May 03, 2010

Karl Hale- Tennis Canada

Well, Nadal is back in form and going to make the season very interesting. Not only is he back, but Murray and Djokovic are not at their standard which bodes well for a resurgence of the Nadal vs. Federer rivalry! This will be great for our sport. After an incredible year in 2008, we saw the rivalry tail off in 2009 largely due to Nadal's injury. As well, though the clay season is not his forte, Roddick has been on fire. All of this points to another banner year at Rogers Cup presented at National Bank this summer.

I anticipate that with the renewal of the Nadal/Federer rivalry, Roddick back in form and Murray and Djokovic moving back to their preferred hard court surface that we will see some tremendous tennis this summer. Not to forget our very own Daniel Nestor. I had dinner with Daniel recently and he said that he and Zimonjic are not playing their best tennis but are winning matches which is a good sign. Clearly, the No. 1 doubles team on Tour can be playing sub-par and still win championships! Speaking of which, Daniel and I will be going to Jamaica in December to do clinics across the island. I’m really excited about this and it just shows that Daniel is a true ambassador of our sport and Canada!!

Other than tennis, what else can you expect this summer? Well, we are finalizing some very interesting new initiatives on site at Rogers Cup. This includes the addition of several video boards on the grounds. This will enhance the fan experience by allowing you to watch matches on the grounds outside of the stadium. Tentatively, we will have them located near the draw board beside Coronaville and on the south end near the Grandstand Court. We are also finishing up a new and improved (personally, in my experience, I think it's the best) players’ lounge. Players will have computers, Aveda spa services, a snack bar, massages, haircuts etc. all available to them. We will also be holding a big pro am and different celebrity events over the course of Free Family Weekend which is always a popular attraction.

I am off to Wimbledon next month to meet with players and agents. While there, I will also be meeting with the female players and agents. The women's event will be here before you know it and after a very successful 2009 women's event we want to keep that momentum going for 2011.

Til next time,

Karl