I actually got to attend the Bausch and Laumb event that just past and got to sit front row right behind the players for nearly the whole tournament that Russian Maria Sharapova defeated rising star Dominika Cibulkova in the final. It's actually a really cool tournament and since I was sporting a Florida Gator Tennis shirt the ballboys loved it and hooked me up with the players drinks out of their hopper next to their chairs all tournament long. I met a lot of the WTA players and coaches because they would just walk around the tournament grounds like they were just watching the tournament. I even nearly persuaded Amelie Mauresmo and another American doubles girl to hit with me. It was not like the Cincinnati Masters where the players were more protected. It was like when Lincoln just walked around the community without security and anyone could approach him. The gossip around the tournament was that they were going to lose their prestige and not take any players in the top 10 next year because they were going to reduce the prize money from pressure of the WTA and that means only less ranked players would be playing in the tournament. In laymens terms, the tournament was going to be lame next year and this was the last good year to go.An added twist hit the media recently and the Sawgrass Club in Ponte Vedra Beach is vying for the event. It would be a minor shame because the centre court at Amelia is one of the most beautiful sites and courts I have ever been to with a giant tree partially covering the stands and the court with the sun rising from the far side of the court early in the day. It was an incredibly great aesthitic view with great value. The tournament has been played in Amelia since 1980. The catch is to find a new sponsor to cough up at least 700,000 a year and sign at least a 3 year contract, which is what Bausch and Laumb was under for the past 22 years. This is not definite yet and I am sure Amelia will fight and hustle to keep the tourney but the word is out and PVB (Ponte Vedra Beach) is trying to make it happen and probably will.
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