THE SCOOP: MONDAY, JULY 22

U.S. moves back into Fed Cup World Group
Gullikson Foundation in the money
Levy to leave USTA

By Sandra Harwitt
tennisreporters.net

After taking the Fed Cup World Group playoff competition 5-0 over Israel, the U.S. secured their placement in the 2003 Fed Cup World Group. While the U.S., the winner of 17 Fed Cup titles through the years, sits on the sidelines for the remainder of this year, the 2002 Fed Cup semifinals will be contested by Spain against Austria and Italy against Slovakia.

Gullikson Foundation in the money
A fundraising exhibition match between Pete Sampras and Andy Roddick to benefit the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation was a complete sellout with 8,032 fans watching the festivities at the Moody Coliseum in Dallas, TX. On Friday, July 19th. Sampras, who has been having troubling times on court recently, went three sets with Roddick before the teen won the night with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 decision.
An auction held in conjunction with the event raised over $100,000 for the charity that assists brain tumor patients and their families. While a racket of Sampras' went for $20,000 and Roddick's went for $8,500, two tickets to Centre Court at Wimbledon along with a personal tour of the NBC broadcast facility with former player and NBC personality John McEnroe went for $11,000.
The Gullikson Foundation also scored a major coup earlier in the month when they lured Stefan Edberg to their Ocean Edge event in New England, where the former champion reportedly gave current tour star Jan-Michael Gambill quite a fight in their exhibition match. Retired for five years, Edberg rarely appears in public these days, but the word is he's been keeping in fit and trim playing condition.

Levy to leave USTA
Bruce Levy, the assistant director, publicity for the USTA, has recently tendered his resignation to the organization and will be leaving sometime this summer. Levy, a valued colleague and friend to the international tennis media, has been with the USTA for over 23-years and will definitely be missed. tennisreporters.net wishes Levy great success in all his future endeavors.