THE SCOOP, ROLAND GARROS DAY 9

New York bids on ATP Masters Cup

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

PARIS, June 5 – tennisreporters.net has learned that New York's Madison Square Garden will submit a bid on Wednesday to host the ATP Tour's season-ending Tennis Masters Cup. Last year, The Garden lost the WTA Tour's year-end championships to Germany. Officials there were displeased at losing a marquee event and at the time said they would pursue another major tournament. Other cities who will submit bids include Florianapolis, Brazil; Shanghai, China; Sydney Australia and Paris, France. Sydney is already hosting the 2002 Tennis Masters Cup, an eight-man tournament between the year's top playe rs. Sao Paolo, Brazil, was slated to to host the 2002 Cup, but pulled out because organizers couldn't come up with the financing. The Florianopolis group will allegedly submit a bid with backing from the nation's sports minsistry. The beach town recently hosted a Davis Cup tie and is the home of Gustavo Kuerten.

DAVENPORT SPENDS TIME WITH ILL MORARIU
Jennifer Capriati saluted seriously ill player Corona Morariu on Tuesday before her win over Serena Williams, holding up a sign that said, "Get well soon, Corina." Morariu, who is Lindsay Davenport's doubles partner, is currently undergoing chemotherapy for acute leukemia. Sources say Davenport has been at her friend's hospital bedside in South Florida. Morariu's father, Albin, is a neurologist and treated the late Tim Gullikson, Pete Sampras' former coach.