Tennis / Julie Cart : Pro Tour Must Mix In Red, White and Blue to Get Desired Green

The American men have taken a beating at this year’s U.S. Open, in more ways than one.

John McEnroe lost in the first round and Jimmy Connors lost in the fourth. Much was made of the lack of young players coming up to take their place. At the moment, tennis is dominated by a few Swedes, a few Czechs and a few Frenchmen.

Brad Gilbert was pinned down more than anyone else.

“There were seven Americans in the round of 16,” Gilbert said. “That was more than any other country. I think that was a pretty good effort. I think the United States was represented well here.

“I think the guys are doing the best they can. I think some of the press the Americans have gotten this year is unjustified. There are a lot of guys out there playing as hard as they can. Not everybody can be a Becker or an Edberg.

“In the ‘50s or ‘60s, Australia dominated tennis. Everything goes in cycles. We did well in the ‘70s, and now Europe is doing well in the ‘80s. Who knows, maybe China will be good in the ‘90s.”

But others in the game believe that a top American player is essential to the health of the game. With many of the major tournaments in the United States and so many of the sponsors being American companies, there is a financial stake in the Americans.

“I think the quality of tennis can be maintained from other nations,” Ivan Lendl said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be Americans, Australians, Europeans, whoever. The quality will always be there.

“As I said before, I think it would be great if somebody who is a young American comes up and breaks into the top three. Tennis is basically American, it’s like golf. I mean, that’s where the most money is. I think we need the Americans in the top four or five or three.’

Mats Wilander of Sweden agreed.

“Tennis is run by Americans mostly,” Wilander said. “The Pro Council is mostly Americans and a lot of the sponsors are Americans. You can say that France is a very big tennis nation, but there are only three or four Grand Prix tournaments and in the States there are at least 20.

“I think it is really important that America gets some good players soon. Otherwise, it’s going to kill the interest in tennis on the American side.”

This year’s Open has been a disaster on all fronts for John McEnroe. First, there was his first-round loss to Paul Annacone. Then there was his default in doubles when he and partner Peter Fleming arrived late for the match. On top of the $1,000 fine for the default, McEnroe had to pay an additional $4,000 for the verbal abuse he gave tournament officials.

The last straw was the announcement by the U.S. Tennis Assn. that McEnroe would not be considered for the Davis Cup team. The USTA said that McEnroe’s past behavior was inappropriate.

It was the behavior of McEnroe, and Jimmy Connors as well, that prompted the USTA to establish a code of conduct rule that required players to sign a pledge to mind their manners.

McEnroe refused to sign such an agreement, but never went so far as to say he’d never play Davis Cup tennis again. He had been an ardent supporter of the competition and was one of the few American men who remained loyal to it.

No longer. McEnroe is reported to be fuming at the USTA decision.

Connors thought politics were at the heart of the decision.

“I think it’s kind of cutting off your nose to spite your face,” he said. “If the idea is to go in and have the best players play and win the Davis Cup, the USTA is not right on all hands either.

“Let’s look at it as square as it should be. The way they handled a lot of situations concerning McEnroe and myself over the last year or two has been a little bit ridiculous. My concern for playing Davis Cup is maybe not as high on the priority list as McEnroe’s, but would I be in the same position as McEnroe if I wanted to play? Would I be suspended also?

“Where do you draw the line as far as telling me where I can play tennis and where I can’t. If it’s going to be like that, then not only with the USTA and the Davis Cup but also with the tournaments and the exhibitions and special events, pretty soon there’s going to be no tennis. The guys are going to look up at this guy (the current president of the USTA) and say, ‘You have something to say about it? I’m out of here.’

“Maybe it’s fortunate these guys have a four-year term. At least you know that after two years things are going to lighten up a little bit and you’re not going to have this guy trying to have a shrine built to himself in a two-year period. Instead of trying to do what’s best for the guys who play Davis Cup, everybody’s worried about their monument.

“If they want a monument, build them a damn monument out here and say, ‘Here lies so and so, who was two years in the USTA.’ But also put down what he did for U.S. tennis. There wouldn’t be many words below, would there?”