Return of Service, Please! – By Craig Cignarelli

Written by: Staff on 23rd December 2012

Return of Service, Please! - By Craig Cignarelli |

Southern California is the ginger step-child of U.S. tennis, often breaking with the national rules and developing maverick systems that let its players flourish. As evidence, see three-fourths of the current U.S Davis Cup team and those two feminine beauts from Compton. See those first-name-only fellas, Michael and Pete and Andre (played most of the SoCal junior tournaments). Also note the last four men’s NCAA championships, and a few women’s ones to boot, although we gotta throw a kick up North to Stanford University for a few more titles over the years, but they do a lot of recruiting of SoCal players so….

LA is sort of a tennis mecca, and has been for several decades. But, this year, in July, we are going to have a hole at the apex of our sport. The LA Open is gone, sold off to a place better known for its cartels than its athletic connoisseurism. After Pete and Andre, the tournament had a rough go. Calendarically-placed upon the grassy heels of Wimbledon, and too far ahead of the US Open, the tournament was unable to draw the big name competitors without offering substantial appearance fees. Factor in the multitudinous entertainment venues in this here City of Angels, and getting folks to show up to watch tennis matches was about as easy as getting Rosie O’Donnell to hit the tofu section in the local market – sure it’s good for them but it just ain’t gonna happen.

But I think we can change that.

On any given Sunday, male Hollywood executives gather their overpriced canvas footwear and faux-terrycloth headbands in preparation to battle for athletic supremacy. Meanwhile, thinly-clad spouses grab super sized racket frames and set down their Sippie-cup green drinks as they attempt to re-invent the service motion. Small children run poolside making fierce faces and scream things like “ My Dad has a better forehand than your Dad” while younger brothers urinate in the water. The point is, tennis is part of L.A’s fabric, and the loss of this tournament will do significant damage to this community. Sure, no one really attends the event to watch the tennis, but we talk about it, stop by to sit in the stands and be seen for an hour as we slather on sunscreen and slurp down lemonade ices and mock the thousand-dollar-per-ticket buyers two rows in front of us. We may not appreciate it for the right reasons, but we need our tennis!

So, as I sit here trying to perform a few last random acts of kindness – to push myself onto the NICE list – in the waning hours before the big fella attempts to squeeze his red-suited derriere down my chimney, I’m making one last Christmas wish. Please bring a professional tennis tournament back to Los Angeles. I know we can get people to show up. If Honey Boo Boo can attract viewers, I’m sure we will find a way.

Topics: Andre Agassi, Honey Boo Boo and tennis, Los Angeles tennis news, Michael Chang, Pete Sampras, Southern Californai Tennis, Sports, Tennis News, U.S Davis Cup, US Open