Your View: Cut the calendar

Eurosport - Wed, 21 Oct 13:09:00 2009

It is time for the tennis calendar to be shortened to protect the game's top players, according to the Eurosport-Yahoo! readers.

Andy Roddick of the U.S. supports himself after falling and injuring himself during a match against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland REUTERS - 0

The issue was thrown into the spotlight last week at the Shanghai Masters when both Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick complained that too much pressure was being put on players to compete in tournaments.

Roddick was later forced to pull-out of the tournament in the second round with an injured knee (pictured) and was joined on the sidelines by Juan Martin del Potro who hurt his wrist.

With Roger Federer (fatigue) and Andy Murray (wrist injury) skipping the tournament, it meant that the Shanghai organisers were forced to try and put a positive spin on a massively decimated field.

Tennis great Andre Agassi said last week: "I always thought it's best to give the players a schedule that enables them to be at their best. The off-season is healthy for players and it builds up anticipation for the fans. I think the tour should tighten up the schedule so the top players can play more often in a shorter time."

According to the results of our latest poll you the readers agree with the eight-times Grand Slam champion.

We asked: Should the calendar be shortened to protect players?

You voted:

Yes: 75 per cent

No: 25 per cent

2612 votes (at 9am UK time on Thursday October 22)

What you have been saying:

President.simo: I think they're right about this. The whole season is too long and of course it affects players. You could see that at last year's Tour final in Shanghai (Nadal not playing, Federer injured, Roddick injured). I know that no tournament wants to be taken off the calendar but they should reduce the number of them. Fans might be frustrated but players have to rest as well.

Lopezmaxi92: It's quite funny that players tend to attack the ATP schedule after a first round loss. James Blake did the exact same thing at Wimbledon and Nadal too. When they win they do not mention the schedule but as soon as they lose they cry "this tour is too much." For starters, you are supposed to schedule your tour at the beginning of the year so you're still fresh towards end. Roddick was just moaning because he was brushed aside by Kubot.

James W: I agree that the players are right. How often in the past two years have we been able to say at the beginning of a Tier One tournament that all the top players are fit, on form, and rearing to go? Cutting down the number of compulsory tournaments can only benefit players and fans. However, politics and money say pile it on - squeeze out more TV rights, more sponsorships, more endorsements. Who cares about Murray's wrist? Federer's fatigue? Nadal's aching muscles? Obviously, the tournament operators, event organisers, and the ATP do not.

Augustine A: If you can't compete then rest - simple as that. They are not tired of making money but they are tired of playing tennis. Doctors, builders and even corrupt politicians are always at work, why should the over hyped tennis players be any different?

WTA Moscow quarter-finals: Friday 23rd October 10am LIVE on British Eurosport (Sky 410 / Virgin Media 521); Also available on your PC via the Eurosport Player - click on the link under the picture to subscribe.

Eurosport

Comment 1 - 5 of 5

Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

  1. MAJOR SENIOR TENNIS MUST BE HALTED FOR BREAK OCTOBER ­ & NOVEMBER

    LET GRADE 2 PLAYERS HAVE A GO

    From startoratora, on Fri 23 Oct 8:19AM

  2. Definitely the season is too long, the players need at­ least 2 months to recover and get away from the­ airports, airplanes and the niggling or serious­ injuries. If you want to see the best players­ performing at their best they need time to get over jet­ lag and too much play. I'd rather see Federer,­ Roddick and Nadal, that's what the fans want to­ see... and if we want to see them at their best and not­ pulling out of tournaments than like most professional­ sports there needs to be a real off season.

    From Tuyen, on Fri 23 Oct 4:17AM

  3. Lopezmaxi92 is clearly not an informed tennis fan. He­ doesn't know that players of a certain rank are­ automatically entered into some tournaments. Also he­ does recall when Rafa talked about this earlier in the­ year when he didn't lose. The season is too long­ period. The fans love it but we get to many players­ pulling out or getting injured when they chase ranking­ points or money around the globe.
    Augustine A: if even­ worse than lopexmaxi92. He would also be the first to­ complain when his players pulled out of an event he­ bought tickets for. You can not win. Just shorten the­ season to January till mid October. The players are­ going to have to take a stand because the fat a-- fans­ and tennis officials don't care.

    From Rodney T, on Thu 22 Oct 8:05PM

  4. You need to push the Aussie open further back so that­ the season can start 30 days later than the current end­ of January thus providing the players with a two month­ break. The Aussie folks refuse this and thus the­ season start too soon... they could easily push it back­ 3 or 4 weeks as the next slam is in May.

    From Tuyen, on Thu 22 Oct 3:54PM

  5. Mixed emotions: I watched Rafa do a hard practice - 2­ hrs - on an off day in Shanghai. And the announcers say­ he does 8 hr workouts during the breaks in the season.­ And anyone who plays know you probably work harder in­ practice than matches. Thus the players could help­ themselves by practicing smarter.

    Also I'm not a­ fan of Davis Cup - kill it in its current form - that­ gives you 3 breaks in the season and the Masters Cup is­ truly the end. Hold it once every 4 yrs at the end of­ the season - have the top 16 teams (based on player­ rankings) all go to one moving venue and play it out­ over 2 wks.

    And the players should schedule smarter -­ no sympathy for Rafa playing Barca then claiming­ he's tired by the end of the clay season. And Roger­ doesn't come to Shanghai but plays tiny Basel. And­ both of them announced they're playing a non-ATP­ event to start the '10 season. Greed - both already­ have more money than their kids will ever be able to­ spend.

    I'd give the players the option of­ skipping one Masters 1000 during the yr too. The 56 man­ draws are strong - as long as too many top players­ didn't skip the same event they would still be big­ successes.

    From Mark S, on Thu 22 Oct 11:57AM
Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account