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Short sets

• Just before the French Open, pro player James Blake went back to Dunlop Sports Group. He’ll play with a Dunlop Aerogel racquet. Blake was with Prince for the last 18 months, and helped that company develop new frames.

• The director-general of the French Tennis Federation says that he is optimistic that Roland Garros could have a retractable roof over a nearly 15,000-seat court within four years. Jean-Francois Vilotte told the Associated Press that negotiations with the Paris city council have been positive. He said construction could start in 2008 at an estimated cost of $234 million.

• The U.S. will meet Russia July 14-15 in a Fed Cup semifinal match, to be played at the Topnotch Resort and Spa in Stowe, Vt. The USTA will build a 3,000-seat venue next to the existing indoor tennis facility at Topnotch. For tickets for the two-day, best-of-five match series, call 888-334-USTA (8782). Tickets will be sold as a two-day series with prices ranging from $35 to $250, with VIP packages available.

• Lee Tennis, the maker of Har-Tru, launched its first national TV partnership with the Tennis Channel’s coverage of the French Open in May and June. Lee endorsed live in-match features, custom vignettes, and billboards. “We’re excited about this opportunity to educate, inform, and inspire … to demonstrate our commitment to the clay-court community,” says John Welborn, Lee’s director of business development.

• The fall version of the USPTA Texas Southwest Tennis Buying Show will be Aug. 24-25 at the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center, near DFW airport. For information on buying a booth, call Jenny Gray at 903-561-3014 or e-mail gray.jenny@hotmail.com. Hotel rates are $99 per night for USPTA members, vendors and buyers. To get the special room rate, call 800-243-3105 and mention USPTA Texas.

• “On Court with USPTA,” the cable TV show produced by the USPTA, received the Award of Distinction in the Videographer Awards 2007 competition. The award-winning episode “Tennis — In the Balance,” which aired on The Tennis Channel, won in the category of TV programs/sports. “On Court” is a 20-minute instructional show featuring USPTA-certified pros as guest instructors.

• USTA Members who upgrade to a five-year membership will receive one year free, plus a US Open Sports Bag. Call 800-990-8782 and use code 2678 for this offer, which is available while supplies last and valid until Dec. 31.

• The USTA Tennis & Education Foundation awarded $288,160 to 17 programs throughout the country during its Spring grant cycle. Grants ranged in size from $7,660 to $50,000.

• The USTA announced that the 2008 U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships will move to the River Oaks Country Club in Houston. The event has been held for the last seven years at Houston’s Westside Tennis Club.

From the July 2007 issue
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