The talk around this week’s Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells hasn’t just been about the players, but also about the event last week in Las Vegas that is changing the way many in the industry perceive tennis events. In just its first year, The Tennis Channel Open was as revolutionary as its sponsor, The Tennis Channel, was when it hit the airwaves three years ago. In the men’s singles final, James Blake beat Lleyton Hewitt in three grueling sets in front of a sold-out stadium and Mike and Bob Bryan won the doubles title. The field included some of the world’s best players, including Robbie Ginepri, Mardy Fish, Tommy Robredo, Andy Murray, Gael Monfils, Tommy Haas, Alexandra Stevenson, Jelena Dokic, Ashley Harkleroad and Angela Haynes. What made the event unique, though, were the activities surrounding the many tennis. There were World or National Championships of Paddle Tennis, Table Tennis and Air Hockey. There was motocross jumping, cooking, cheerleaders, Cirque du Soleil, dance troops, the World Championships of Racket Stringing as well as men’s, women’s, junior and college tennis draws. Many of the events drew international attention, including the men’s paddle tennis. After losing his first round match to Jonas Bjorkman, Gael Monfils, whom many in tennis hail as the new Michael Jordan of tennis, started playing paddle tennis all day. He asked for a wildcard into the paddle tennis event and was given the chance to qualify. Monfils ended up playing 19-time World Champion Scott Freedman of Venice in the 1st round. On live International television in 60 countries, Monfils won in three sets on his way to the championship. Beth Bellamy, a former NCAA champ, top 20 WTA player and Palisades mother of four, continued her supremacy in paddle tennis, winning the women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles. In singles, she dropped only one game in the tournament and actually beat Monfils in practice. Haynes, who trains with Beth’s husband Steve in the Palisades, reached the women’s semifinals. ‘Outside of the Olympics, never has there been a situation where you could see so much greatness in one place,” said TCO doubles champion Bob Bryan. “You would be watching the two best air hockey players in the world and then 30 minutes later you would be watching two of the best table tennis players. We are coming back here every year, as it is the most fun we have ever had at a tennis tournament. We knew when Steve [Bellamy] told us about it–it was going to be amazing, but it is the talk of tennis. Every player in tennis wants to come to Las Vegas next year.’ Over 250 professional athletes participated for over $1 million in prize money. ‘One of the neatest parts of the event was how interactive the players became. Because they all wanted to see the stuff happening around the site, players were very accessible to the fans” said Steve Bellamy, The Tennis Channel founder, event organizer and Palisades Tennis Center owner. ‘They always ended up playing table tennis, air hockey, painting or whatever with those stars, which was incredibly cool to watch. Every night at the Mirage you had about 60 players in the casino and the fans got another taste at hanging out with them. It was those things that we hadn’t thought about that made the event so cool for me.’ Next year’s event will house the tennis industry trade show. Retailers and manufacturers will come from all over the world. Visit www.tennischannelopen.com for more information. Tickets for next year’s event will be available in one month.
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