Proposed Complex Is Tempting

Tournament directors Bob Kramer and Jim Curley are in a bit of a quandary.

They have successful summer events in Southern California. Kramer runs the Mercedes-Benz Cup at UCLA’s Los Angeles Tennis Center, which featured Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi in last year’s final. This year, Agassi, Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil and Michael Chang are among the early entrants.

Curley, of the management agency IMG, is in charge at Manhattan Beach. The women’s tournament, formerly known as the Acura Classic, is now the estyle.com Classic and has had the top two players in the world, Martina Hingis and Lindsay Davenport, in the field the last three years.

Hingis and defending champion Serena Williams are expected to return this year.

UCLA has a loyal fan base. The same can be said for Manhattan Beach. And the players and spectators like the intimate setting at the Manhattan Country Club, a short stroll for the competitors from the nearby tournament hotel.

Which is why Kramer and Curley expressed cautious interest when asked about the proposed $100-million tennis/soccer complex at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson.

They don’t want to alienate their current homes or fans with a huge show of enthusiasm, but it certainly makes sense to listen to plans for a project backed by the deep pockets of Denver billionaire Phil Anschutz, owner of the Kings and Galaxy. Anschutz, after all, was able to get something done after many years of talk and proposals, in putting up Staples Center, the new home for the Kings, Lakers and Clippers.

Curley and other IMG officials had an initial meeting with Galaxy and Staples Center President Tim Leiweke a couple of weeks ago. Kramer and Southern California Tennis Assn. officials are expected to do the same. The first Kramer learned about the project was from a newspaper.

“When I read the story I was as surprised as anybody,� Kramer said.

The tennis stadium would seat 12,000, making it the biggest in Los Angeles. In the desert, the stadium at the Tennis Garden in Indian Wells has a capacity of 16,100. There would also be eight practice courts and one show court adjacent to the stadium.

Key to the success of the tennis complex would be a WTA and/or ATP tournament. Of particular interest to IMG is a plan for a West Coast tennis academy.

“When someone wants to make a $25-million investment in L.A. tennis, you listen,� Curley said.

The women’s tournament has three more years left on its agreement with the Manhattan Country Club, he said.

“If it were to happen, it wouldn’t happen for years,� Curley said of a potential move to Carson. “We don’t want the club to think we’re going to do anything but honor our agreement. The Manhattan Country Club has been very good to us.�

WIMBLEDON REUNION

Legend Jack Kramer, who did the draw at the Davis Cup match last month between the United States and the Czech Republic, had the misfortune of breaking his right leg again earlier this month when he was in Texas for his grandson’s graduation from Texas Christian, Bob Kramer said.

He had to spend five days in the hospital and missed the graduation. But Bob Kramer found a way to bring the ceremony to the hospital, saying: “I had him on the cell phone.�

The break is not as serious as the one he suffered in December. And Bob Kramer said his father is motivated by another goal--to return to Wimbledon for a reunion of players. He has little doubt his father will make it to the All England Club.

“He’s very disciplined,� Bob Kramer said. “He does exactly what the doctor tells him to do.�

WORLD-CLASS SLUMP

How does an elite player manage to go nearly five months without winning a match on the tour?

Just ask Vince Spadea. Well, maybe not.

Spadea was coming off a respectable ’99 season, reaching a career-high No. 19 in September. He upset Agassi on the way to a spot in the Australian Open quarterfinals and later reached the final at Indianapolis and the fourth round at the U.S. Open.

Amazingly, Spadea is 0-12 in 2000. He hit No. 12 on Sunday at the ATP World Team Championships in Dusseldorf, Germany, losing 6-3, 6-3 to Karol Kucera of Slovakia. Of his 12 losses, eight have been in straight sets.

CUP UPDATE

After various twists and turns, the new-format Fed Cup appears to have landed in Las Vegas in November. Earlier this year, it seemed as if the event was headed to The Palisades Club in Newport Beach, aided by a big push from Orange County resident Davenport.

The four teams competing are the United States, Spain, Belgium and the Czech Republic. Last year, the United States defeated Russia in the final at Stanford. The team was so strong--Davenport, Venus and Serena Williams--that Monica Seles found herself relegated to the bench.