[tennisbiz] Wildcards

I wrote a story when this happened at the U.S. Open last year.
(http://www.collegeandjuniortennis.com/MatiasBoeker01.htm) '

After over 30 years of automatically giving wildcards into the US Open main
draw to NCAA winners, the USTA decided not to do it in 2001. Unfortunately,
this was not widely publicized and everyone was left thinking that Matias
Boeker didn't get the wildcard because he wasn't American born. That may
have also had something to do with it, but the fact was that the USTA, like
most organizations governing tournaments, wants the discretion to give out
there wildcards based on a variety of factors. Not the least of these
factors is marketability. For example, how many people crowded to see Ashley
Harkleroad (a wildcard entry)? It wasn't because of her place in the
standings (I believe it was around 300 at that time) or her winning at major
events (none).

Marcia Frost
http://www.CollegeAndJuniorTennis.com

 
Received on Thu May 30 2002 - 07:48:27 CDT