Business Bits: CNN Loves London Tennis, Hewitt's Not Done

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Business Bits: CNN Loves London Tennis, Hewitt's Not Done

By Nicholas McCarvel

(November 14, 2012) -- NEWS OF THE WEEK:

Tennis’ Austerity-Beating Gameplan: What global economic crisis? CNN went in-depth in a piece out Tuesday about what a glowing event the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London was, particularly in a part of London that has suffered from massive unemployment. The tournament, in London since 2009, celebrated its one millionth attendee this year and gave the city a pat on its back for a successful trio of tennis tournaments in 2012: Wimbledon, the London Olympics and the finals. “The ATP and its 62 tournaments are now generating more than half a billion dollars annually,” ATP exec Brad Drewett told CNN. “We are in our strongest financial position ever and we have the biggest and best group of corporate partners ever involved in the game.” And more good news for the finals: revenue is up 165 percent since 2009 while both Ricoh and Barclays extended sponsorship deals. London booked the event for two more years, which the city is celebrating, but Sports Illustrated’s Courtney Nguyen says was a missed chance by the ATP to cash in on the tour’s stars elsewhere. Should it stay in London permanently? Boris Becker and journalist Neil Harman expressed in the piece they think it should.

The Case of ‘Who Dun It?’ Remember the bizarre case of the U.S. Open official who was arrested in her Manhattan hotel days before the tournament started and charged with the murder of her 80-year-old husband…with a coffee cup? Well, the case is still developing, and a few weeks ago Lois Goodman, 70, was said to have passed a lie-detector test. Last Thursday her lawyer announced that a study commissioned by the defense had shown that none of her DNA was found on the coffee cup believed to have been used by her to kill her hubby. The defense says the lab results further support its case that Mrs. Goodman’s husband fell down a flight of stairs and landed on the cup, leaving chards of it in his skull, rather than her hitting him with it. There’s no Hawkeye on this one, folks. We can only watch it unfold in real time.

Lleyton’s Love Affair (With Tennis): Don’t count Lleyton Hewitt out just yet, folks. The former world No. 1 is trudging along the tennis ranks for all of 2013, and says that he will play the 2014 Australian Open, as well. After that? Who knows. But the 31-year-old Hewitt told Fox Sports in Australia that he feels better fitness-wise than he did a year ago. It was earlier this year that Hewitt, now ranked No. 82, making a stirring run to the quarterfinals in front of an inspired crowd in Melbourne. He was ranked as low as No. 205 this year, and hasn’t won a title since Halle in 2010.

Paddle’s Popularity: Paddle tennis -- similar to the sport Andy Murray tried in that cool HEAD video -- is making waves in the U.S. Reportedly the fastest-growing racquet sport in the country, the sport is now making its way to college campuses, including sports-crazed University of North Carolina. The university hosted a pro-am event Sunday and hosted professionals Mark Fischl, Scott Falatek, Vlatko Najdek, and Jerry Albrikes. Are they the sport’s the answer to the Roger-Rafa-Nole-Andy quartet? Perhaps.

Itty bits: James Blake, a married man! The American tennis star wed the mother of his five-month-old daughter this past weekend, he and longtime-girlfriend Emily Snyder tying the knot in Del Mar, Calif. Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish, and John Isner were all said to have been in attendance. | David Ferrer’s season isn’t done: he’ll lead Spain this weekend in the Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic. The New York Times’ Christopher Clarey on “The 5th Man’s” big year. | Players and officials at the TennisVal academy in Valencia, Spain, have officially severed ties with Luis Garcia del Moral, the Spanish doctor who was linked to helping Lance Armstrong pass doping tests during his Tour de France victories. Sara Errani was the most well-known player to have a link to del Moral and weeks ago said she wasn’t working with him any longer, saying “his name is not [a] good name.” Meanwhile, the ITF told the Associated Press Tuesday it was considering a more stringent doping program, similar to the one used in cycling and track and field. | Taking a cue from the U.S. Open’s successful national playoff program, the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships is again holding its “Survivor Series,” this year slated for Nov. 17-20. The pre-qualifying event gives the winner a slot in the ATP event’s qualifying draw. | Rod Laver’s wife, Mary Laver, died at the age of 84 Monday at the couple’s home in Carlsbad, Calif. She had battled illness for a long time. | Venus Williams speaks to an all-girls school in Chatham, Va. | Jack Sock: American on the rise, currently ranked No. 165 and climbing. Romana Cvitkovic reports on Sock for USA Today. | Pippa Middleton’s book sales? Looking bad. Pippa Middleton at the World Tour Finals final? Looking good. | EA’s Grand Slam Tennis 2 is out and gets a nine out of 10 from WorthPlaying.com. From the looks of the graphics, we’d say it’s worth playing, too! | The ATP announced a five-year deal with HEAD, extending the brand’s presence as the official ball on tour and at the World Tour Finals. The deal, which originated in 1994, will go through 2017.

Move over, Anna Wintour! These two adorable furry fans are tennis’ new most famous spectators. A video titled “Kittens Watching Tennis” was posted to YouTube Friday. Already it has almost 400,000 views and is garnering media attention. Watch: