THE tennisreporters.net NEWSLETTER: THURSday, May 20, NO. 86

Will Anna ever return to WTA?
Kournikova appears to be healthy enough for a return, but hasn't decided yet
Robby vs. Taylor; Venus for six straight weeks?

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

Photos: Gilette, Susan & Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA Animation: Ron Cioffi/tr.net

Where have you gone, Anna Kournikova?

Anna Kournikova is scheduled to play an exo in Canada in two weeks time and will also play four World TeamTennis matches for the Kansas City Explorers in five-day period in July, but she has not set a timetable for a return to the WTA Tour.

A source in her camp told tennisreporters.net Kournikova – who has not played a regular tour or circuit event since April '03 when she lost in the first round of an ITF tournament in Charlottesville – hasn't decided either way, and isn't even really considering the question. But if she's capable of playing up to 12 sets in a five-day period, than the back injury that has sidelined her from regular play during the past 13 months must have healed to some degree.

The question for the soon to be 23-year-old Kournikova – who has made a fair amount of commercial appearances during the last year including a recent one for Gillette skin care products – is whether she has the desire to attempt to real comeback. She's not the first player to deal with a back injury (i.e. Jennifer Capriati and Amelie Mauresmo as of late) and with the amount of rest and rehab she's had, should be capable of giving it a go.
But the "why bother?" factor looms large for her: She was still able to reportedly bank $9 million in off-court earnings last year and every time she's pictured traveling with her boyfriend, pop star Enrique Iglesias, she appears to be quite content. Given how wildly popular she remains because of how many men find her to be a physical goddess, she's probably good for another $25 million or so in off-court earnings during the next five years without playing (and that's a lowball figure).

So if Anna does not need to return to her tennis career to make money, what's left? How about pride and to show all of her doubters that yes, she has the game to win a legit singles tournament and, yes, she has enough game to reach a Slam final. But as the source implied, those questions may not be relevant anymore.

Robby vs. Taylor; Venus for six straight weeks?
Good for US Davis Cup captain Pat McEnroe for going with a hard court in the USTA's September 24-26 Davis Cup semifinal against Belarus. On Wednesday, the USTA selected Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, S.C., as the site. Those cities that came closest to being selected were Carson, Calif., Atlanta, Ga. and Fort worth, Tx.

Andy Roddick and Bob and Mike Bryan are already on the DC squad. The No. 2 spot will likely go to whoever's hottest and healthiest after the US Open. That player could be Mardy Fish, who caught a bout of hip tendonitis at the Houston clay courts back in April, will miss Roland Garros and is planning on coming back at Halle.

The US Olympic men's team appears to be set except for the last singles spot: Roddick, Fish, Vince Spadea and the Byran Brothers (in dubs). James Blake is injured and won't make the rankings cut. Either Robby Ginepri or Taylor Dent will grab the last singles spot depending on how they do at RG and the first week of the grasscourts. Dent has to step up because he's defending quarterfinal points at Queens.

While talking to instructional and high-speed video guru John Yandell today, it came to mind that even after she hurt her ankle in Berlin by playing five straight weeks, Venus Williams is considering a six-straight week schedule this summer: Wimbledon, Fed Cup, Palo Alto, LA and San Diego. Very risky indeed. This also brings to mind the strong possibility that Serena – who's not playing Palo Alto – will play Fed Cup against Austria in Innsbruck along with (my guess) Lindsay Davenport, who as of this writing, had reached the quarters of Strasbourg.

Keep your eyes on the NCAA Team Championships, which run the rough Tuesday. My picks: the virtually unbeatable Stanford women (Amber Lui still plays No. 1) and the USC men, who are led by the very capable coach, Peter Smith. Look for Stanford to make some serious noise in legendary coach's Dick Gould's last season.

Easter Bowl

Fourteen-year-old Alexa Glatch advanced to finals in Charlottesville.

Alexa Glatch of Newport Beach, who's only 14, reached the quarters of the Boyd Tinsley $50,000 USTA Pro Championships in Charlottesville, Va., losing to eventual champion and No. 123 Marissa Irvin 7-5, 6-1 after upsetting No. 251 Sunitha Rao and No. 170 Vilmarie Castellvi each in three sets.

"She was placing the ball really well and she came up with some very well-place shots," said Irvin. Glatch trained with the US Fed Cup team last month in Slovenia. She won't play either the Roland Garros or Wimbledon juniors because she doesn't have enough ITF points, but will more than likely play the US Open juniors. … Speaking of 14-year-old juniors we follow, Santa Monica's Logan Hansen, who won the Easter Bowl 16s with a bad back, will be out until at least the National Clays in July rehabbing the injury.

WTA HIRES ENTERTAINMENT EXEC
The WTA named entertainment communications executive Susan Lomax as Vice President of Communications. Lomax, the former head of public relations at Vivendi Universal Entertainment's Universal Orlando, has more than 15 years of communications experience in the entertainment industry. She'll oversee the tour's global communications and promotional strategies and initiatives. Here's a rich quote by WTA CEO Larry Scott: "At a time when there is a clear and increasing nexus between sports and entertainment, Susan's industry experience and strategic capabilities are the perfect fit for our organization." But more importantly, does she know how to keep score?

Congrats to The Tennis Channel on its recent one year anniversary. We hear from those who have a chance to watch it they are doing a bang up job but – if I [and about one million other tennis fans in California) ever have to go through another major Euro Clay Court season without being able to see a ball struck, we are either going to lead a march on Comcast and DirectTV (both whom have so far refused to sign a deal with TTC), or are going to demand that the ATP, WTA and the TTC broadcast the matches on the Internet.

Speaking of the Internet, make sure to tune into www.rolandgarros.org and listen to me do the first English-language radio broadcasts. I promise not to show my bias and talk about Fed Cup too much. Check that, you'll hear exhaustive daily previews of Innsbruck during a Costa-Horna marathon.