Racket Business - Publisher's Notes for December 2024

Tennis365 reports November 30: Big twist in Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek drug test scandals after intervention from WADA chief

Most of our readers are familiar with the doping cases involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek. The Tennis365 article says, “The International Tennis Integrity Agency declared both Sinner and Swiatek were ‘not responsible’ after they failed tests, but that was not the end of the story. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have appealed against the decision and has called for Sinner to be handed a one to two-year suspension from tennis. They may also consider an appeal against the Swiatek decision, yet it seems there is a feeling these high-profile doping cases in tennis are a result of improvements in testing rather than a major drug-taking problem in the sport.”
Read the article here.

I want to remind our readers there is another case many of us may have forgotten over time: Simona Halep. It is my opinion that she was treated unfairly which led to her sitting out for 2 years and potentially losing millions. From 27 January 2014 to 8 August 2021, Halep was ranked in the top 10 for 373 consecutive weeks, the eighth-longest streak in WTA history. During this seven-year span, she finished each year ranked no lower than No. 4. Halep was suspended from the WTA Tour in October 2022 for four years after testing positive for a banned substance. In February 2024 the ban was reduced to 9 months, already served, and she returned to the tour at the 2024 Miami Open. (Wikipedia) Today, Simona is ranked 883.

Tennis World posted the following S.H. statement on Facebook on November 29:

"I sit and try to understand but it's really impossible for me to understand something like this. I stand and ask myself, why is there such a big difference in treatment and judgment? I can’t find it and I don’t think there can be a logical answer. It can only be bad will on the part of ITIA, the organization that has done absolutely everything to destroy me despite the record. I always believed in the good, I believed in the fairness of this sport, I believed in goodness. It was painful, it is painful and maybe it will always be painful the injustice that was done to me. How is it possible that in identical cases happening around the same time, ITIA have completely different approaches to my detriment? Really wanted the last few years of my career to be destroyed, wanted something I could never have imagined would be wanted. And I gained something else, my soul remained clean! I feel disappointment, I feel sorrow, I feel frustration, but I don't feel evil even now. I am grateful for the support and unconditional love of those who have been there for me every day. Perhaps this is the biggest victory! As we know well, every morning the sun rises for everyone, but it is good to rise finding yourself in peace! And so I am, at peace and proud of what I am! "

Good for you, Simona. You have millions of fans who feel your pain!

…Craig Bell - From Courts to Careers

I had the pleasure of writing an article about a tennis professional I admire and respect a lot: Craig Bell. After 27 years working at the Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas, Craig made a very interesting career switch. Read the article here.

…Racket Business will be at RacquetX ‘25 in Miami

Racket Business will be present with a booth at RacquetX, a “World-class festival and celebration of all racquet sports. Uniting the community, the industry, as well as racquet sport enthusiasts throughout the world."

More Exciting News!
RacquetX is thrilled to announce the RacquetX Startup Pitch Competition launch at RacquetX 2025!

This competition will be the ultimate platform for visionary startups to showcase groundbreaking ideas to the racquet sports community — think investors, clubs, associations, coaches, and players, all under one roof.

RacquetX Executive Luca Giberti writes, “With a live audience and a panel of expert judges, this is your chance to gain visibility, receive valuable feedback, and maybe even take the crown in our very own “Shark Tank”-style pitch showdown!”
Here is the link to the start-up competition page.

Remember the first Racket Business issue in April this year (after 10 years of Tennis Club Business)? After visiting RacquetX ‘24, I wrote a feature article titled RacquetX - A world-class festival of thought, connection, and experiential learning.

I’m contemplating entering the competition with CongaX, the new Conga Sports Club and Player Exchange app.

Why Do Most Adult Beginners Leave Tennis Again Within A Year?
(November article)

Our friend The Commish chimed in.

Rich,
It is a good thing the USTA is not a dating service. Nobody would ever have a date and nobody would ever get laid.

You have described the situation very well. I have taught several Mindys in my life.  This happens when you have a small population of players. This is the case at many clubs.  There is inevitably a shortage of players at several NTRP levels – too many 3.0 players, too few 4.5 players.  My two daughters can’t find a 4.5 team to play on without having to travel a lot and they can’t play at times when there are leagues.  Solution, they play with a group of guys and I hit with them.

This has been a problem for as long as I can remember. Your article reminds me of the Arby's commercial where the little old ladies are saying "Where is the beef?" In the world of tennis they are saying "Where can I  find someone to play with?" 

The USTA addresses this dilemma by calculating the “latent demand” population. The players who might want to play tennis some day.  Responding to the theoretical latent situation does not address the issue of find Mindy a partner. 

I think the fallout happens at all levels – like my daughters, no teams at their level or at times they are available to play. There is the all-too-familiar situation where a player gets bumped down. She is left to wilt on the vine as if she has some nasty, incurable STD because she can’t play with her friends.  Imagine a situation where the club gossip secures a position on the team. Who wants to be around her.  The list goes on and on.

It would be useful if the USTA  promoted alternate forms of tennis other than USTA leagues.  The USTA is promoting tennis because it is healthy. Why not promote tennis as a sport that you play for the health of it, just as you drink shots of tequila for the hell of it?

My USTA section pays pros for every new player in a 2.5 league.  Why don’t they pay for the number of players in programs such as in-house leagues, round robins, etc.

There are many solutions if the USTA would work with the pros to find ideas for keeping players in the sport.  The $24 million dollar question ($1 for each player) is "How will the USTA work with the pros to address this issue?" In some ways, the pros seem to be part of the problem.

Most cities in the U.S. are concerned about retail sales leakage because their budget is derived from retail sales taxes. They are now concerned about what retail goods people are buying outside their city limits – that is leakage. They try to identify ways to keep people spending their money in their city limits. Why doesn’t tennis focus on the leakage?

What can pros do to keep their players at all levels playing the sport? USTA leagues are important to the USTA sections, but they really are not important to total tennis participation numbers. They are a small percentage. 

The article addresses the topic well.  It is not too harsh, although the situation is harsh. How is the USTA going to address the issue?  Will the new USTA structure have a director of leakage? 

Thank you, Commish. Btw, I know a 4.0 team in Southern California with all 4.5 ladies. Maybe your daughters want to play on that team?

Calling all young racquet sports players!

The Racquet Sports Professionals Association offers a membership option for young racquet sports players, ages 14-17, who would be interested in learning more about a racquet sports teaching career. Find out what is means to turn your passion into a rewarding career!

Click on the image to learn about benefits and how to apply.

Gofundme for Hurricane Relief

RSPA posted on LinkedIn: The Racquet Sports Professionals Association would like to support members whose homes and/or businesses were affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and invites those who can assist to join us.

Here is the current fund amount. If you haven’t donated yet, just click on the box below.

US Davis Cup Final against Australia a tragic mistake?

The New York Times wrote, “At 1-1 in the tie, Bryan, one of the greatest men's doubles players of all time, opted to switch Olympic men's doubles silver medalists Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek for top singles players Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul. Up against two top-10 doubles players in Matt Ebden and Jordan Thompson, the Americans lost 6-4, 6-4.”

Hmmmm… Is there more to that story? Did Bob Bryan or someone else on the Davis Cup team have personal problems with Rajeev or Austin (or both)? How can someone as smart as Bob Bryan make such a hair-raising mistake? Who let him do that?

Tennis Channel suspended Jon Wertheim Indefinitely. Hu?

So Jon Wertheim slipped. Probably the first time. Who knows? The fact is that Jon is the most experienced and knowledgeable journalist in all of tennis in my opinion. But suspending him indefinitely?

Many questions come up for me. Like, would that have happened under Ken Solomon? Has the woke faction of Tennis Channel staff finally gotten the upper hand? Are they so short on cash that they needed to cut Jon’s salary which I was told was not great to begin with? No wonder TC is up for sale…

New USTA Tennis Facility Coming to Loudoun Expected to Be a Game-Changer

This is so funny. The USTA Mid-Atlantic section is building this mega facility with 52 courts called the Tennis Campus. The tennis facilities within 50 miles will probably not be too happy seeing all their bigger tournament income disappear. But that’s certainly not the funny part. When you read the quotes in the article, you would think it’s all about tennis…

“This area has an enormous concentration of tennis enthusiasts, but we lack facilities, especially indoor courts.” (Tennis player John Mook).
“One of the first things I noticed when I came on board 10 years ago was the lack of places to play,” says USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation CEO Tara Fitzpatrick-Navarro. “We operate a very large adult league, and championship tournaments require a large-scale facility.”
“We have a strong history of tennis in the mid-Atlantic. An amenity this size will meet the full life cycle [of] the player and the fan, allowing for programming that suits every level, from absolute beginner to advanced events.” (USTA Mid-Atlantic COO Beth Twomey)
“It’s important for us to shift the narrative away from tennis being a country club sport, and a public facility allows us to broaden the overall base of players. We firmly believe in the physical, mental, and social benefits of tennis, and that doesn’t mean you have to have a USTA membership. It’s more important to us to promote the sport by getting rackets into people’s hands and watching them develop a love of the game.” (Beth Twomey)
“This tennis campus adds another important health and recreational amenity that benefits all our citizens. It is proven that tennis offers numerous physical, social, and mental health benefits. For example, playing tennis just three hours per week can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by 56 percent. Tennis players add 9.7 years to their life over sedentary individuals.” (Loudoun County Department of Economic Development executive director Buddy Rizer)
“The more support we get, the more schools we can work with and the more underserved players we can introduce to the life-changing sport of tennis.” (Tara Fitzpatrick)
“The Mid-Atlantic Foundation estimates that the tennis campus project will cost $42 million to build and will generate $8.5 million annually in economic impact.” (Author)

You really think this is all about tennis when in reality, 20 of the 52 courts will be Pickleball courts. My question is: Why are they hiding that fact? Are they ashamed to disclose their investment in Pickleball? Same as some USTA sections hide their starting of Pickleball leagues? Same as USTA national is hiding their huge involvement in Pickleball courts and events at the National Campus?

U.S. Open Cash Spigot Flows as USTA Turns to Investments

Sportico’s article is an eye-opener into the tremendous dollar amounts the US Open generates. “In total, the USTA reported a record $580.7 million in revenue in 2023. The U.S. Open, which featured singles titles for Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff, brought in $514.1 million, nearly 89% of the organization’s total. The event reported $259.2 million in costs, which equates to an operating profit of about $254.9 million. That money is used to fund many of the nonprofit governing body’s other annual programs, including community tennis support, high-performance development and lower-level national tournaments.”

Anyone reading this article must think tennis is growing in the U.S. Readers of noted USTA critic Javier Palenque know that is not the case (TRUMP’S DOGE: THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY—A MODEL THE USTA DESPERATELY NEEDS).

I question what the USTA is doing with all the money. Most of the profits go into two pockets: Salaries (is CEO Sherr at $2M a year yet?) and Player Development. The rest is just small change handed out every year to make them appear they are that successful nonprofit growing tennis. In reality, they have no idea how to do that. But, they are good at one thing: Wasting money!

The Commish told me last week that he sees the USTA as this Rabbit sitting frozen in front of the big snake Pickelball. Yep.

Founding Director Dr. Martin Vinokur has announced his 51st Summer of taking junior tennis players, 13-18, to European claycourt tournaments from June 27 until July 22 or July 13.  He will offer an expanded three trips at both high school varsity or strong JV and a separate ranked players' level teams with countries including the Czech Republic, Spain, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Italy.  The goal is to follow up on the work of your local clinics and academies improving a player's strategy and mental approach.  We provide a capstone to your own programs.  See the world in a team atmosphere for an impactful personal growth experience. For more details, see his newly revised website at:  http://www.tenniseurope.com 

Or call him at 1-203-322-9803 for more details.  His 50 years of experience, 5750 past participants, and 400 past coaches are what separates him from others.

• USTA: Changing of the Brians
  The USTA has a new President: Brian Vihaly. A Lake Nona insider told me, “Guess we don’t have Brian Hainline to kick around anymore.” I am disillusioned by this USTA President Carousel, and not only since Katrina Adams vowed to put an end to cheating in junior tennis. And she had 4 years to do it. And look at it now. Worse than ever. Why? Because the USTA President has no power to do anything and probably does not always have the support of staff. Just ask yourself what has Hainline really accomplished in the last 2 years? Or anyone else before him. Besides denying U.S. college tennis players USTA support. (See our September 22 feature IS THE USTA THROWING AMERICAN COLLEGE TENNIS PLAYERS
  UNDER THE BUS?)
  

• INTENNSE
  First Pro Players signed! Martin Gutierrez and Michaela Gordon Sign with INTENNSE. Read the article here.

  New location: INTENNSE Announces Tampa as Its Newest Pro League Destination Read the article here.
  

• Match Fixing/Doping
  - Nigerian tennis players banned for match-fixing scandal
  - Top Polish tennis player cleared of intentional doping
  - Do the Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek doping cases show that tennis protects its superstars? Or do they show the opposite?
  - Why Iga Swiatek’s doping case being kept secret is bad for tennis
  - Tennis umpire banned for life for manipulating scores
  

• Baseline Vision
  Tennis Europe Junior Masters: Baseline was on all courts to provide match stats to players competing in the Tennis Europe Junior Masters - the season-ending championship of the U14 and U16 circuits of the Tennis Europe Junior Tour. 
  Felix Mischker from Tennis Brothers puts Baseline to the test!
  The verdict? “I believe this piece of tech is changing the game and I had loads of fun testing it out!” Watch Felix’s full review.
  Already got a Baseline Cam? Time for an Upgrade!
  New Camera Firmware (V6.177)

  🎾 Volley detection improvements

  🎾 Ball tracking improvements

  🎾 Match mode stats improvements

  To upgrade, use this guide.