While Andre Agassi is attracted to the Countrywide Classic
because the courts are a source of comfort, the rest of the field
is playing here for something a little more tangible.
The Countrywide Classic is one of 10 tour events in the U.S.
Open Series which has changed its points system in hopes of
attracting top players at lesser-known events such as the one to be
held at UCLA this week.
The U.S. Open Series is the six-week summer tennis season
linking 10 ATP Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour tournaments
together, leading into the U.S. Open.
Each player’s seeding in the U.S. Open is influenced by
his point total amassed in the series.
The series was created in 2004 as a way to nationally televise
more American tennis tournaments, as opposed to having four highly
anticipated Grand Slam titles and a slew of obscure domestic
events.
The series has been given a slight face-lift this year with the
point distribution. The points have been balanced more evenly
between the 10 tournaments to give every event some statistical
relevance. On paper, more elite players are encouraged to play at
more events to earn an all-coveted top seed at the U.S. Open in
Flushings, N.Y. at the end of summer.
The U.S. Open Series Lever 2000 Challenge gives players the
opportunity to win bonus prize money to spread the wealth of
American tennis titles. Although the $500,000 purse for the
Countrywide Classic pales in comparison to that of the four Grand
Slams, the increase does reward players who grind out more events
on the tour.
The new format is designed to draw the biggest names in tennis
to events like the Countrywide Classic. This is the latest
alteration to an ever-evolving U.S. Open series that is aimed at
reclaiming the popularity of American tennis.
“It’s helping,” Countrywide Classic Tournament
Director Bob Kramer said. “It works out there. People saw
Lleyton Hewitt get his prize money doubled. But also just the U.S.
Open series being televised widely gets players a lot of
exposure.”
All these changes have been put into effect this year mainly
because the star turnout in 2004 and 2005 wasn’t as high as
the ATP would have hoped.
In 2005, Andy Roddick won the U.S. Open series with 120 points,
with Agassi coming in second with 105. Swiss superstar Roger
Federer only came in third, primarily due to the fact that he just
didn’t compete in enough ATP events to capture the most
points.
Yet Federer is the most recognizable figure in men’s and
women’s tennis because of his success in Grand Slams. The
developers of the new point system and prize changes to the U.S.
Open series are fighting an uphill battle by trying to level the
international courts.
However, there is a window for optimism. Roddick is a late
addition to the Countrywide Classic, accepting a wild-card entry on
Saturday. Roddick decided to play in Los Angeles following his
final matchup with James Blake in the RCA Championships in
Indianapolis. Looking to boost his seed going into the U.S. Open,
playing in more series events can’t hurt.
“Andy’s looking forward to getting himself
together,” Kramer said. “He’s fallen off just a
bit from where he was a few years ago. … Having him here is great
because it’s an American event and he is one of the great
American players.”