The USTA is "trying to figure out how to make" the newly rebranded ATP Memphis Open a "cool place to be again," according to Geoff Calkins of the Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL. The Feb. 7-15 event, formerly known as the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships, "used to be one of the coolest places in town." It was "a party, a place to see and be seen, and a point of civic pride." But it has "faded along with the fortunes of American tennis." Calkins asks, "How do you make a place that is no longer the place to be, the place to be once again?" Tournament Dir Erin Mazurek: "There’s an emotional connection. People were really sad about what it had become.” Calkins notes Mazurek and the USTA have been "working feverishly to try and rebuild the tournament." Everywhere fans look, there is "something new and different at the Racquet Club," including the addition of ServiceMaster as a presenting sponsor for the event. Mazurek said, "We know the tickets sales are not where they have to be. We believe that when people hear what is happening, they’ll come back and give it a try" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 2/13). Mazurek: "I think (the previous owners) lost some of the pulse on the community. This tournament has to be sold from the grassroots up. It’s as much a community event as it is a professional sports-and-entertainment function." She added, "We need more pre-match entertainment. More sizzle to the show. Let’s face it: There are people who go to a Grizzlies game and barely pay attention to what’s happening on the court. ... If we’re doing our job right, this will be a festival for tennis fans and casual fans” (MEMPHISFLYER.com, 2/9).
