Special from
Zoo Tennis
| Share: |  |
|  | |
|
|
Although 2021 provided a return to something akin to a normal tennis calendar, there is still a question of what impact the pandemic (and vaccination status) will have on tournaments in 2022. I've avoided addressing that in the eight questions below, but it should be acknowledged. Here's last year's questions, whose answers include yes, no and maybe.
Who will replace Michael Dowse as the USTA's CEO and Executive Director?
December's announcement of Dowse's resignation after less than two years came as a shock to nearly everyone in the tennis community, as most had expected a tenure more in line with the 12 years predecessor Gordon Smith had spent in the position. Dowse made major cuts throughout the organization, including slashing staff and budgets at Player Development, with the loss of revenue from the fan-less 2020 US Open accelerating that process. Dowse, the former president of Wilson, brought a private industry orientation to the job. Will the current board seek a similar background for his replacement, or look for someone from the inside?
Former UCLA All-American Maxime Cressy
© Pete Staples/USTA
Will Maxime Cressy become the top ranked former collegian on the ATP Tour this year?
There is little doubt that recency bias has played its part in including this question, as less than a month ago, the former UCLA Bruin was outside the Top 100 and there were 11 former collegians above him in the ATP rankings. But after reaching his first ATP final in Melbourne and his first round of 16 at a major at the Australian Open, the Paris-born 24-year-old will be in the Top 60, behind only five of this cohort. Those five include Top 20 stalwart John Isner, a former Georgia star, and TCU alum Cameron Norrie, who soared into the Top 15 in 2021. But Cressy's unique serve-and-volley game and an unshakeable belief that he belongs at the top of the tour could propel him to their heights in 2022.
