De Villiers Taking Heat

Ft. Lauderdale's Sun-Sentinel first reported that a letter of discontent regarding ATP Chairman Etienne de Villiers was circulating at Key Biscayne last week. I confirmed the report about the brewing mutiny. Here is a near-verbatim copy of the letter as described to me by a person familiar with it:

Dear Player Council and Player Board Representatives:

We the undersigned players request that our voice be heard and our input be sought on the future discussions of the future ATP CEO /Chairman of the board position.

As you have been elected by us, the players, it is important that we are part of the discussions on Etienne de Villiers’ future. Like in many of your current decisions, we would like to see different options. Therefore, we request that other potential candidates are identified, interviewed and assessed prior to any vote taking place on the board in regard to Etienne’s future.

Men’s tennis is a very hot property at the current time. Thus we require an open and transparent process, a process of which Etienne will be part, in order to identify as strong and effective a leader for our sport.

Signed: 

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Nikolay Davydenko, David Ferrer, Andy Roddick, David Nalbadian, Richard Gasquet, James Blake, Tomas Berdych, Mikhail Youzhny, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Andy Murray, Tommy Robredo, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Juan Monaco.

The petition lacks just three players from last week's top 20: Guillermo Canas, Marcos Baghdatis and Ivo Karlovic. I was told the only reason they didn’t sign is because they weren’t available.

What does the letter mean? Well, for starters, it denotes a lack of communication and growing dissatisfaction with the job de Villiers is doing. Obviously, he’s taken his lumps with the failed round-robin experiment, the Hamburg lawsuit and the seemingly endless Sopot investigation (and possible lawsuit from Davydenko). He’s had his triumphs too, such as the revamped doubles scoring, and prize money is up 30% on his watch.

De Villiers has long maintained that if he could no longer affect change or loses support of the players and board, he would quit. He doesn't need the money. Surely, he doesn't need the headache. Frankly, I’m surprised he’s lasted as long as he has. De Villiers has long maintained that if he could no longer affect change or lost support of the players and board, he would quit. Frankly, I’m surprised he’s lasted as long as he has.

I don’t know if this is a negotiating tactic or something deeper, but it could be that the players have lost faith in the three reps on the board, former doubles pro Jacco Eltingh, Andre Agassi’s agent Perry Rogers and Iggy Jovanovic, who was not a touring pro but worked for the ATP.

One top agent told me the players feel the board is stacked in de Villiers’ favor and that their voice is simply being ignored. Players were also alarmed by rumors that negotiations on extending de Villiers contract had already begun at Indian Wells - without the proper transparency. Stay tuned – this could get messy. Then again, this is the dysfunctional family called tennis.

DAVIS CUP: Hobbled France Needs a Miracle or Something Close

I thought the young, talented and versatile French Davis Cup team had a decent chance to upend the defending champs from the U.S., but with Tsonga pulling out with a knee injury (a torn meniscus, which could require surgery), I no longer think so. The flashy Australian Open finalist was the one wild card I thought could tip the balance if he got hot.

With Michael Llodra and Mathieu playing singles and Llodra-Arnaud Clement teaming up for doubles, the Yank squad of Andy Roddick, James Blake and the Bryans will be favored in every match (even though the Bryan twins lost to Llodra-Clement in last year’s Wimbledon final). Not heavily favored, mind you, but favored. Plus, they’ll have the home court advantage and a super slick hard court. I can see the Frenchmen pulling an upset or two, but not three. The deck, as it turns out, is a little too stacked. I predict a 4-1 U.S. quarterfinal victory.

Speaking of Davis Cup, I applaud the ITF and ATP’s decision to award ranking points starting in 2009, which was announced earlier this week. Anything that adds relevancy and weight to Davis Cup is a welcome development for the often stirring but more often struggling team competition. But will it convince guys like Federer or Nadal to forgo their primary pursuits – Grand Slams - for team glory? I seriously doubt it. And it doesn’t resolve the major problem with Davis Cup – the far-flung and overly extended format, which to most of the viewing public is essentially incomprehensible. 

Venus: Anemia?

In other developments, sixth-ranked Venus Williams mysteriously pulled out of events in Amelia Island, Fla., and Charleston, S.C., to undergo medical testing for an unnamed ailment. Her agent, Carlos Fleming, was quoted in news stories as saying there was “no serious” medical problem and that she was not taking a “hiatus.” There were rumors floating around at the Australian Open that Venus was suffering from something. Following her loss to Justine Henin at last year’s U.S. Open, Venus’ mother, Oracene Price, told reporters that her daughter had been diagnosed with anemia after her win at Wimbledon. Could the same condition be affecting her again?

Roddick-Robson Rumble?

Some of my colleagues have suggested that Roddick took a veiled swipe at me during one of his press conferences at Key Biscayne. I wrote about the Roddick-Connors split on my blog while at Indian Wells where, for the record, Roddick lost before I arrived, so I didn’t see him. I didn’t attend Key Biscayne.

Here’s the exchange (courtesy of ASAP Sports): 

Q.  You've been very complimentary and respectful of Jimmy Connors, especially talking about how he's helped your backhand.  Do you take even more pride in this accomplishment that you did it with just your brother in your corner?

        ANDY RODDICK:  I don't know.  To be honest, I hadn't really thought about it until you just said something.  You know, I know there are some journalists to write a story about why Jimmy and I break up and then head for the hills and don't show up for the next tournament.

        I think that's kind of cowardly, but I promise you, Jimmy and I are still on great terms.

In my posting, I never suggested he and Connors were not on good terms. Then again, maybe I’m being narcissistic to think Roddick is reading my blog. Besides, it was others who pointed it out to me. I never would have noticed it otherwise.

Andy, if you’re reading, can you weigh in?