WTA Makes Call on System

Larry Scott, chief executive of the WTA, said Monday that it would be “realistic” to expect that an electronic line-calling system will be in place on the tour by the summer of 2006.

The tour has inched closer to a resolution, testing the Auto Ref system as recently as October in an indoor event at Filderstadt, Germany. Scott said the tour has not decided between using Auto Ref or the Hawk-Eye system, which has been tested at the National Tennis Center, the venue for the U.S. Open.

The issue came to the forefront at the U.S. Open in 2004 after several controversial calls in a quarterfinal match between Serena Williams and Jennifer Capriati. Open officials later apologized to Williams, and seemed close to bringing out the technology this year. But when it became clear the system wasn’t quite ready, the U.S. Tennis Assn. held off.

Interestingly, Scott said the tour would be using the “clay-court system” in handling challenges.

“What is tried and true and tested in tennis, a player would be free to challenge on any call,” he said. “Any call they thought was questionable. Then it’s up to the chair umpire.

“There’s no limit to how many times a player can ask a chair umpire to check out a mark. But it doesn’t mean the chair umpire is obliged to get out of the chair.”

Scott didn’t seem worried the system could be abused by players.

“We want to keep vesting in the chair umpire the master control for the match,” he said.

Lindsay Davenport agreed that the discretion should rest with the umpire.

“As a player, you’re worrying about playing the match and if we’re worrying about all the line calls, that isn’t necessarily right,” she said. “If the head umpire is unsure, I think they should have just as much right [to check]. I don’t think I have to stop every point and ask them to recheck it.”

Senioritis

Could Jim Courier persuade Pete Sampras to play senior tennis?

If anyone would be able to do so, Courier might have the best shot. Then again, that may be wishful thinking.

Courier today will announce a Champions Cup Series, which will be four tournaments held next year for “senior” players. Of course, this definition of senior is all of 30 and over.

There will be an event this month in Houston. The four tournaments in 2006 will be at Naples, Fla., Boston, Memphis and Houston. Those expected to play include Michael Chang, Todd Martin, Courier, John McEnroe, Mats Wilander and Pat Cash.

Organizers said it will be the first “senior” tour in the U.S. since Jimmy Connors’ ceased operation in 2001. Players can compete in the series by having reached a Grand Slam event singles final or by playing singles on a championship Davis Cup team.

Hewitt Out

The WTA Tour Championships isn’t the only season-ending event to be hit with a high-profile absentee. Former two-time champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia pulled out of the ATP’s season finale, the Tennis Masters Cup, which starts Sunday at Shanghai.

Hewitt cited impending fatherhood for his absence. Replacing him in the eight-player singles field is Gaston Gaudio of Argentina.