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Leagues and Governing Bodies

All England Club CEO Ian Ritchie Is Favorite To Take Over As ATP Chief

All England Club CEO Ian Ritchie has "emerged as the frontrunner for the soon-to-be vacant job of running the worldwide ATP Tour," according to Mike Dickson of the London DAILY MAIL. The ATP has "gathered in London this week and has already had talks with the highly-rated Ritchie about replacing American Adam Helfant, who is stepping down" as ATP Exec Chair & President in December. Dickson notes Ritchie is "widely respected in ... all the different parts of world tennis's fractured governance structure." He would be the "first European to hold what is arguably the single most important position in the game." Ritchie has "worked for large media organisations" and has served as director of Wembly Stadium and the Football League. Although he "has been encouraged to apply for the position, it is unclear whether" Ritchie wants to leave Wimbledon. Dickson notes there is "believed to be a preference to appoint a European chief executive this time, in recognition of the fact that it is the continent which increasingly dominates the global men's game" (London DAILY MAIL, 9/30). In London, Neil Harman reports there "are four candidates to replace" Helfant. They are Ritchie, former tennis pro Richard Krajicek, "and two ATP insiders," Int'l Group CEO Brad Drewett and Chief Legal Officer Mark Young (LONDON TIMES, 9/30).

SEEKING UNITY: In N.Y., Vincent Mallozzi reports Andy Roddick "traveled to Beijing on Thursday to participate in the China Open and perhaps to persuade his peers to form a labor union." Roddick on Wednesday said, "Now that the tennis world is reconvening in Asia over the next couple of weeks, we'll see what the thoughts are of some of the top players in our sport. ... Without a union, it's tough for us to complain about anything. If we don't unite, we have no one to blame but ourselves." Mallozzi notes among Roddick's "main concerns is the length of the tennis season, which lasts roughly 11 months." Roddick: "It's too long. ... I'd like to see the season begin to wind down right after the U.S. Open. Let's give tennis fans a chance to miss our sport" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/30).

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