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NEWS & STORIES BY NATE CHURA
Multimedia Tennis Journalist
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Click here for WNYC/WNYC.ORG - NEW YORK PUBLIC RADIO'S -
Coverage of the 2009 US OPEN: http://blogs.wnyc.org/news/tag/u-s-open/
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The Year Of The Goat
By Nathanael Chura
Published on August 30, 2009 by Tennis Week Magazine
When all is said and done, tennis in 2009 may very well go down as the year of the goat (greatest-of-all-time).
Ever since Swiss, Roger Federer, at last, won this year's Coup de Musketeers at Roland Garros and then one month later walked away with his sixth Wimbledon (and record-breaking 15th major) title, a firestorm has erupted with respect to who should be crowned the alpha and omega of the game. While some rally behind Rod Laver and others push for Pete Sampras--even Ken Rosewall and Pancho Gonzalez have come up in the conversation--few dispute Federer's claim as the King of Queens, where he has won five US Championships in a row, right?
77-year-old, Arthur Anderson, begs to differ and pleads the case for early 20th-century American tennis legend, "Big" Bill Tilden, as the rightful man to inhabit the top thrown in tennis. Anderson is his last protégé' and willed heir to the Tilden legacy.
Considered by most tennis historians to be the father of modern tennis and its first quality professional, Tilden won six-consecutive and seven total US Championship titles back in the day when that was the only tournament that consistently drew the best players in the game. So does Federer need to add Tilden's resume to his "Must Break/Tie" record list this summer?
The popular argument for Federer, the greatest, takes into account his recent French Open victory as proof of his dominance on all surfaces. Tilden, after all, was primarily a grass court specialist, never mind that Stade Roland Garros was expressly built to showcase the famous rivalry: Tilden vs. The Four Musketeers (Rene Lacoste, Henri Cochet, Jean Borotra, and Jacques Brugnon). The history books say that in the 1927 French Championship final Tilden lost to Lacoste in the longest French final match ever played, but Anderson cries foul-play.
"Tilden actually won it," claims Anderson. "In those days the linespeople were French players. He served an ace on match point and after he went up to shake hands, the linesman, Cochet, [whom Tilden had throttled in the semi-finals] changed his call and said the serve was out. That was the way the French played in those days." Anderson knows this story to be true through first-hand accounts from both Tilden and Fourth Musketeer, "Toto" Brugnon, who became a close personal friend of Anderson.
These days few tennis fans are aware of Tilden's unparalleled achievements. His charisma and flamboyant athletic style catapulted a world-wide tennis revolution. Tilden was a star more famous than Babe Ruth. Tall and handsome, he was also a writer, scholar, even a Broadway actor. For years he was the Camel cigarette man. But in Tilden's days as a competitor the most coveted prize of all was the Davis Cup, and in that pursuit he goes unmatched. From 1920-1926 Tilden led the United States to seven consecutive Davis Cup victories, the longest Cup winning streak in history.
"If a player's value is measured by the dominance and influence he exercises over a sport, then Tilden could be considered the greatest player in the history of tennis," writes hall-of-fame tennis journalist, Bud Collins, in his authoritative encyclopedia, History Of Tennis.
Alas, Tilden's memory has been purged from the minds of generations. He was a closeted homosexual and twice served jail time for wrongly influencing minors.
According to Frank Deford in his iconic biography, Big Bill Tilden--The Triumphs and The Tragedy, Tilden's final years were spent living as a broke and destitute outcast. At times things got so bad for the tennis great, he took to pawning many of his hard won trophies and other sentimental keepsakes. Throughout this tragic period in Tilden's life, there were a hand full of friends who stuck by him, among them were Charlie Chaplin (the last tennis match Tilden played was on Chaplin's home court in Hollywood hills), Marion Anderson, and her son, Arthur, who played in Tilden's last match.
At the end of his life, Tilden willed all that remained of his estate to the Andersons. In monetary terms, he left very little, but as for Tilden's contributions to tennis, Anderson believes Federer still has a ways to go before catching the master.
"I'll give him best player of the 21st-century," says Anderson of Federer, "but Tilden has remained the greatest for over a century. In those days you didn't go by grand slams because there was no grand slam. The Davis Cup was everything. It was the world series of tennis. How many has Federer won? Tilden had to invent the modern game of tennis before it could be played. He took it out of the country clubs and brought it to the masses."
Another contender on the women's side cited by Billie Jean King as the greatest singles, doubles, and mixed tennis player in the history of the game, boasting a staggering 59 career grand slam titles, and the all-time record-men's or women's-for most singles tournaments won (167), and most doubles tournaments won (177), the inspirational, Martina Navratilova, also has a thing or two to say about what it means to be the goat.
"Too much emphasis has been put on the grand slams," concurs Navratilova. "That is a fallacy, because in the 60's and even 70's the regular women's tour tournaments were bigger than the French Open or the Australian Open, for example. Now it's the grand slams and, basically, people don't care about the regular season anymore. And, I mean, to me, that's not the end-all, be-all, but that's the only measuring stick they're using now. So that's fine! Use this for now! But not against the all-time greats, because that was not the measuring stick then. That being said, Roger [Federer] is obviously one of the all-time greats-period. But he's not done yet. Let him finish first."
It will be interesting to see if anything akin to the Chicago Cubs-style "Curse of the Billy Goat**" emerges to steal any of Federer's thunder as he looks to win his sixth consecutive US Open trophy and tie Tilden's record in what has truly been an historic year.
Early-round matches begin Monday, August 31. For more information visit www.usopen.org
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New York's Finest
By Nathanael Chura
Published on July 21, 2009 by Tennis Week Magazine
Last week, before an unprecedented number of tennis fans smothered Randall's Island for the much anticipated Advanta World Team Tennis "Special Legends Match" between John McEnroe of the New York Sportimes and Martina Navratilova of the Boston Lobsters, Manhattan's newest pro sports team hit the practice courts early. It was arguably the first sweltering day of summer, but heat would not deter the home team that afternoon. At 4pm, on the tucked-away bank of hard courts overshadowed by the Sportimes' snazzy, new-fangled stadium, Robert Kendrick arrived first, followed shortly thereafter by Jesse Witten and Abigail Spears. The trio wasted no time getting to the business of whacking balls.and trash talking.
The 76th singles player in the world, Kendrick, from Fresno, CA is playing in his third season for the Sportimes. Before joining the team he played for the University of Washington and Pepperdine University. During the pre-match practice Kendrick was as cool as mineral water and a barrel of laughs.
"This is kind of a break for me," Kendrick says about WTT. "I'm just having fun out here. I'm competing, but I don't really care about results--except for the team winning--but individual results.I'm trying to do certain stuff with my game."
At some point in the practice session, one of the Sportime interns walked onto the court. Kendrick immediately took the opportunity to bust the young man's chops. "Can you bring me my racquet, intern?" snaps Kendrick. "We're the only team that plays with our interns," Kendrick adds wryly. Such is the spirit of the 2009 NY Sportimes: a co-ed college tennis team slash fraternity.
Ask where is the absent Sportime Women's #2 and meet with a savory response. "Christina Fusano," Kendrick teases. "She's been struggling of late. So we sent her home for a while to get her mind straight."
Spears laughs but quickly jumps to Fusano's defense. "He's lying," Spears clarifies.
Hardly after the late twenty-somethings (Kendrick is 29, Spears is 27, and Witten, 26) began to break a sweat, did Sportimes' coach, Chuck Adams, confidently stride onto the court sporting a slick pair of mirror-reflective shades and a black baseball cap. By then the team's roster for the evening was nearly accounted for, save, of course.McEnroe.
Each team in WTT has a tennis celebrity who plays a few key matches each season. The Sportimes have the pleasure of playing with "Mac the Knife."
The NY Sportimes franchise, in its current incarnation, evolved over approximately ten years. Founded in 2000 by Patrick McEnroe, the team was originally called the New York Hamptons. After "P. Mac" partnered with the New York tennis club chain, Sportime, the team moved to the organization's primary headquarters in Mamaroneck before moving, yet again, to their current home in Manhattan.
So what's it like playing with the infamous J. McEnroe?
"It's good when he's in a great mood!" says Kendrick.
The team has a hearty consensus laugh in response to this comment.
"He keeps you on the edge of your seat," Witten adds.
"He puts a little pressure on you making some returns," admits Kendrick, "but I'm more used to it now. I just know that he's so damn competitive out there that he wants to win so bad. That's just the way he is."
In truth, however, the team doesn't play all that much with the Hall of Famer. Of the 14 matches the Sportimes will play this season, McEnroe will play in five.
On this particular afternoon, Adams encouraged the team to warm-up confidently. Though the Sportimes had a 5-2 winning record going into the match, the team's loss to the Washington Kastles the Friday before was a blow-out, and the Lobster's line-up that night had muscle.
Coach Adams is 38 years old and currently lives in Malibu, California. He played the ATP tour for six years and reached a career singles high of #33 in the world. His best grand slam result came at the 1993 US Open, making it to the round of 16. This season is his third year as head coach of the Sportimes.
Among other things, Adams is a new father. His wife, Ashley Harkleroad, also a NY Sportime, gave birth to their first child, Charles Hooper Adams IV, this spring. Spears was brought in as Harkleroad's substitution for the summer. As for next season, one can only assume Harkleroad will be healthy enough to play again for the team. On the tennis star/new mom's website, www.ashleyharkleroad.com, Harkleroad's fitness trainer said at the end of March, "Ashley will follow a fitness routine that will take her from having a baby to serving aces in 91 days." That time has, however, elapsed.
In the mean time, Spears leads the women's charge for the team. She is currently ranked #183 in the world singles, #44 doubles, but reached a career high of #66 in the world singles in 2005. Spears made it to the quarterfinals in doubles at the US Open last year partnering with Raquel Kops-Jones. In addition, she has won a small number of $25,000-50,000 challengers tournaments. After WTT, it's back to the grind of the tour. Spears is in the main draw of the US Open doubles this year, but still has to qualify for the singles.
At around 4:30 pm the Sportimes continued their warm-up by playing a variety of games to 11. While waiting for Fusano to arrive, Adams joined in the competition. Of course in this setting, jokes abound plenty. As Adams and Spears played the net against Kendrick and Witten at the baseline, coach indulged in a little gamesmanship with his juniors.
"Is Jesse's boat named Garfield?" Adams playfully drops Witten's team nickname.
"I'm on his team and he's makin' fun of me," Witten cries in disbelief.
"That's why you're on the team," Adams comforts the young Sportime.
How did Witten get this name? Of course Kendrick had his hand in the alias last season. "He's just the cat," Kendrick says unapologetically. "He just likes to lounge around the couch when he's at home. You don't find him in the gym that much, but he's sneaky quick and always lands on his feet.Garfield."
Witten is from Naples, FL, and in 2007 was named the WTT male rookie of the year. This is also his third season playing for the Sportimes (starting to detect a pattern?). Currently he is ranked #287 in the world singles. Like his other teammates, after the WTT seasons ends, Witten will continue to battle it out on the tour, attempting to win three rounds in the US Open qualifier later this summer. He has been ranked as high as #171 in the world singles, but an injury sidelined him last year and he lost a lot of points. But this year, he's off to a good start. So far his W-L is 32-12.
After Kendrick/Witten defeated Adams/Spears at the net, Adams suggested they mix it up a bit. Same teams, but baseline games (to 11). Winner stays in for a maximum of three points. Adams/Spears start with five points. In the blink of an eye Adams exclaimed, "Game! Coach and girl!" Adams/Spears won the first game 11-6.
As the teams changed ends Adams asked, "How many points? Cause let's be honest, five's too many. We'll start with three." But now "coach and girl" were in the sun. At 6-10 Adams declared, "I hate this side!" Adams/Spears lost the second game 6-11.
"OK. Let's switch sides and it's four this time," said Adams hastily going into the third and deciding practice game. "Four seems to be the magic number."
At 10-8, Adams/Spears were poised to steal the match. As Spears stood at the baseline opposite Kendrick, Adams could hardly contain himself from the sideline. The pressure was on, but in a flash of brilliance Spears eked out the dramatic point to emerge victorious. Game. Set. Match. 11-8.coach and girl.
"She been hitting a lot worse in the last week and a half," Kendrick muttered in defeat.
The team then seamlessly transitioned into serve and return mode.
How valuable is trash talk in WTT? "Very," says Fusano, who arrived at last, like a beam of light, "especially to your own team."
Fusano of Plymouth, CA at the age of 28 has been playing WTT for three years, but just joined the Sportimes this year. In 2007 she played for the Boston Lobsters, followed by the Delaware Smash in 2008. She has been ranked as high as #84 in the world in doubles and won a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour level doubles title in 2007. In February of 2005, Fusano's career high singles ranking extended to #415 in the world. Currently she is ranked # 212 (the Manhattan area code) in doubles.
"I'm really lucky to be with four great players and great people," says Fusano, who played the juniors with Kendrick in Northern California growing up. "I feel like we're all brothers and sisters and teasing each other and having a good time."
Aside from the players, and the team mascot, the most visible Sportime is undoubtedly the team's owner, Claude Okin. Unlike some owners, Okin is involved in every detail of the team's operation, from player drafting, to dinner, to practice.
"Claude always assembles a team that is competitive," says Adams. "They have a draft in March and Claude really has a good feel for who's good and who's playing well and who's not."
"I'm the daddy," Okin jokes. "If I don't travel with them, they might not ever get there. Chuck has no sway over them."
"He's the sugar daddy!" Witten chimes in.
"Yeah," Kendrick loosely lets slip. "We already voted him coach for next year and Chuck's out."
When the team is not on the road, or on Randall's Island, they stay at the Doral Arrowwood Hotel in Rye, NY.
"Next year we'll probably have a city hotel," says Okin, "but we just opened the facility days before the season began. So the sponsors are going to come on board one step at a time. It's right near our club in Westchester where we used to play team tennis for the last six years."
"The facilities at the Doral are so nice for the players," Adams elaborates. "Either way it's great."
"We have the best of both worlds," Okin adds. "We access to the city and then we have access to a little resort setting there."
How does the team travel? Sometimes by team van, other times by Zip Cars, a team sponsor. "We currently have these nice five-series BMWs," Adams says, "That fit nobody!"
"Part of WTT is the travel experience," says Okin. "What bonds the team even more than practice days and hangin' out here is when we go on the road to these various cities all across the country. We started the season in Kansas City and St. Louis and then we were in Albany before we even came here. So we had days together. We don't have a private plane like some other franchises, but we do try and make our players comfortable and get them the rest they need."
The topic of private jets prompts a special type of humor.
"We got rid of it 'cause we just thought, these hard times.the economy," Kendrick pines demurely.
"There are some teams that have more resources than others," admits Okin painfully.
"We get big dinners instead of a jet," says Witten resolutely.
"I make sure they're motivated with cheap food and cheap liquor," confesses Okin.
"If we win, it's a good meal. If we lose, it's McDonalds," Kendrick blows the whistle.
"What about how he was convincing us that Roy Rogers chicken is good?" Adams recollects.
"Yeah. That's some good chicken!" Okin persists.
"That's why I lost that game this morning.that Roy Rogers." Kendrick scapegoats, but adds, without Okin, "I probably wouldn't have played. We all have a great relationship with Claude. He really makes the team. I've known him for quite awhile. I enjoy being around him. I wanna play for him."
At 4:59pm a familiar voice came booming out to the practice courts from within the Sportime Stadium. "Get over here!" the voice shouted.
The NY Sportimes went on to prevail against the Boston Lobsters in overtime that evening: 21-20.
Since then, the Sportimes have succeeded in nabbing the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
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Dog Day Afternoon
By Nathanael Chura
Published on June 18, 2009 by Tennis Week Magazine
This Fourth of July while dignified Brits dip their strawberries in cream and observe the Wimbledon
women's final, a growing number of fans will be stoked to witness a different sporting event -
"athletes" shoving hot dogs down their throats. Despite the obvious culture clash, Wimbledon and
the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest may have more in common than meets the eye.
For instance, both events offer prize-money. Both are broadcast on television by ESPN (although
NBC airs the Wimbledon finals). Surprisingly enough, it took the greatest tennis match of all-time,
last year's epic five-set final between Federer and Nadal, plus the All-Williams women's final to beat
the hot dog eating contest in the American viewership ratings. But, alas, the seemingly disparate
sports might be connected through another transcendent realm.
On Coney Island, at the corners of Surf and Stillwell Avenues, the marquee Nathan's Famous Wall of
Fame listing past winners of the Hot Dog Eating Contest is the prominent backdrop for the
international event each year. At the top of the list of champions that begins with 1988 is a
Brooklynite by the name of Jay Green who won the title that summer by eating 13 wieners. Green is
also enshrined as the 1989 champion, besting his previous score by one to recapture the coveted
mustard yellow belt. However, what may come as a surprise to some is that one is far more likely to
catch Green on a tennis court than at the corner Sabrett stand.
For over forty years, Green has been a Brooklyn tennis icon and was the inspiration for the Billy
Baldwin tennis pro character in Noah Baumbach's 2005 sleeper-hit film, The Squid and the Whale.
He even played a doubles match - and lost - against founder of this website, the late Eugene L.
Scott.
"He had a good slice serve out wide," Green remembers of Scott.
To gain further insight into the complexities of hot dogs and tennis, who better to turn to than a
champion with guts in both worlds?
In 2003, ESPN began broadcasting the hot dog eating contest annually. Last year, 2007 defending
champion, Joey Chestnut of San Jose, CA, thrashed six-time title holder, Takeru "The Tsunami"
Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan, in an overtime showdown that saw the American stuff-down a grand
total of 64 Nathan's Famous dogs.
For those who are unaware, the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest is the premier annual event
sanctioned by the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE), which supervises and
regulates eating contests the world over and helps ensure the safety and purity of the sport. Among
the federation's biggest stars are competitors like Don Lerman who holds the world's butter title
(ingesting 7 quarter-pound sticks of salted butter in five minutes) and Richard LeFevre who in 2006
consumed 247 pickled jalapeno peppers, or le grande dame of them all, Sonya Thomas, who boasts a
mind-boggling resume of titles, highlights from which include world titles in cheese cake eating (she
consumed 11 pounds of chees cake in 9 minutes), Eggs (65 hard boiled in 6 minutes, 40 seconds),
chicken nuggets (80 in 5 minutes), and meatballs (10 pounds, 3 ounces in 12 minutes).
Green believes the hot dog eating contest has gotten out of hand. In fact the inaugural hot dog eating
champion is calling for a halt to the competition.
"With all the emphasis on health these days," he exclaims, "it sends a bad example for the youth and
the not so youth in America. I think it should be stopped immediately!"
Given the current obesity epidemic in the US, such an argument is not unreasonable, but is there
truly a difference between watching people eat hot dogs or watching people play tennis? In both
cases the viewer is a spectator, not a participant. Is a person more or less likely to eat a hot dog
after witnessing the contest, or similarly, more likely to play tennis after watching Wimbledon?
Green is one month shy of 67 and is in outstanding shape for his age and younger. Does the hot dog
eating contest really foster bad health in America or is Green simply a mutant?
Richard Shea, color-commentator for ESPN's coverage of the Nathan's Famous extravaganza, says
no, and ardently challenges those who consider the contest a health risk to watch an event.
"If you look at Chestnut, or Kobayashi, or Sonya Thomas, or any of our top eaters," Shea waxes
philosophically, "you'll find that they're in terrific physical condition. Thomas, since she started, and
even today, is a hundred pound woman. This is not a sport of obesity. We celebrate the athletic
ability of our competitors just like tennis. Eating is just as inherent to man as running or jumping."
ESPN senior director of programming and acquisitions, Jason Bernstein, agrees and seriously
defends the sanctity of the hot dog eating contest and the network's commitment to broadcast it on
July Fourth.
"Our take on that event is that it is a championship caliber event," says Bernstein.
Hot dog coverage withstanding, ESPN denies it's turning its back on Wimbledon. Bernstein points to
the network's renewed and expanded interest in tennis through outlets such as ESPN Broadband 360.
"There is so much simultaneous action (with tennis)," Bernstein says, "and, historically, at
Wimbledon it hasn't resided in one place seamlessly for fans to access. We're now giving fans a
chance to interact with Court 1 when Nadal is on Center Court. We have the best production group to
deliver that."
One can't deny the venture is noble, but the fact remains: NBC owns the broadcasting rights for the
Wimbledon finals weekend. And at that point, it's every viewership rating for itself. Commercials
ultimately foot the frankfurter and, there, Nathan's is king!
If there is one lesson tennis could learn from the hot dog, it would be that good public relations
equals consumer success. Shea unapologetically admits the hot dog eating contest is the, "single most
effective and brilliant PR stunt going." Looking at the situation through this lens or prism, Green is
the color of grass.
Perhaps tennis could profit from Green's unique resume and genetic make-up. Maybe in an effort to
win over would-be hot dog eating fans, Wimbledon might add the Coney Island classic "Shoot the
Freak" to mix-up the atmosphere on finals weekend. Between change-overs, Green and McEnroe
could take turns dodging pot-shots from the local rowdies. On second thought, that might be too
crude for center court. Surely the Brits would demand something more refined.
Imagine the headline: "Ambassador Green Serves-Up Nathan's At The All-England Lawn Tennis
Club!" Would the AELTC ever consider serving hot dogs at Wimbledon as a sign of good sports
relations?
"If Wimbledon will serve Nathan's hot dogs," challenges Shea, "and the competitors in the women's
final will eat a Nathan's hot dog, I guarantee we will have a strawberry and cream dessert event."
Would this year's big contenders ever consider such a proposition? How much would the franchise
have to pay any combination of Venus, Serena, Dinara, or Svetlana? In this instance, might the ladies
do pro-bono work for the love of the game?
The AELTC has yet to comment on the offer.
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Love Means Nothing In Women's Tennis
By Nathanael Chura
Published on April 18, 2009 by Tennis Week Magazine
In the summer of 1977, 23-year-old JoAnne Russell, stood on Centre Court of the All England
Tennis Club serving for the Wimbledon women's doubles championship. Somehow she and
Helen Gourlay Cawley, a pair of unseeded long shots, found themselves poised to upset the
world's number one doubles team, Martina Navratilova and Betty Stove. If there were any at
the tourney's start who gambled on the sinewy spitfire from Naples, Florida having the nerve to
seize such an opportunity, it certainly wasn't Ms. Russell. For starters she and her Australian
partner had hardly met before their first-round match against the second seeds, Chris Evert
and Rosie Casals.
"We were supposed to play in Eastborne the week before but she didn't show up," Russell
recalls. "Then at Wimbledon, I'm waiting on court two. Chris and Rosie are sitting there and
they go, 'Where's your partner?' I said, 'She wasn't in my locker room.' I didn't wanna say I
never met her before! Finally Helen walks out, a tiny wisp of a thing. She had racquets, so I go,
'That's her!' She comes over, looks at me and says, 'Do you mind playing the backhand side?' I
go, 'No, Helen. I always play the backhand.' Meanwhile, I haven't played the backhand side
since I was twelve, but you can't say, 'Oh, no! Don't put me there!' Then she goes, 'Do you mind
serving first?' I said, 'No, Helen. I am serving so well.' Luckily she missed my singles match
where I lost 0-and-0 and double faulted 28 times to Rosie (Casals) in the worst match I ever
played at Wimbledon." Nonetheless, in their debut match, Russell/Cawley blasted through
Evert/Casals 6-3, 7-5 and steamrolled their way to the finals.
At 6-3, 5-3, 40-love, on the centennial anniversary of the Wimbledon Championships, Russell
unloaded a big first serve into Navratilova's backhand. When the return went wide, Russell and
Cawley jumped for joy and walked away with the crowning achievement of their careers.
It was a career, however, that existed before prize money became sizable and one that ended
too soon, at least from the penurious perspective of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA).
In December 2008 SportsBusiness Journal reported outgoing Sony Ericsson WTA Tour chief
Larry Scott made $1.6M in '07 becoming the first unofficial exec in women's sports to top the
$1 million mark in annual salary. Yet players like Russell who retired before 1991 get no help in
the form of pension or healthcare from the WTA, not a dime, not a Christmas card.
"I'm pretty sure they lost my address," says Russell.
These days Russell, age 54, makes her living as a "freelance" teaching professional at the Grey
Oaks Tennis Club in Naples, Florida while, with the help of her sister, caring for her aging
parents. Freelance tennis pros are by-and-large unsalaried and uninsured independent
contractors. The only way to ensure one's livelihood is to be healthy and fit, something Russell
does not take for granted. In between lessons she keeps in shape by running, spinning,
stretching, yoga.or pounding groundstrokes against a backboard. This sort of dedication has
served Russell's senior career well. In 1993 she won the Wimbledon 35-and-over doubles with
partner Betsy Nagelson and was a US Open Senior Doubles Champion in 1993 and 2002. But
there's no other option for a journeywoman pro of her era.
Born in Miami, Russell grew up in Naples when southwest Florida was still practically frontier
territory. Her first formal tennis instruction came at age six from the only pro in town, Julius
Lesser. "I started playing in his beginner clinic," Russell remembers fondly, "with a man named
Russell Reitz." Mr. Reitz was 65 years old, but since Mr. Lesser did not separate the adults from
the juniors, Russell and Reitz soon became hitting partners. "At ten years old," Russell says, "I
was playing with all these slicer-dicers in their 60s, 70s, 80s.and boy could they lob. Those
guys would be planted at the net, and of course I'm the young one. They'd yell, 'Get it JoAnne!
Get it!' That's who I grew up with."
When Russell turned twelve, her father drove her up to Cape Coral to play in a junior
tournament. "I made it to the finals," says Russell. "I double faulted 26 times and still won the
match!" After that match a local coach named Tommy Boys approached Mr. Russell and told
him his daughter could be a pro. Apparently this caused Mr. Russell to chuckle. "I had no
serve," Ms. Russell admits with laughter. "No groundies. Nothing!" Nevertheless, Boys
managed to convince Mr. Russell. In fact, Boys gave Russell free lessons for fifteen years, even
while she was winning the NCAA Championships for Trinity University. According to Russell,
one day after she turned pro her mother looked at her and said, "JoAnne, I think you should
start paying Tommy. He gave you free lessons all that time and he didn't expect anything in
return." Boys remained Russell's primary coach until he retired in 1980.
From 1973-1988 JoAnne Russell was largely a middle-of-the-pack player. Despite singles wins
over Navratilova, King, Shriver, and Casals, and a 3-1 record over Virginia Wade, she had just a
150-158 singles record, reached a career-high singles rank of No. 22 and achieved her greatest
success in doubles. She paired with Billie Jean King on the 1977 Wightman Cup Championship
team and made it to the finals of the US Open Mixed Doubles in 1981 with Steve Denton. All in
all, Russell finished her tour doubles career with a respectable 218-175 record, her best results
coming at Wimbledon. (In 1982 she made it to the quarterfinals in all three events: singles,
doubles, and mixed.)
"Her personality is Big. Funny. Curious. Kind," says former tour player and sports broadcaster
Mary Carillo of her long time friend and colleague. "When I first got to know her and watched
her play I was taken by her attacking style and very obvious competitive nature. 'Russ' was a
real emotional player. She let you in on what she was feeling, and often in very entertaining
ways. One Wimbledon she beat the higher ranked Sylvia Hanika, a bruising lefty who was tricky
on grass. The win got Russ into the quarterfinal against Navratilova. Hanika was extremely
crabby after the loss and came to the press conference ahead of Russ. There she was asked if
she thought Russ had a chance against Martina. Hanika huffily answered, 'No.' When the
broadly smiling Russ showed up to meet the press the first thing someone did was repeat
Hanika's inelegant statement about her: 'Sylvia says you have no chance against Martina.' Russ
never lost her smile, barely stopped to think before she answered, 'I've got a better chance than
she does.' "
So what happens to a "working" woman's tennis player 20 plus years after retirement?
For a while, Russell was a tennis commentator for ESPN, USA, and NBC Sports. Her most
memorable experience in the booth was calling the decisive match of the epic French Open
finals trilogy in 1986 between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. But after Russell's five year
contract with NBC expired, the network decided not to renew opting for star-powered Evert. "I
believe they liked me," Russell says, "but at some point or other they made the decision to go
the celebrity route. Which was fine! But they didn't bother telling me. I found out reading the
newspaper."
Though Russell understands the NBC decision was simply business, she can't help but be
perplexed by the WTA's treatment of the founding mothers and early pioneers of the tour.
Founded in part by Billie Jean King, the WTA was officially born in the week leading up to the
1973 Wimbledon Championships. After the legendary meeting of '73 at the Gloucester Hotel in
London that united all women's professional tennis into one tour, the US Open became the first
grand slam to offer equal prize money to both men and women. But while in 2007 the WTA at
last won its hard fought 34 year crusade for equal prize money at all the slams, the organization'
s current pension policy shows there is still work to be done with regards to equal opportunity
for female athletes.
The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) which oversees the men's tour adopted a
pension plan in 1990 where male players who satisfied a 12 tournament requirement dating
back to December 31, 1972 were eligible to receive annual benefits. That's an 18 year gap
between the men and women. Perhaps the difference can be explained by the fact that in 2007
the ATP donated $1.5 million to its annual pension fund. The WTA does not contribute any
money to the women's pension fund. The Women's Tennis Benefit Association (WTBA) that
administers the fund for qualifying WTA members draws its revenue from the current player's
prize money.
"When we talk about pension benefits," says Russell, "I'm sorry, but you need to go back. All
the youth sees today is Billie Jean. There was a whole group of ladies who signed contracts with
Gladys (Heldman) for $1. And I'm not even in that group! Those ladies could use a retirement.
This is one of those things where I say, 'Don't be cheap!' "
As it turns out, Ms. King agrees.
"I really do think they should go back to 1973 when we started the WTA because it was really
our generation that started everything," says King when asked how she feels about the
disparities in the WTA's pension plan. "They know that's what we want. I've been saying it for
many, many years. When we started the WTA we gave 10 percent of our prize money to make
it work. Where else were we going to get the money? We put our money in from day one."
Even Venus Williams at a recent press conference suggested the need to, "Get on that," with
respect to the WTA's current pension stance.
Larry Scott's office at WTA headquarters had no comment in response to the issue. Perhaps his
successor will have more to say on the subject.
At the end of the day, Russell is proud of where she came from and has absolutely no regrets
about anything. "I love tennis in the way that a less gifted player (me) could beat some of the
best players in the world," says Russell. "I get asked a lot about the money the pros make now
as opposed to what I made back in the day. Who's to say I would have done better or enjoyed it
as much? Maybe I would have quit playing a lot earlier."
Not long ago Russell took a trip to Nepal as part of her long-term commitment to Support
Project Nepal, a non-profit school that helps disadvantaged children. It comes as no surprise
she brought a tennis net, balls, and racquets. The school's head-master teaches all the kids
tennis.
"When I left," says Russell, "I took my tennis clothes out of my bag, my sneakers, my shoes, my
hats.everything I had and gave them all to the kids. They're playing on a court where six feet
behind the baseline there's a brick wall. And if you go too far off the court on one side, there's a
giant ditch!" She laughs, "I mainly taught the kids how to half-volley."
So far, the school has succeeded in sending two juniors to the United States on tennis
scholarships.
Upon further reflection, Russell adds one regret, "In a way, I wish I was a little more famous,
that way I could raise even more money to help people."
...
The Next U.S. Tennis Champion
At 95, Vincent Campo Keeps on Playing
By Nathanael Chura
Published on March 20, 2009 by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle
At last Brooklyn may have a major tennis title within grasp. As of New Year's Day, 2009,
longtime Brooklyn resident Vincent Campo - who has lived through two World Wars, the
Great Depression, the birth of the miniature calculator, television and the internet, as well as
the death of the Brooklyn Dodgers - is finally eligible to compete in the U.S. Men's National
Tennis Championships age 95 and over.
Campo's home court is at the Prospect Park Tennis Center, where he usually smacks tennis
balls around with his wife, Suzan Marks, and their friend, Dr. Elliot, at least once a week. While
movement is a challenge for anyone over 90, Campo still possesses a deadly backhand slice
that might just chop up the field this summer.
But after nearly a century of life, tennis is only part of what makes Campo tick. Pasta, cigars,
great literature and a sense of humor are but a few additional ingredients in his elusive elixir of
longevity.
Vincent Campo entered this world on Bleeker Street in Manhattan, Sept. 21, 1914, the eldest of
five sons born to Italian immigrants, Gaspare and Fanny Campo. In 1916, the Campos moved
to Brooklyn where Vincent has lived ever since. His mother was a housewife and seamstress.
His father was a woodcarver and baritone euphonium player in the National Guard Reserve
Band. It was Gaspare's dexterity with the brass that enabled the purchase of the Campo family'
s first television set.
Campo is a writer, poet, playwright and self-declared scientist, despite never earning a nickel
from his labors. "I've been a writer my whole life," he says, "and I didn't get paid for it."
As a young man he muscled a pushcart all around New York as a deliveryman for Jacob & Co.,
manufacturers of high-class coat fronts. The primary purpose of the effort was to save enough
money to buy a typewriter. Upon achieving his objective Campo promptly quit.
In 1939, Campo worked as a statistician at the World's Fair in Flushing Meadows, before it
became the home of the US Open. "I was the world's worst statistician," Campo admits. "I
couldn't remember two numbers written down. I'd guide people to a voting booth where they'd
have to press a bunch of buttons."
For a whopping whole week he worked as a copy editor for Time and Life magazines. Before he
was fired, they asked if he was writing in hieroglyphics.
Campo's most memorable job was a stint with radio and television personality and founding
host of NBC's The Today Show, Dave Garroway (whose principal co-host on the morning show
was a chimpanzee by the name of J. Fred Muggs).
"I was a paid friend," Campo recalls. "I did whatever he wanted."
For decades Garroway was a revered American celebrity comparable to a modern-day David
Letterman. "When he was sitting up high in his big chair," says Campo, "I used to tell him,
'They'll remember you because of me.'" Campo laughs, "He didn't believe it."
Campo told Garroway when they parted ways, "I never stay at any job longer than six months.
That's it. Six months and I'm through. And then you can't get me back for money or anything."
Campo asserts that any job after six months becomes a counterproductive habit, a dread
routine, and he can't be bothered. So boldly and profoundly has he lived this maxim to its
fullest that any advice to the contrary is lost on Campo.
Unusual as he may seem, Campo is no dummy. Before World War II, he studied Gestalt
psychology at the New School with none other than the founder of the movement, Max
Wertheimer.
"As the great scientists were fleeing Germany," Campo recounts, "many of them came to New
York, and so I was there." When the war began, Campo enlisted. He served as a buck sergeant
in the U.S. Army and survived landing in Salerno, Italy. After the war, Campo returned to New
York and studied linguistics at Columbia University. Today, he is still acutely intellectual and
deeply eloquent on subjects ranging from 5th century B.C. Greek author, Herodotus, to Ralph
Nader.
If there is one thing consistent in Campo's life, it has been his wife. The two met around 1960 at
the Art Students League in Manhattan. She was 18 and a painter. He was 45. Soon after, they
were married at City Hall in Manhattan. The couple is now approaching their 48th
anniversary. For 40 odd years, they have lived at their home on Newkirk Avenue in Brooklyn.
These days, Suzan Marks acts chiefly as Campo's nutritionist, translator and doubles partner.
How have they survived monetarily, one might wonder? The answer may lie in Marks'
conviction to keep her maiden name, well before such a notion was popular. "He married well,"
she says with a boisterous laugh.
In all their years of matrimony, Marks has been the primary bread-winner. She had a lucrative
job in the garment industry. Before Marks, Campo did what is common for many men of
Italian heritage still do today: he lived at home with his parents. But mention the word gigolo
and meet with stiff resistance.
"Nope," Marks declares. "My mother who would never pay anything for a man, saw what kind
of man he was. He saved money. He cooks. He washes dishes. He shops He did not spend
money. He took care of money. If a man earns all the money and he supports the woman,
nobody sees anything wrong with that. We live our lives the way we want to"
"Not how you're supposed to," Campo chimes in. "If you have the ability to do what you like,"
Marks continues, "then you should do it and not worry about what other people think, or don't
think." Since the couple met, Campo has written a Valentine's Day poem for Marks every year.
The most influential figure in Campo's life is undoubtedly James Joyce. When asked about the
great literary icon, Campo finds himself at a loss for words.
"It's all so a part of me now." After further prodding, Campo credits Joyce with making
literature, literature. "Preserved words over a period of time," he explains. For Campo there is
no question as to the meaning of human life on this earth: to record language.
Tennis first entered Campo's life after World War II when an ex-girlfriend left behind a
racquet before crossing the Atlantic, never to return. Campo taught himself to play hitting
against a brick wall three or four hours a day. Later he learned how to serve. Eventually he
landed a job teaching tennis one summer at a camp in Maine called Lobsters. At the end of the
season the owners liked his style so much they offered to triple his salary if he returned the
next year. Campo graciously declined in favor of coaching the young Suzan Marks. Among
other things, he taught her one hell-of-an overhead smash.
At 95 one might mistakenly get the impression that all Campo has to do is show up to the
Championships with a racquet in his hand to collect the trophy. In truth, his cross-court
backhand better be razor sharp. Campo's chief rival could be Floridian Tennis Hall of Famer
Gardnar Mulloy, who celebrated his 95th birthday on Nov. 22.
Still, those who underestimate the Brooklyn spirit do so at their own peril.
...
Lessons Of Love
By Nathanael Chura
Published on March 25, 2009 by Tennis Week Magazine
At the Prospect Park Tennis Center, far from the excitement of the U.S. Open and the crowds pouring into Flushing Meadows, sports fans can watch a tennis legend in action for free.
On a warm day in late August, a humble star, Alix Alcin, known to most Brooklyn tennis players as "Doctor Love," is gently lobbing balls to his five-year-old pupils. The handle "Doctor Love" was bestowed upon the 57-year-old Haitian-born, Brooklyn icon, several years ago by his students. His nickname is an affectionate homage to his long and successful tennis career, one that included many love sets against his countless opponents... hence his nickname.
When Doctor Love immigrated to the United States twenty-four years ago, he was the #2 player in Haiti. Doctor Love was hand-picked by Haiti's brutal dictator, Jean-Claude Duvalier, a.k.a. "Baby Doc," to be his family's private tennis coach. When Doctor Love first arrived at JFK International Airport to play in the 1984 U.S. Open, he was certain to be a star. Unfortunately for the Doc, that's not how it turned out.
Doctor Love learned how to play tennis at the Petionville Club in Port au Prince, the most exclusive golf and tennis club in Haiti to this day. He first held a racquet at nine years old. "When I hit the first white ball," Doc remembers, "I said, 'I want to learn to play tennis.'" His father, Baptiste Alcin, was the bartender of the club and friends with the head tennis pro, Bruce. Baptiste asked Bruce if he would teach his son how to play. Bruce agreed. After nine years of lessons, Doc was 18 and began to start teaching tennis himself at Petionville. "Rich people," he says, "they buy me clothes. sneakers! They used to pay me five dollars an hour."
Doctor Love's most famous match, and how he is most remembered in Haiti, was actually one that he lost, the men's singles final of the 1983 National Championships. His opponent was Bertrand Lacombe, the then number one ranked player in the country and favorite to win the tournament. The match played in a packed, sold-out stadium, and was aired on National television. Doc quickly won over the raucous crowd's affections by taking the first set from Lacombe, beating him off the ground. After the first set, however, the number one seed changed his tactics and began a brutal serve and volley assault that would ultimately reverse the momentum of the match. In the end, Doc would lose: 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. The score notwithstanding, this performance would propel him to a career high ranking of number two in Haiti, and leave a lasting impression in the minds of his fellow countrymen, including those with power and influence.
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