Pro Tommy Haas hired as tourney director at Indian Wells

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Tennis pro Tommy Haas has been hired as tournament director of the BNP Paribas Open, replacing Raymond Moore, who quit in March after making controversial comments about female players.

Steve Birdwell, the event's chief operating officer, made the announcement Friday. Haas' hiring is pending approval of both the ATP and WTA tours, which play at the combined $7 million, two-week event every March in the Southern California desert.

Haas has been ranked as high as No. 2 in the world during his career. The German won 15 ATP Tour titles, reached the semifinals of the Australian Open three times and Wimbledon once, and won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. His career has been stalled by injury recently.

Moore quit as chief executive officer and tourney director after saying women's pro tennis players "ride on the coattails of the men," which drew the ire of top-ranked Serena Williams.