This Return Is Open-Ended

If one headline dominated tennis in 2003, dwarfing all other news, this would suffice as the best nomination ... even if there are more than four months remaining: SAMPRAS WITHDRAWS FROM TOURNAMENT.

Sports departments coast to coast, perhaps internationally, probably have this standing headline ready at all times. All you have to do is change the name of the event and the disappointed tournament director of the week.

Now, there could be an update for an upcoming tournament in need of some star power, having to move forward without the likes of defending champion Serena Williams, defending diva Anna Kournikova and Monica Seles and maybe even without two-time champion Venus Williams

SAMPRAS RETURNS.

Now, let’s look at the fine print. Pete Sampras might be considering a return to the U.S. Open next week, but not to play. Open officials would like to do something to honor Sampras, rightly recognizing the need for closure.

For Sampras, the Open is where it all started with his first Grand Slam title in 1990 and all but ended last year with his last singles championship in New York, the goose-bump finale against his biggest rival, Andre Agassi.

It’s not easy to plan a night for someone who has an aversion to farewell tours. He never wanted a goodbye, not like some that seem to last longer than most pregnancies.

So put the opening Monday night, or any Open night, in pencil -- not ink -- for Sampras’ farewell. His all-but-retirement party would be best measured by an egg timer, not a calendar. The old phrase “New York minute” might be appropriate here.

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Open Season

It’s hard to designate someone who has never won a Grand Slam as a lock, but who is a better bet to win the U.S. Open than Andy Roddick? Three titles in his last four tournaments and a 30-2 record with new coach Brad Gilbert make it hard to pick against Roddick, especially when looking at the recent records of four top challengers:

* Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, the Open champion in 2001, lost in the first round of the Masters Series event in Cincinnati last week, and has won seven matches in five tournaments, four of them at the Los Angeles event at UCLA.

* Roger Federer of Switzerland, the Wimbledon champion, whose best showing since winning at the All England Club was on clay, losing in the final at Gstaad, Switzerland. He lost to Roddick in a compelling three-set semifinal at Montreal and followed with an early exit at Cincinnati, losing 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) to David Nalbandian. The Argentine has not lost to Federer in four meetings.

* Mark Philippoussis of Australia, the runner-up at Wimbledon, has not done much since losing to Wayne Ferreira of South Africa in the semifinals at UCLA. He pulled out of the Montreal tournament because of flu and then lost to Mardy Fish in the first round at Cincinnati.

* Agassi, the two-time Open champion, has been relatively quiet this summer. Most recently, he lost in the semifinals at Washington to Fernando Gonzalez of Chile and at Montreal to Rainer Schuettler of Germany, and pulled out of Cincinnati. Still, the 33-year-old will be the top-seeded player at the Open, ahead of Federer.

There has to be at least one disclaimer about form heading into a Slam. Remember the guy who lost to Paul-Henri Mathieu of France in the second round of his last event before the U.S. Open last year?

It was none other than Sampras.

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Glancing Back

A lot can be said about the lack of attendance at Carson for the recently completed women’s tournament. But wasn’t it stated in no uncertain terms after last year’s debacle at Staples Center?

Didn’t anyone learn anything? In fairness, unlike the season-ending WTA Championships in November, the Carson event did not have Serena or Venus Williams. At one point, officials were fairly confident both Williams sisters would play in the tournament.

Carson tournament director Gus Sampras said he spent 25% more on marketing and advertising than he did in 2002.

That’s fine. But it was always going to be a tough sell in the first year, moving from Manhattan Beach to Carson. The way not to go, the way not to bring in new fans, was to charge high prices for parking, food and beverages.

Hot sun and almost no shade, unfortunately, came along with the price of a ticket.

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Recommended Reading

If there is room for one book next to the TV remote and mandatory snacks during the upcoming U.S. Open, it should be the recently released “Bud Collins Total Tennis, the Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia.” A recap of 1963? It’s here. Chuck McKinley won Wimbledon, and the Federation Cup (now Fed Cup) was started, pulling in 16 countries for the first competition.

Esna Boyd? She was born in 1901 in Melbourne, Australia, won the Australian Championships in 1927 and finished 1928 ranked No. 10.

The publisher is SportsClassic Books.