Why have one opinion when you can have three? As the seeds prepare for action in Toronto today, here’s my take on the most important issues in the world of tennis.
Who Is No. 1?
How difficult is it going to be for Roger Federer to retain his No. 1 ranking this year? Look at it this way: Federer could win this week’s tournament in Toronto, win in Cincinnati next week, win the gold medal, and defend his titles at the U.S. Open and the year-end Masters Cup—and still finish the year at No. 2 if Rafael Nadal performs significantly better this summer (and in the final months of the season) than he has in the past. Kamakshi Tandon has a thorough breakdown of the race to No. 1 here. There’s no doubt in my mind that Nadal deserves the top spot. Tennis has never had a player this good who was not ranked as the game’s best player. He may not get there until after the U.S. Open or even after the season ends, but chances are he will get there. The countdown begins today.
Courtroom drama
You’ve probably read much of the coverage (indeed, there has been much to read) about the courtroom battle between the organizers of the Hamburg Masters Series tournament and the ATP Tour. Here are a few thoughts.
- Significance. No doubt this is an important case, but to my mind, much of the coverage so far has hyped the implications it will have not just for tennis, but for other sports. A verdict against the ATP could—that’s "could"—make it impossible for the tour to manage a schedule, but outcomes in legal disputes of this kind are rarely that clear. The jury’s verdict could have implications for professional golf and other sports, but it just as well could not. The jury may not even deliver a verdict. In the six years prior to joining TENNIS, I covered courts in New York City and witnessed cases that settled after a full trial. Once all the testimony has been heard and the final arguments delivered, both parties might very well reach a resolution. Juries are difficult to read, and if both sides are sufficiently worried that the outcome may not be to their liking, they’ll have more impetus to reach an agreement on their own.
- Bankruptcy. The Hamburg organizers have asked for $77 million in damages. As many reports have noted, damages in antitrust suits can be tripled, so there is a chance that the damages will be so high that the ATP would go bankrupt. Those chances are slim. It could happen, but it’s not a likely outcome. And rest assured, if the ATP suffers a devastating loss, it will appeal. If the loss imperils other organizations, like the PGA Tour, those organizations might line up with the ATP and pool resources for appeals. Appeals can last for years and also may end in a settlement, rather than a final appellate ruling.
- Legal fees. The fact that the ATP has spent $7 million in legal fees has been noted time and again in coverage of this case. Big deal. In the nationwide tobacco settlement of 1998, one consortium of law firms won $1.3 billion in fees. That, my friends, is a big legal bill. When law firms charge anywhere from $400 to $900 an hour for their services, clients pile up millions in bills very quickly. Do you think the ATP would spend $7 million in legal fees if that amount were not less than it stands to lose by not litigating the matter? Litigation is a calculated risk; don’t be shocked by the price tag.
Final note: If you missed Joe Drape’s piece on the case, you can find it here. The news about IMG, gleaned from a sealed document, is the most interesting aspect of the case I’ve come across so far.
Women’s tennis
Wimbledon was a disaster for the women’s tour until Venus and Serena Williams played a beautiful final. Unfortunately, things have returned to normal. Both Williams sisters, Lindsay Davenport, and Svetlana Kuznetsova are injured. Jelena Jankovic could soon take over the No. 1 ranking. It would be fitting if, in this brief period where no woman seems capable of asserting herself as the player to beat, that a woman who has not won a major title tops the rankings headed into the U.S. Open. Fitting, but far from ideal. Perhaps by the end of the year the tour will have a true leader.
Tom Perrotta is a senior editor at TENNIS magazine.