Ellison has invested substantially in the Indian Wells event after buying it in '10getty images
ATP/WTA BNP Paribas Open tournament Owner Larry Ellison has "become an investor" in the reform project for the Davis Cup, meaning there may be an "even greater possibility" of bringing the event to the California desert as early as '21, according to Andrew John of the Palm Springs DESERT SUN. Ellison, the "wealthiest man in tennis," became an investor in the 25-year, $3B partnership between the ITF and investment group Kosmos that is "expected to reform Davis Cup into a one-week event and perhaps generate considerable revenues for worldwide tennis development." Ellison purchased the BNP Paribas Open and Indian Wells Tennis Garden in '10, and has since "invested substantially into making the March event into a marvel within the sport." The Kosmos/ITF Davis Cup reform project "will create a season finale with 18 tennis nations and their individual tennis stars playing at world class venues." On Aug. 16 in Orlando, it "could become more clear whether this could eventually bring more world class tennis to Indian Wells when the ITF votes on whether to accept the project proposal" (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 8/7). REUTERS' Martyn Herman notes the support of Ellison is a "boost for the ITF which was criticized by Tennis Australia over the weekend for a lack of transparency over its plans -- a criticism it rejects." The ITF’s "shake-up of the Davis Cup has also been undermined" after the the ATP "announced plans to introduce a rival 24-team World Team Cup, offering $15 million in prize money plus ranking points, into the calendar to be played in Australia" from early '20 (REUTERS, 8/7).
IS THE TIMING RIGHT? In DC, Ava Wallace notes tennis' new serve clock "will be used for the first time at a Grand Slam later this month" at the U.S. Open. The serve clock "made its main-draw tournament debut" at last week's ATP/WTA Citi Open. With the clock in place, the chair umpire "presses a button to start the countdown after he or she has announced the score, and the players are on the clock." If a point has "not begun after 25 seconds -- umpires have been instructed to end the clock at the beginning of the service motion -- whichever player responsible for the delay will be issued a warning." A second violation "will result in either the loss of one serve (if the offender is serving) or the loss of one point (if he or she is receiving)." Many players "appreciated the effort at more transparency; pros long have groused about being assessed time-code violations seemingly arbitrarily." Most players "liked that chair umpires waited a few seconds after long points to start the clock." The clock also "clearly sped up some players." The USTA later on will determine "whether to use it full time" in '19. The USTA "plans to collect formal feedback from players, fans, television broadcasters, umpires and tour managers along the way" (WASHINGTON POST, 8/7).
