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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/2202897.stm
Lleyton Hewitt could follow the legendary Bjorn Borg in walking away from the game early, according to Australian Open chief executive Paul McNamee.
McNamee spoke out after the world number one was left fuming at a $103,000 fine handed out to him at the Cincinnati Masters earlier this month.
Hewitt called the ATP a badly-run "circus" and threatened to skip many of their tournaments from next year.
Former Wimbledon doubles champion McNamee said the ATP should learn from the loss of Borg, who walked away from the game when just 27 years old.
"Let's look at history here and sort out the problems in the sport which Lleyton has taken the lid off," McNamee told the Australian Associated Press (AAP).
"They have been there for a while and nobody has been prepared to talk about them. Go back 20 years...we lost a number one (Bjorn Borg)."
Borg retired in 1982 after a dispute over his plans for a four-month break from tennis.
"He wasn't allowed direct entry into tournaments as the number one in the world," McNamee said.
"And he had to play qualifying at Las Vegas and Monte Carlo which he had won.
"Because Grand Slams were independent he got a wildcard into the French Open, which he won, and he lost in the final of Wimbledon and the US Open. And then he quit.
"That is what happened. So we should take this pretty seriously."
Hewitt was fined after refusing to conduct an interview with host broadcasters ESPN before his first-round match in Cincinnati.
He told Sydney's Sunday Telegraph: "I'll change my schedule next year if the ATP keep up with this garbage.
"Next year I couldn't give two hoots about the number one ranking."
Tennis Australia (TA) president Geoff Pollard has written to the ATP to raise his concern about the level of the fine, AAP reported
Lleyton Hewitt could follow the legendary Bjorn Borg in walking away from the game early, according to Australian Open chief executive Paul McNamee.
McNamee spoke out after the world number one was left fuming at a $103,000 fine handed out to him at the Cincinnati Masters earlier this month.
Hewitt called the ATP a badly-run "circus" and threatened to skip many of their tournaments from next year.
Former Wimbledon doubles champion McNamee said the ATP should learn from the loss of Borg, who walked away from the game when just 27 years old.
"Let's look at history here and sort out the problems in the sport which Lleyton has taken the lid off," McNamee told the Australian Associated Press (AAP).
"They have been there for a while and nobody has been prepared to talk about them. Go back 20 years...we lost a number one (Bjorn Borg)."
Borg retired in 1982 after a dispute over his plans for a four-month break from tennis.
"He wasn't allowed direct entry into tournaments as the number one in the world," McNamee said.
"And he had to play qualifying at Las Vegas and Monte Carlo which he had won.
"Because Grand Slams were independent he got a wildcard into the French Open, which he won, and he lost in the final of Wimbledon and the US Open. And then he quit.
"That is what happened. So we should take this pretty seriously."
Hewitt was fined after refusing to conduct an interview with host broadcasters ESPN before his first-round match in Cincinnati.
He told Sydney's Sunday Telegraph: "I'll change my schedule next year if the ATP keep up with this garbage.
"Next year I couldn't give two hoots about the number one ranking."
Tennis Australia (TA) president Geoff Pollard has written to the ATP to raise his concern about the level of the fine, AAP reported
