[JennyS]

I personally don't see what the big deal is that Jennifer and Venus have pulled out of tournaments. I understand that fans want to see these players and that a lot of people were looking forward to seeing them at the events they pulled out of. However, I understand why both players pulled out.

In my opinion, the tennis season is too long and the players need a 3 or 4 month offseason. It would benefit players in so many ways. Not only would they get a chance to recover and take some time off, but I think a lot of players would be in better shape if they could have a solid break.

Offseasons are important because players get a chance to recover mentally from a long stressful season. I think tennis is probably one of the higest pressure and physically demanding sports in the world. Getting out of a competitive atmosphere might help out a lot of players. The NFL offseason is longer than the season for Pete's sake.

Even if Jennifer withdrew so she wouldn't have to face Amelie, I would be perfectly understanding. While beating Amelie would boost her confidence, another loss (especially in the QF) would be demoralizing. However, I will believe Jen that she was sick.

I don't see what the big deal is if an athlete takes some time off or skips an event or two. In most individual sports, it is highly COMMON for athletes to take an extended break after a major event. For example:

Swimming: Dara Torres unretired after a 7 year layoff and compete in the 2000 Olympics

Track and Field: Cathy Freeman took at least one season off following the Olympics but plans to compete in the 2004 Olympics

Figure Skating:Following the 1998 Olympics, Michelle Kwan skipped the fall season (and she plans to do so again this year)

A high percentage of Olympic medalists tend to skip the World Championships in Olympic seasons

Todd Eldredge took a two year break from major competitions

Gymnastics: several gymnasts from the Mag 7 took time off after the 1996 Games but competed at the 2000 Gymnastics trials

So basically, I don't see what the big deal is if a player wants to withdraw from an event or two. If someone decided to skip the entire indoor season, I wouldn't blame them either.

 

[Philip]

well the players do have off seasons, nobody plays week in week out, unless you are Jelena Dokic

I think the Schedule is fine as it is

 

[Bezz]

Yu play as much or as little as yu want. It just depends on how good yu r. Serena plays 12 tourneys but wins the 3 biggest and she is ranked no.1, Jelena plays 28 tourneys and wins afew and no big ones ranked no.5. Yu play as much as yu like IMO.

 

[vaiva]

Well, I see it in a different light. There are schedules and commitments. The lists of committed players are out long before the tournament or before the actual draw is made. This helps to sell tickets, market the event, etc, etc.

Some late witdrawals are reasonable when they are due to injuries or other things that were impossible to predict when scheduling the player's season. The others are not and this is why some fines are imposed.

I am not saying that Jen is a bad girl as I've heard only speculations about the reason for her withdrawal. But if she did not have a serious problem, then her behaviour is disrespectful to the tour, her fans and tournament organisers. And then it is a "big deal".

 

[mmcdonald]

I think the number of tournaments for a ranking should be lowered to 12, and the season should be from January to like July or something that way players get a good 5 months off. The Australian could start the year off, The French Be around March Wimbledon May and the UsOpen would end in July, and the other tournaments could just be warm up tournaments. Also, it would give the players more choices in terms of where to play, it would extend careers too

 

[James]

No, I don't think that would work. For the French and Wimbledon it would rain too much, even more than now. Colder too. And the opposite for the US Open, July is just too hot.

 

[TheBoiledEgg]

no one forces players to play every week
the tour is fine as it is

Most of you guys get bored in Nov/Dec
imagine if that was October as well........

 

[Steve1]

i think the tour should put a cap on the amount of tournaments which players in the upper echelons should be able to play...this would mean that their rank reflects their true level(cuts out criticism of players like dokic being overranked) and at the same time preserves them for the future as the top players are the backbone of the tour and with them getting burned out/injjured surely causes havoc ....some are just plain dumb when it comes to scheduling

 

[Simon]

no one forces players to play every week
the tour is fine as it is

Most of you guys get bored in Nov/Dec
imagine if that was October as well........

Of course you are right. And a lot of players use November and December to practice and keep in shape. (Some players practice on Christmas Day!)

Even if a player chooses to play the full complement of 17 tournaments - and plays all the way through to the final in all of those tournaments - she still gets more than six months per year away from the tour!

 

[Ada Monroe]

No there should NOT be an offseason. The one we have now is fine. The tour should imo go up to the last week of November.

December can be an exhibition month for those who can be bothered.

 

[JennyS]

I know that the players have the freedom to take some time off here and there. But I'm willing to bet that if the WTA and ATP required fewer events (between 12-14 instead of 17), then some (but not all) of the players would change their schedules a bit.


I don't see how an offseason could hurt tennis and I can only see how it could help the players. And since tennis has had problems getting big TV ratings, maybe a few changes could help.

I've thought of a few possibilities. I think the season should end earlier. I think the Championships could be moved up a month and the offseason should be October, November, December. There would still be other events scattered in (like some Tier 3 events or Davis Cup/Fed Cup) Instead of having a long indoor season, I would scatter the events here and there. I think it would sorf of make sense to end the season closer to the US Open anyway.