NEW YORK -- The U.S. Tennis Association has considered expanding the U.S. Open to a 15-day tournament.
That could be done by beginning a day earlier, on a Sunday, or finishing a day later, on a Monday.
Potential advantages would be the possibility of a day off during the middle weekend -- a la Wimbledon -- or giving an extra 24 hours of rest to the men's finalist. Under the current format, the men's semifinals are on the last Saturday of the Open, and the men's final is on the last Sunday.
"We've thought about it as an option. If this can help the sport, we would consider it," said Arlen Kantarian, the USTA's chief executive for pro tennis. "It's one of several ideas that have been considered. We've got to reinvent the way we've been doing things."
Even if adopted, a new schedule wouldn't be instituted before 2005.
FED CUP
The International Tennis Federation announced Wednesday that Moscow has been selected as the site for the semifinals and final matches of this year's Fed Cup.
The Russian Tennis Federation bid was chosen over one by Belgium and accepted subject to the signing of a promoter.
Belgium will play the United States and France faces Russia in the Fed Cup semis the week of Nov. 17. The matches are scheduled for an indoor carpet surface at the 12,000-seat Olympic Stadium in Moscow.
TEAMING WITH MARTINA
Russian teen Svetlana Kuznetsova doesn't have to look far for extra coaching and mentoring. Her doubles partner is Martina Navratilova.
The 18-year-old Kuznetsova teamed up with the 46-year-old Navratilova earlier this year after the Russian's previous partner, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, retired.
Kuznetsova admires Navratilova's ability to volley.
"The more we play together, the more we understand each other and the more I know things I have to do," Kuznetsova said. "In the start, she couldn't tell me a lot of things to do because we didn't have confidence with each other."
THROWBACK SERVER
If it's all the same to the manufacturers, Mark Philippoussis would like tennis equipment left alone.
Critics claim racket technology is changing the sport, turning every player into a big hitter.
"I've worked hard since I was 14 years old to have a big serve," he said. "All of a sudden, you're going to take that away from me, give me a wooden racket or a wooden ball? That's where it's unfair."
And what about his equipment?
"I use a racket they stopped making six years ago," he said. "I feel like I'm hitting the ball pretty hard with that."
LONG ISLAND WOES
Last week's U.S. Open warmup tournament at Commack, N.Y., left some players hurting.
Paradorn Srichaphan, who won the event, left the Waterhouse Cup feeling ill and was still sick during Tuesday's first-round Open victory over Cyril Saulnier. He was treated with inhalers by ATP trainer Doug Spreen.
Then, on Wednesday, Spreen was back on the court, treating Jose Acasuso for a strained groin. The injury forced Acasuso to retire in the fourth set against Roger Federer, a disappointing ending for him after he won the first set from the Wimbledon champion.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Daniela Hantuchova breezed through the first set against Julia Vakulenko 6-0 and then struggled through the second set before prevailing, 7-6 (5). As the match went on, she seemed to be getting increasingly angry with herself.
"I just felt like I should have already been out of the court much earlier," she said. "I felt like I was giving her another chance. I just wanted to finish it as soon as I could."
At one point, she threw her racket.
"I was not angry on her," Hantuchova explained. "I mean I was a little bit angry with myself that I haven't finished the match in an easier way. And, in a way, it started to remind me a little bit of my Wimbledon match."
At that event, she blew a 5-2 lead in the final set, failed to convert three match points and lost to Shinobu Asagoe, 0-6, 6-4, 12-10.
"That's why I got a little bit tight, because I suddenly had that feeling again," she said. "I just wanted to finish this match in two sets, no matter how difficult it was going to get."
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