Bank on the young guns

Marat Safin won last year's US Open

BBC tennis correspondent Iain Carter feels that the depth of new talent in men's tennis can overcome its current financial worries.

Following the collapse of the ATP's deal with its major backer these are unsettling times as the first Masters Series tournament of the year is played out at Indian Wells.

But the good news is that the men's game appears well equipped to bounce back.

At the end of 1999 in fourteen cities across the globe, the ATP excitedly announced a deal with the sports marketing giant ISL.

In exchange for television and marketing rights, the package would net men's tennis $1.2 billion over 10 years.

It was too good to be true and it was.

Doubts

Just 12 months in, the arrangement has fallen apart so a new search for sponsors for the tour's biggest tournaments is underway.

When the original deal was struck there was genuine concern about the future.

Who would succeed Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi as the sport's biggest stars?

Suddenly we have the likes of Marat Safin, Lleyton Hewitt, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Roger Federer coming to the forefront

  Iain Carter

I remember talking to former British number one John Lloyd at the time and he said: "I don't know who are going to be the next two or three who will take the bull by the horns and really create some interest."

Well that problem now seems to be diminishing, which should aid the bid to find new backers.

An exciting new generation has emerged and they've been promoted by the ATP's "New Balls Please" campaign.

I like the idea of pushing these guys, I'm not a great fan of the slogan they use but that's beside the point. Suddenly we have the likes of Marat Safin, Lleyton Hewitt, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Roger Federer coming to the forefront.

Promise

Safin won the US Open last September, Hewitt, Fererro and Federer have all won tournaments this year.

They play the game with contrasting styles, but share in common the fact that they perform with flair and character.

The Masters Series comprises the nine tournaments which rank just below Grand Slam level.

After Indian Wells they head to Miami before embarking on the clay court season.

Expect good results from those four in the coming weeks, not to mention world number one Gustavo Kuerten, who at the age of 24 has already added two tournament victories this year, and was runner up in Miami in 2000.

Also be assured that as the deals are being done in the background to safeguard the ATP's future, the men in suits will be cheering their every success.