Tennis Stars Call For Shorter Schedule
Top tennis players are calling for schedule demands of top players to be reduced, or else be forced into early retirement.
With Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Andy Roddick all sitting the Shanghai Open out because of injury or exhaustion, world number two Rafael Nadal claimed it is ‘impossible’ for tennis stars to play an 11-month season. The Spaniard missed the chance to defend his Wimbledon title this year due to injury.
Roddick echoed these statements, reiterating that the sport burns out its top players too early as a result of the rigorous schedule.
According to media reports, the highest ranked men’s tennis players are questioning whether the ATP is aligning itself ever more closely with the tournaments, which have a 50% stake in the governing body, rather than with the players, who have the other 50%.
The top 30 players are obliged to play 18 tournaments per year, including the four grand slams and eight of the nine Masters 1000s.
Informal talking around this subject has yet to get the governing officials’ attention, and Roddick has reportedly admitted that striking was their only option.
