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The boys are back in town – Men play exhibition matches at Rogers Cup in Toronto
Getting bounced early from the Rogers Cup men's tournament may no longer mean taking the next plane to Cincinnati.
In fact, starting from this season onward, you might even get to go to the women's tournament for some extra practice time and also pocket a few more bucks while you're at it.
Feliciano Lopez and Bernard Tomic, both in the top 50 of the world rankings on the ATP Tour, faced each other in an exhibition on Thursday night in Toronto. They lost in the first round in Montreal just a few short days ago but volunteered for the match at Rexall Centre which carried with it a cash incentive.
On Wednesday, Damien Cox of the Toronto Star reported that all first-round losers in Montreal were offered $20,000 plus expenses for the friendly. That's not to shabby considering the take-home for a first-round win in men's singles is just under half of that amount at $9,695.
"We knew during the week of Montreal about this idea," said Lopez, who was genuinely happy to be able to take part in another match in Canada ahead of playing at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati next week.
"The ATP let us know that the two of us would have the chance to come here. The day I lost or the day after - I don't remember, I told the ATP I was interested in coming here because it was a great opportunity for me."
A few eyebrows were raised Wednesday when Tennis Canada announced that they would hold men's exhibitions matches entering the final days of the women's competition.
"This year's men's invitational will serve a test event for potential expansion in future years," the release said.
First-round losers in the women's event such as Venus Williams, were not extended any such offer and there has yet to be any word on a potential future women's invitational.
Also in place is a Legends Cup series that will start Friday when the 99th-ranked player in the world - James Blake, is slated to take on Pete Sampras. Sampras is one of three legends that will play in Toronto this weekend. John McEnroe and Jim Courier will also compete.
Cox's Toronto Star colleague Kerry Gillespie also weighed in on Wednesday:
"... It’s an attempt, Tennis Canada says, to bring the two Rogers Cup tournaments held the same week in different cities, closer together for fans," she writes.
It gives 'fans in Toronto a chance to see players from both tournaments in the flesh,' Michael Downey, president and CEO of Tennis Canada is quoted as saying.
However, as Gillespie points out - there are no such exhibitions reciprocated for the women, legends or otherwise.
"...the only female “flesh” on display at the men’s tournament in Montreal was Aleksandra Wozniak and the injured Canadian wasn’t playing at the Uniprix Stadium, just signing autographs for fans."
The women's main draw was certainly missing some notable players in 2013.
Top-five seeds Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka pulled out before play began. Venus Williams - a crowd favourite but whose game has slipped because of illness - was ousted in the first round and hopes for a long run this week by rising Canadian star Eugenie Bouchard fizzled with her second-round loss to defending champion Petra Kvitova. Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli pulled out of her match Thursday with an injury.
The presence of Courier, McEnroe and Sampras should help the gate along with garnering more interest but the optics along with the timing of the announcement were not optimal for Tennis Canada (which was still running ads in Toronto papers on Friday to let folks know there are still tickets for the final weekend).
As Gillespie explains:
"The concept that what women’s tennis needs is more men seems a particularly odd one in the year that the WTA is celebrating its 40th anniversary with appearances by its founder, Billie Jean King, who played — and beat — Bobby Riggs in a “battle of the sexes” match to boost women’s tennis."
