ATP's Operations Get Heavy Criticism From Safin, McIngvale
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| Safin Uses Mooning Incident To Rip The ATP |
ATP player Marat Safin received a point penalty during the French Open last week after dropping his shorts to celebrate a shot, according to Lisa Dillman of the L.A. TIMES. After the match, Safin "took on the ATP," saying that the tour and Grand Slam officials "were taking the entertainment out of the game." Safin said that they had "no clue about tennis," and that the sport was "really going down the drain." ATP VP/Media Relations Graeme Agars said, "His general thing about players expressing their personality is fine; however, I don't remember Jack Nicklaus ever dropping his pants after making a spectacular birdie putt at the British Open" (L.A. TIMES, 5/29). More Safin: "They do everything that is possible just to take away the entertainment. You're not allowed to do that; you're not allowed to do this, You're not allowed to speak whenever you want to speak" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/29). MCCOMPLAINTS I: John McEnroe said of Safin, "I agree with him 125[%]. I think he should keep on doing what he wants to do because he's a fun personality. So maybe the next time he'll play without a shirt or something, or he'll come to the court naked. That would be exciting" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/29). More McEnroe: "He is exactly what our sport —a one-on-one sport — needs. He's like many guys who need to be promoted better by the stiffs who run tennis. Tennis is hanging on because it's a great game, but what's going to happen if they keep stifling the fun element of it?" In Miami, Linda Robertson wrote, "The sport, especially on the men's side, is starved for personality. Safin, one of the more unpredictable characters in a colorless cast, gave tennis a spectacular and hilarious morsel, and tennis officials spat it back at him" (MIAMI HERALD, 5/29). MCCOMPLAINTS II: With the announcement expected soon that the ATP's Masters Cup will be moving to Shanghai in '05 after two years at Houston's Westside Tennis Club, Westside Tennis Club owner Jim McIngvale said of ATP CEO Mark Miles, "I don't mind telling the truth about the guy — he's worthless. Mark Miles has done nothing for tennis. ... The guy never called me [before last year's Masters Cup], not one time all year until he showed up. Then all he wanted to do was whine about how we hadn't spent enough money to entertain their clients. Sure, Mercedes spends a lot of money, but it all goes to the ATP. Maybe our hospitality wasn't up to the level it was the year before (in Shanghai), but I don't have quite as much money as the Chinese government does" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 5/30).
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