While Richard Williams says that his daughters, Venus
and Serena, "should receive appearance fees as top draws in
women's tennis," the Sanex WTA Tour "does not allow players
to receive" such fees, according to Doug Smith of USA TODAY.
Richard Williams said "without a doubt" Venus and Serena
"should be receiving guarantees." Williams added that there
"should be an exception" to the WTA's policy against
appearance fees "made for certain players and that a
player's appeal, not her ranking, should be the basis for
providing extra pay." Williams: "The rankings don't mean
anything. For example, Anna Kournikova has never won a
tournament, but like Venus and Serena, she puts a lot of
people in the stands. She also should share in the
revenue." But Kournikova said, "Of course there are players
who do attract more attention, but right now there's nothing
we can do." Kournikova added Williams "won't get his way"
(USA TODAY, 11/15). Williams: "Venus and Serena are not
sharing in the revenues packages that the WTA is collecting
because of them. It's very unfair, and something should be
done. I should share in that package too" (AP, 11/15). But
Martina Hingis said of the Williams sisters, "I think they
are important to the tour, but in another way, it's not only
them. There are a lot of players involved, and you can't
really tell which players should get more money or the TV
rights or whatever. It's the WTA Tour, and it's sponsored
by Sanex, and you have to follow the rules" (N.Y. TIMES,
11/15). Former tennis player Virginia Wade: "It's terrible
the way Richard Williams is trying to hold women's tennis to
ransom. Other people in the past have thought they are
bigger than the game but failed" (STAR-LEDGER, 11/15).
FSN's Steve Lyons cited Williams as saying his "daughters
might start skipping tournaments, which he calls a 'slow
down.' Maybe somebody at the WTA should consider some type
of 'slow down' on Richard Williams himself" ("NSR," 11/14).
VEGAS SHOW GIRLS: In Las Vegas, Ron Kantowski reported
that while it has been a "minimum of four days since
Mandalay Bay learned" the Williams sisters would not play
next week's Federation Cup at the resort, it "continues to
use the likenesses" of the sisters "to sell tickets."
Mandalay Bay "continues to run print ads" featuring Venus,
stating the sisters were "expected to defend the Cup title
for the USA." Additionally, a TV ad on Monday "reiterated"
the sisters are "scheduled to play" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 11/14).
WILL U.S MEDIA FORGET ABOUT EVENT? TENNIS' Robin Finn
is critical of the WTA's season-ending championship event
being moved from N.Y. to Germany: "Once it makes that trans-
Atlantic transition, you can bet it'll be off the U.S.
media's radar and out of range of this nation's TV audience.
Out of sight, out of mind" (TENNIS, 11/20 issue).
