Close Call for Dent, Teltscher

The post-U.S. Open choices for a mobile player appeared intriguing on paper, a way to ease the memory of an early defeat in New York. There were three choices on the ATP international series menu: Bucharest, Romania; a new event in Salvador, Brazil; and Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Talented prospect Taylor Dent of Newport Beach and his coach, former tour player Eliot Teltscher, were in Tashkent on Sept. 11.

“About three hours from the Afghanistan border,” Teltscher said.

Teltscher and Dent heard the news about the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon from some Dutch players. It was early evening in Tashkent, and early morning in Southern California, so Teltscher was the one who told his wife about the unfolding tragedy, not the other way around.

Dent lost early and aggravated a back injury, so they did not stay in Uzbekistan long. Travel was uncertain and unpredictable.

They flew to Frankfurt, Germany, and caught a flight for Cincinnati, leaving at 2 a.m., Teltscher said. Dent had been scheduled to play a challenger event in Istanbul, Turkey, but the back ailment meant they didn’t have to make a difficult decision.

After his back improves will come the time to look at the schedule, confronting the concerns that so many players are facing, that their workplace is global.

The men’s tour is over in North America for the year and the next two prestigious events are Master Series tournaments in Stuttgart, Germany, Oct. 15-21, and Paris, starting Oct. 29.

“It’s up to Taylor,” Teltscher said. “I’m not going to say I’m not going to travel. It is an individual decision.

“I wouldn’t fault anybody for playing or not wanting to play.”

The top American women have landed in the latter category. The women’s tour shifts to Europe and Asia after the U.S. Open. Quebec City, which concluded Sunday, is the final North American event for the WTA in 2001.

Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati and Monica Seles withdrew from last week’s event in Tokyo because of the terrorist attacks, and Serena pulled out of this week’s tournament in Leipzig, Germany.

Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion Venus Williams withdrew from the upcoming Kremlin Cup in Moscow, a tour spokesperson said.

There was one American entered in the main draw at Leipzig--Meghann Shaughnessy, who won the Quebec City title Sunday--but she withdrew, citing a shoulder injury.

On the men’s side, four Americans were direct main-draw entrants in the Hong Kong event--Michael Russell, Andy Roddick, Michael Chang and James Blake. One American, Hugo Armando, is playing the clay-court event in Palermo, Italy.

Reaching Out

The most significant assistance from the tennis world for those affected by the terrorist attacks came from the U.S. Tennis Assn., which contributed $1 million last week to the World Trade Center relief effort.

“This tragedy is an incalculable loss to the city and the nation,” USTA President Merv Heller said in a statement. “The entire USTA family extends its sympathy and support to victims and relief workers at this difficult time.”

Also, the WTA and ATP are joining with the United Way, attempting to raise $100 million in 100 days. Both organizations are donating proceeds from an EBay auction to the September 11th Fund.

There are autographed items available for auction, including an Andre Agassi racket used at the 2001 Australian Open and a Pete Sampras-autographed 2000 Wimbledon program.

There are also items from the top women players--for instance, an autographed shirt and baseball cap from Capriati.

Toulouse Event Canceled

One upcoming ATP event was called off, and it apparently had nothing to do with the terrorist attacks. An explosion at a chemical plant in Toulouse, France, on Friday killed 29 and injured more than 1,000, according to Reuters.

The blast opened a crater 50 meters wide and 15 meters deep and caused extensive damage throughout Toulouse, including to the tournament site. Tournament director Patrice Dominguez and his staff were unharmed. The event had been scheduled to begin Monday.

ISL Fallout

It was only a matter of time before the ISL collapse claimed jobs at the ATP. The widely praised 10-year, $1.2-billion agreement between the marketing company and the ATP fell apart when the Swiss-based firm started having financial problems earlier this year and ultimately landed in bankruptcy proceedings.

Tournaments, thanks to letters of credit from ISL’s banks, were said to be secure through this year and into 2002, ATP officials said.

But there were ATP layoffs late last week, affecting the communications departments in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Monte Carlo and Sydney. A spokesman said the staff of 14 was trimmed to seven.