Sandys Chair Sergio Tacchini tells Moira Petty of the
LONDON TIMES of his company's termination of its sponsorship
agreement with Martina Hingis, "whom he began funding when
she was nine-years-old and with whom he has so spectacularly
fallen out." Tacchini said that he "stormed out of a lunch"
he organized for Hingis nearly two years ago at the
company's offices, at which time he claimed that Hingis
"criticized the product and the way in which his company
worked." Tacchini: "The last thing I said to her was 'I've
been in this business for more than 30 years; are you
telling me what I should do?' Then I left the room."
Tacchini said that Hingis' endorsement deal "was the best
contract in women's tennis and I think that she won't get a
better offer." Two breach of contract actions are now
pending in Italian courts (LONDON TIMES, 6/28).
PEPSI ON VENUS? Venus Williams "was seen" putting tape
around a Diet Coke cup at Wimbledon because she is "about to
sign a personal deal with a rival soft-drinks company."
Coca-Cola paid "around" $1.5M for on-court beverage rights
at the All-England Club (LONDON TIMES, 6/28).
