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CNN Live Sunday
U.S. Open To Be Played Without Williams Sisters
Aired August 24, 2003 - 18:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: If you're a sports fan you know that the U.S. Open doesn't actually begin until tomorrow. It's already generating some major buzz for many tennis fans. It's not about who is playing this year but who won't be.
CNN's Michael Okwu has a preview of the tournament.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the first time since 1971, the U.S. Open will be played without a defending champion. Serena Williams, today's most dominant woman is out with a knee injury and Pete Sampras, arguably the most dominant player ever is set to announce his retirement during Monday night's opening ceremony.
CHRIS EVERT, FMR. GRAND SLAM CHAMPION: I think it makes the field completely open. There's just a lot of speculation. I think it makes it more interesting for a tournament.
CHANDA RUBIN, TENNIS PLAYER: You're going to have a new winner from the last five years and, you know, I definitely feel like I have a shot, you know to be up in there.
OKWU: On the women's side, forget about an all Williams final. This will be a no Williams' tournament. Venus has (unintelligible) too. A couple of early favorites at Flushing Meadows on the women's side Americans Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati, but others are betting that the hard courts will produce an all Belgian final between French Open champ and number two seed Justine Henin-Hardenne and top seated Kim Clijsters.
EVERT: My pick is Clijsters. She won a couple of hard court tournaments. I think for a number one p layer she never won a grand slam and I think she's ready.
OKWU (on camera): The X factor will be a vocal New York City crowd that has a way of getting behind particular players.
TAYLOR DENT, TENNIS PLAYER: I love being an American here. They really give my opponents a hard time.
OKWU (voice-over): The men are keeping a watchful eye on Argentine Guillermo Coria and 2001 winner Australian Layton Hewitt but big serving Andy Roddick is getting most of the attention. Roddick has a new coach and a 15 match win streak.
ANDY RODDICK, TENNIS PLAYER: I think I'm a favorite. I don't think there's ever - in tennis, you know, any guy can win sometimes.
JEFF WILLIAMS, PUBLISHER, "TENNIS" MAGAZINE: A lot of people feel like with Andy Roddick he could just steamroll through so we're pretty excited about that. Roger Federer, the Wimbledon champion is certainly going to be tough to beat and certainly perhaps over 30- year-olds, you know, the sentimental favorite's got to be Andre.
OKWU: That's Agassi, the two-time Open champion who at 33 is the oldest player to be ranked number one. Agassi may be dreaming of going out the way his long-time rival did on top.
Michael Okwu, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 24, 2003 - 18:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: If you're a sports fan you know that the U.S. Open doesn't actually begin until tomorrow. It's already generating some major buzz for many tennis fans. It's not about who is playing this year but who won't be.
CNN's Michael Okwu has a preview of the tournament.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the first time since 1971, the U.S. Open will be played without a defending champion. Serena Williams, today's most dominant woman is out with a knee injury and Pete Sampras, arguably the most dominant player ever is set to announce his retirement during Monday night's opening ceremony.
CHRIS EVERT, FMR. GRAND SLAM CHAMPION: I think it makes the field completely open. There's just a lot of speculation. I think it makes it more interesting for a tournament.
CHANDA RUBIN, TENNIS PLAYER: You're going to have a new winner from the last five years and, you know, I definitely feel like I have a shot, you know to be up in there.
OKWU: On the women's side, forget about an all Williams final. This will be a no Williams' tournament. Venus has (unintelligible) too. A couple of early favorites at Flushing Meadows on the women's side Americans Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati, but others are betting that the hard courts will produce an all Belgian final between French Open champ and number two seed Justine Henin-Hardenne and top seated Kim Clijsters.
EVERT: My pick is Clijsters. She won a couple of hard court tournaments. I think for a number one p layer she never won a grand slam and I think she's ready.
OKWU (on camera): The X factor will be a vocal New York City crowd that has a way of getting behind particular players.
TAYLOR DENT, TENNIS PLAYER: I love being an American here. They really give my opponents a hard time.
OKWU (voice-over): The men are keeping a watchful eye on Argentine Guillermo Coria and 2001 winner Australian Layton Hewitt but big serving Andy Roddick is getting most of the attention. Roddick has a new coach and a 15 match win streak.
ANDY RODDICK, TENNIS PLAYER: I think I'm a favorite. I don't think there's ever - in tennis, you know, any guy can win sometimes.
JEFF WILLIAMS, PUBLISHER, "TENNIS" MAGAZINE: A lot of people feel like with Andy Roddick he could just steamroll through so we're pretty excited about that. Roger Federer, the Wimbledon champion is certainly going to be tough to beat and certainly perhaps over 30- year-olds, you know, the sentimental favorite's got to be Andre.
OKWU: That's Agassi, the two-time Open champion who at 33 is the oldest player to be ranked number one. Agassi may be dreaming of going out the way his long-time rival did on top.
Michael Okwu, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
