The "darkness in American tennis" was examined by Greg
Couch in Sunday's CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. USTA President Harry
Marmion: "It's a fact that's staring us in the face now. In
five years, we are going to be in some difficulty. ... The
number of American players, men and women, in the top
hundred and under the age of 23 is diminishing rapidly."
Couch: "Some people say interest in the game is cyclical,
and this is merely a down cycle. Others blame the USTA for
letting things slide and not doing anything until it was too
late. Still others say that times have changed and that
tennis has yet to adapt." Longtime tennis writer Bud
Collins: "I hate to condemn the USTA's programs ... I don't
think they're on the right track." Couch wrote that despite
new USTA player-development programs, "the stars aren't
coming," and the "top hope" for young American tennis today
is Venus Williams, "who was developed by her father." A
USTA committee formed by Marmion to "see what should be
done" is expected to propose doubling or tripling the $3.6M
annual budget for player development by '98. Marmion, on
revenues: "We're OK until 2000 (when the American TV
contracts run out), but then we're going to have to show the
networks that we have Americans capable of reaching the
quarterfinals and semifinals of these tournaments" (CHICAGO
SUN-TIMES, 7/27). In San Antonio, Adam Yanelli examined the
lack of U.S. tennis stars under the header, "U.S. Tennis
Coming Up Empty In Star Search" (S. A. EXPRESS-NEWS, 7/27).
