, Giuliani "pointedly announced
his own personal boycott of the event" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/22).
SHARP VOLLEY: USTA President Harry Marmion said
"whatever political issues were in the past, they are not
now present." Asked if the mayor was playing politics with
tennis, Marmion said, "I don't know what to tell you." One
senior official said that the USTA hoped to present both
Giuliani and Dinkins during the event, but Giuliani's aides
"objected." So the USTA offered Giuliani an opportunity to
speak on national TV on Monday night and give a brief speech
on the late Arthur Ashe and the event (N.Y. TIMES, 8/22).
PASSING SHOTS: Radio City Productions is handling the
formal dedication of the stadium on Monday and the Arthur
Ashe Kids Day on Sunday. On Monday night, USA Network will
cover the dedication ceremony, which includes a performance
by Whitney Houston, live (THE DAILY)....The new stadium "has
earned early raves" from the players who arrived this week,
according to Bonnie DeSimone of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. But
John McEnroe said, "Tennis is not the type of sport that
should have a stadium that seats 22,500 people. There's a
certain point where tennis loses its intimacy" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 8/22)....TV COVERAGE: CBS will broadcast more than
45 hours of the Open, beginning with Sunday's Kids' Day
(CBS). The band Hanson will perform "ultra-short sets
between" matches on Sunday (NEWSDAY, 8/22). The USA Network
offers more than 84 hours of coverage, including an original
half-hour preview show hosted by John McEnroe this Monday at
7:00pm ET (USA)....Infiniti Corp., a nine-year U.S. Open
sponsor, has resurfaced four public courts at Flushing High
School at a cost of $10,800 (Infiniti).
