This Lost Summer Could Cost the Game in the End

Let’s not take this personally ...

This was the summer that tennis stars largely ignored Southern California, or got here and left prematurely because of injuries. All this rejection -- broken promises, unreturned phone calls -- started to look like a relationship gone seriously bad.

Even a title sponsor, Mercedes-Benz, opted out, cutting the UCLA men’s tournament loose after a long marriage. That development, though, may give officials an opening to finally get a sponsor in line with the current situation on the tours: a health insurance company.

Maybe there could be group coverage, extending sponsorship to the women’s events in Carlsbad and Carson. After this summer, they’ll need it in 2006.

One player in the top 10, Andre Agassi, made it to UCLA, and the only player to get to Southern California ranked among the top three on the WTA Tour, Maria Sharapova, got through two matches in Carson before pulling out because of an injury.

Though officials of the three local events were pleased with attendance figures, they also were bolstered by smart planning, special events, advance ticket sales and a certain capital built up over the years.

But what about next year? Memories have a way of lasting, especially for disappointed fans buying tickets expecting, but not seeing, Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt at UCLA, Sharapova, Lindsay Davenport and Serena Williams at Carlsbad, and Davenport and Williams at Carson.

Solutions won’t come easily. The typical tactic of throwing money at the problem doesn’t appear to be working.

Agassi, Sharapova and Roger Federer, and Serena and Venus Williams, and even many lesser players, are like mini-corporations.

They’ll play when they want and where they want. If Amelie Mauresmo wants to stay on vacation a few more weeks, she’ll stay on vacation, no matter how comfortable things are at La Costa Resort and Spa.

Even though Justine Henin-Hardenne’s website went on about her return to health, she wasn’t going to come out to Southern California to chase U.S. Open Series points.

Tying seedings at the U.S. Open to performance during the summer events would be a move in the right direction, increasing the significance of the hard-court series.

But Larry Scott, the WTA Tour chief executive, said at a news conference on Friday that he was opposed to that.

“It is a bit fluke-ish, in my opinion, that so many players are injured at the same time, and don’t expect this to happen next summer,” he said.

It’s Not Personal, Part II

At least the late withdrawals weren’t confined to Southern California. As expected, Sharapova pulled out of this week’s tour stop in Toronto, joining Venus Williams on the sideline. The announcement was made Sunday, two days after it was evident Sharapova wouldn’t be going to Canada.

The second-most predictable move came from Agassi, who dropped out of this week’s tournament in Cincinnati. Once he reached the weekend in Montreal, losing to Rafael Nadal in the final, it was almost a foregone conclusion he would not appear in consecutive Masters Series events.

Highs and Lows

* Heavy lifting: Winner -- Kim Clijsters. She was called Aussie Kim when she was engaged to Hewitt. Perhaps it should be California Kim after winning twice in this state the last three weeks, beating Venus Williams in Palo Alto and Daniela Hantuchova in Carson.

Going against form on the WTA Tour, she is planning to play this week in Toronto, which makes it four consecutive tournaments for her. Hantuchova said she was doing the same. Apparently the only women able to play four consecutive weeks have to be 22 and from Europe.

* Running on empty: Then there was the stellar effort of Ai Sugiyama of Japan on consecutive days in Carlsbad. Sugiyama played a singles semifinal and doubles semifinal on Saturday night, and lost in the singles final to Mary Pierce and in the doubles final with Hantuchova.

Sugiyama played 49 games on Saturday, and 47 more on Sunday. The doubles final against Spaniards Conchita Martinez and Virginia Ruano Pascual lasted 3 hours 13 minutes.

It wasn’t a shock Sugiyama withdrew from Carson. Because of an injury.

* Ghost in the machine: It was a proud moment for the Pierces when 30-year-old Mary won her first title in more than a year. But David Pierce, her coach and brother, seemed wary when reporters approached him to talk about Mary’s renaissance.

Looking at the notepads and tape recorders, Pierce said he would not be interviewed if tape recorders were used, presenting a real big problem for an unfortunate radio reporter from France. His reason, however, was unusual.

“I don’t like machines,” he said.

Better not ask him about those computer rankings.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Holding court

Only three players have had longer consecutive-week stays at No. 1 in men’s tennis than Roger Federer. The rankings began in 1973.

*--* Player Weeks Streak Began Jimmy Connors 160 July 29, 1974 Ivan Lendl 157 Sept. 9, 1985 Pete Sampras 102 April 15, 1996 Jimmy Connors 84 Aug. 30, 1977 Pete Sampras 82 Sept. 13, 1993 Roger Federer 81 Feb. 2, 2004 Ivan Lendl 80 Jan. 30, 1989 Lleyton Hewitt 75 Nov. 19, 2001 John McEnroe 58 Aug. 3, 1981 John McEnroe 53 Aug. 13, 1984 Andre Agassi 52 Sept. 13, 1999

*--*