Tennis ‘stuck in past and selling players short’

TENNIS is stuck in the past and selling its players short, according to one of the handful of merchandisers producing items featuring images of players which are on sale at the US Open.

Of the hundreds of items designed to part tennis fans from their money at the hardcourt grand slam, nearly all are branded "US Open 2003."

Only a Nike shirt with a small image of American James Blake on it, packs of cards and a US Open calendar featuring players' photographs offer anything for fans of particular players to buy.