The Pilot Pen Int'l in CT drew 91,625 for the nine days
of the men's tournament, "up 13,474 from last year's all-
time low," according to Greg Garber of the HARTFORD COURANT.
Tournament Chair Butch Buchholz: "There has been great
progress in terms of perception. And yes, we did get some
more sponsors. ... It takes a few years for these things to
catch up." Tickets for the women's tournament that opens
today "have lagged a little behind the men's numbers"
(HARTFORD COURANT, 8/24). Buchholz said that early losses
by top seeds Pete Sampras and Patrick Rafter "could cost the
tournament more than $100,000" (HARTFORD COURANT, 8/22).
ATTENDANCE TALLY: Total attendance for the RCA
Championships at the Indianapolis Tennis Center was 87,154,
down from the 94,830 last year and 95,344 in '96.
Tournament Dir Rod Davis said the event had projected to hit
around 84,000 or 85,000, and was "thrilled with the fact we
had 87,000" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS, 8/24)....The women's du
Maurier Open in Montreal drew 144,062 for the week, up from
the 123,689 for the men's version in Montreal last year
(TORONTO STAR, 8/24). WTA Tour Senior Communications
Manager Veronique Marchal, on negotiations for a new title
sponsor to replace Corel: "We think we're holding all the
cards, so we're taking our time." Marchal, on reports that
Corel is behind in its payments to the Tour: "We have good
relations with Corel. We hope at the end of the year that
they'll have paid everything" (GLOBE & MAIL, 8/24).
