[Action Jackson]

Originally Posted by Jimnik

Firstly, it's not in March it's in February now.
Secondly, it's not "just for the sake of it". Miami has always been one of the most (if not, THE most) popular AMS. It is one of the best locations, great facilities, great fans - it is the 5th slam. Bottom line for the ATP, it generates a lot of money and it cannot be removed from the Masters Series.

As far as Hamburg is concerned, Germany loves its grass court tennis (certainly more than France, Italy, Spain etc..) and it is easily possible to lay grass courts in the Hamburg grounds. I never said their refurbishments included the laying of grass, my point was that Hamburg is making changes and this COULD be part of them. All it require is the will to implement them.

If somebody were to suggest this to the ATP and to the Hamburg tournament organisers, I'm sure it would be given consideration. It is a very realistic idea.

The reason Buenos Aires is in the wrong location on the calendar is very simple, you don't have much of an idea of logistics and this has been shown up a few times by different posters. If you want to have it like that, it should be a week earlier and swapped around, it gives the players more time to prepare for the Euro events and aslo easier on the travelling time, by giving the option for players to stay in South/North America an extra week or not.

They would laugh at you in Hamburg if you suggested a grass tournament there.

[nobama]

http://www.eurosport.com/home/pages/...to784493.shtml

L'Equipe ran an article on Monday, stating what the sport's associations: ATP, Women's Tennis Association and International Tennis Federation, could do to ease the scheduling dilemma.

The French daily sports newspaper noted players should not compete in more than three tournaments per month with events on the same continent each week.

Tennis balls should be standardised worldwide according to the surface and best-of-five set finals outside of the four major championships should be scrapped.

The newspaper also proposed a limit of Masters Series tournaments to five per season and top-ranked players banned from entering lower-tier events.

Not sure I agree. The top ranked players (who don't need the money) should be able to manage their schedule so they're not overplaying. Andy Roddick's schedule this summer was to play Indy, LA, Washington, Canada, Cincy and USO (he didn't play in LA). Why would he commit to playing six tournaments within the span of about a month? It's not the tours fault if a top player plays in a tournament they shouldn't (e.g., Safin playing Cincy). And lower ranked players will play no matter what because they need the money and want to improve their ranking.

[NicoFan]

Agree about the 3 touranmenats per month and the standardization of tennis balls.

Have to think about the masters series events (had to edit - read it wrong thought they were saying only 5 master series events - they said 5 sets - I think 3 sets in the finals for master series events is the best - 5 sets is too much - should only be for slams - and have tiebreaks in the 5th set for all the Slams - which I know a lot of people won't like).

Personally think that players should have have to play maybe 7-8 master series events rather than all of them.

But a definite NO NO NO NO NO to the top-ranked players banned from entering lower-tier events! Good grief, that would be the end of smaller tournaments.

[star]

Did Andy commit to LA? I think he never was going to play there this year.

Anyway, players do over commit sometimes because they want to be sure to get enough points and playing time esp. right before a slam event.

I think having the same balls for every tournament is a good idea, but probably won't get a lot of support from tournament directors.

I notice the article didn't support shortening the season.

[Galaxystorm]

Originally Posted by NicoFan

But a definite NO NO NO NO NO to the top-ranked players banned from entering lower-tier events! Good grief, that would be the end of smaller tournaments.

Why not ?? ...With this ban your sweetie Feli could win some isolated tournament facing Lisnard in the final

[Fee]

Exactly, NicoFan.

I agree with eliminating five set finals in non slam tournaments (but maybe the Masters should still have them, let me think on that one). I think Davis Cup should only be every other year. I'll take a look at the 2006 calendar and try to come up with more intelligent thoughts later. Don't hold your breath though...

[star]

I used to be one who didn't want to limit Davis Cup, but I'm beginning to wonder if it wouldn't have more lustre if it were not an annual event.

The ITF is never going to agree with anything that takes money out of its pocket, so somebody would have to show how they could make as much or more money out of holding it once every two years.

[Phunkadelicious]

the standardized tennis balls makes sense, but I disagree with everything else. I don't think a tennis player should be punished for being a top player. and the lower tier events would suffer if they could not have the top players come play.

As for the 5 TMS events, I don't quite understand. Are they arguing that a player should only be allowed to play 5 TMS events, or that there should only BE 5 TMS events?

[shotgun]

"The newspaper also proposed a limit of Masters Series tournaments to five per season" - they stole my idea! I've proposed this a couple of days ago in the "Roddick" thread.

"Tennis balls should be standardised worldwide according to the surface and best-of-five set finals outside of the four major championships should be scrapped." - Agree with most of that, it's ridiculous that tournaments like Basel or Barcelona have best-of-five finals. But the TMS finals should stay the way they are.

The rest I disagree, because it would be some sort of a step backwards. The ATP gives the players the complete freedom to choose which tournaments they play (apart from GS and TMS), and now they'll have to play the part of their mother and tell them what not to do??

[NicoFan]

Originally Posted by Galaxystorm

Why not ?? ...With this ban your sweetie Feli could win some isolated tournament facing Lisnard in the final

Oh, be nice to my sweetie Feli! lol!!!!!!!!!

[NicoFan]

Originally Posted by Fee

Exactly, NicoFan.

I agree with eliminating five set finals in non slam tournaments (but maybe the Masters should still have them, let me think on that one). I think Davis Cup should only be every other year. I'll take a look at the 2006 calendar and try to come up with more intelligent thoughts later. Don't hold your breath though...

Definitely agree about the every 2 years for the Davis Cup. Its way too much now for the players to have it every year.

[*Ljubica*]

Originally Posted by NicoFan

Definitely agree about the every 2 years for the Davis Cup. Its way too much now for the players to have it every year.

Yes - definately I agree with that - or maybe even every four years like the football World Cup. I agree with the standardisation of the tennis balls too, but not with the top players being banned from the lower-tier events..........Getting a couple of top ranked players (especially locals) to appear in their tournament can really boost the lower tier events financially -and most of the players enjoy playing in a more intimate atmosphere and getting closer to their fans too.

[MariaV]

Originally Posted by Rosie

Yes - definately I agree with that - or maybe even every four years like the football World Cup. I agree with the standardisation of the tennis balls too, but not with the top players being banned from the lower-tier events..........Getting a couple of top ranked players (especially locals) to appear in their tournament can really boost the lower tier events financially -and most of the players enjoy playing in a more intimate atmosphere and getting closer to their fans too.

Interesting idea about the DC in every 4 years.
And certainly agree that the top players should be allowed to enter the lower tier events, it's a good promotion for the game and nice for the players themselves too usually.

[Phunkadelicious]

Originally Posted by MariaV

Interesting idea about the DC in every 4 years.
And certainly agree that the top players should be allowed to enter the lower tier events, it's a good promotion for the game and nice for the players themselves too usually.

what if Davis Cup and the olympics were merged? They could take the individual and doubles tourny's at the olympics and change them into a team format. I know that this would require cooperation from both the olympics leadership and davis cup leadership, but hey, its an idea

[Jimnik]

The problem is not the schedule. The problem is the players commiting to too many tournaments. If they were smarter, they wouldn't get injured. Nobody is forcing Federer and Nadal to play 80+ matches per year.

It's not a coincidence that the lower ranked players, who have played less matches, are not injured. Out of the top 6, 5 are injured. Out of the remaining top 40, 5 are injured.

Besides, I think some of them are just being cautious ahead of Shanghai.