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Later Start Time Is Proposed to Reduce the Heat

The sweltering day sessions that have long defined the Legg Mason Tennis Classic may soon be a thing of the past, tournament officials said yesterday.

The plan being considered would create one 4 p.m. session that would last until 11 p.m. or midnight, said tournament founder Donald Dell. It also would require the use of an existing fifth court that would need improved lighting.

Four courts were used this year, with two sessions held Monday through Friday beginning at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. The proposed changes come in response to temperatures that reached 110 degrees on the court for each of this year’s day sessions.

"It’s just gotten so hot," Dell said. "Maybe this is a bad week ... but when you look around, players would rather play at night and fans would rather watch at night."

Dell said that although there are no plans to reduce the 64-player draw, "I just think we need to jazz it up and change the focus of the tournament a little bit, and I think it’s good for everyone."

This year’s nine-day event drew 80,010 to William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center — a 14 percent increase over last year — but none of the matches sold out, which tournament director Kari Mutscheller said was disappointing. Even Andre Agassi failed to sell out the 7,500-seat stadium when he was eliminated in his first match Wednesday night.

Although last year’s event drew nine of the top 30 players in the ATP rankings, the best in this year’s field were Michael Chang (second), the Czech Republic’s Petr Korda (21st) and Agassi (31st). Mutscheller said next year’s field should improve.

"I think the night play will help," she said. "There was also some tournament movement the weeks after us. Some tournaments were flipping dates, which sort of left a little bit of uncertainty, and people had to see what was happening with their schedules. I think when that has settled itself, we’ll get back to where we normally should be and have been in past years."

On the Clay
Scott Lipsky of Merrick, N.Y., won the USTA boys clay-court championships with a 6-3, 6-7 (7-4), 6-2 win over David Lingman of Irvine, Calif.

In the consolation match, two-time All-Met Yorke Allen of Potomac School defeated Bo Hodge of Athens, Ga., 6-7 (7-5), 6-4, 6-4. ...

The fastest recorded serve at the Legg Mason was 129 mph, courtesy of 13th seed Justin Gimelstob and qualifier Michael Tebbutt of Australia.

Luke Jensen and eighth-seeded Tommy Haas of Germany reached 128 mph. Champion Michael Chang’s fastest was 123 mph.

© Copyright 1997 The Washington Post Company

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