Catching Up With WTA Tour VP/Tour Operations Joan Pennello
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WTA Tour's
Joan Pennello |
Since joining the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in '80, JOAN PENNELLO has harnessed skills she gained from a lifetime on the court to help guide the Tour's business as VP/Tour Operations. A graduate of Univ. of California, Davis, where she was an All-American tennis player, Pennello spent her first few years after school playing on the Avon Futures Tour before jumping straight to a gig with the WTA, where she has worked ever since. Pennello earlier this week took a moment to chat with Staff Writer Brian Helfrich.
Favorite Foreign City: I've enjoyed visiting London over the years.
First Live Tennis Match: Something on the Virginia Slims Tour in S.F.
Favorite ATPers: ROGER FEDERER and RAFAEL NADAL
Summer Reading: The rule book!
Q: Being a former tennis player yourself, do you ever hit around with the current WTAers?
Pennello: No, because I’m more on the tournament side with meetings. My communication, quite a bit, is with the top players regarding their commitment contracts, their balance, their schedule and any rules questions they may have. I sit on the Rules Committee as well, and that’s a big part of what I am doing right now.
Q: Keeping in mind your involvement with top players, was it a sizable hit when JUSTINE HENIN announced her retirement earlier this year?
Pennello: I think everybody feels the same -- that she’s a great champion and we miss seeing her play. But it’s her decision and she’s worked hard and can understand if she wants a break. But certainly she was a great person to have on Tour, and we would have loved to see more of her.
Q: What aspects of your job are the toughest on a day-to-day basis?
Pennello: One of the big things that I do is oversee the entry and acceptances into tournaments, so that’s a constant daily thing that’s happening. Associated with that is player commitment -- top players to tournaments, top players’ schedules and contracts. That’s the area that I stay on top of the most and keeps my day busy.
Q: Is there a good deal of struggle between the Tour and the players in trying to get the top players to certain events?
Pennello: Not really. I think we work really well together and don’t have many issues. All of the players are signed up for their commitments and so there’s a flow. We don’t have many problems. More or less, my role is then administering the rules in regards to what happens after everything is in place. If you miss a tournament, what happens -- those types of things.
Q: The Tour next year will increase penalties for players for backing out of commitments. How has the player reaction been to the Roadmap rule?
Pennello: They definitely understand the Roadmap rules and why living up to a commitment is important. They are all in agreement with the Roadmap. In addition to fines, if you miss a commitment, there’s also a penalty of receiving a zero on your ranking. So they’re all very aware of that and all very together on this.
Q: Do you ever share operational best-practices with other leagues?
Pennello: Operationally, not really. But our PRO U department, with their age eligibility and player development, definitely does.
Q: What current sports business issue are you watching?
Pennello: What is happening with BRETT FAVRE and the possibility of him coming to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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