WTA To Shorten Tour Calendar

In a bid to appease growing concerns over player withdrawal, the WTA Tour is to
be dramatically cut back after the governing body set up a task force to
determine which tournaments should remain on the calendar.

A search team, headed by Tour president Stacey Allaster, will meet with
tournament applicants and review applications over the coming months, with the
Board expected to make a final decision in March 2007 as to which tournaments
will compose each level of the enhanced calendar structure to be launched in
2009.

Among the other initiatives set to be in place by 2009 include a shortened
season ending in October; the creation of four combined mandatory events with
men’s tour governing body the ATP; and the reduction in number of Tour
tournaments top players must play from 13 to 11.

Last week the WTA announced interim rule changes to tackle the rising number
of withdrawals due to injury with a reduction of top player minimum tournament
commitment requirement from 13 to 12 events and a doubling of player late
withdrawal fines, up to a maximum of $40,000 for third and subsequent late
withdrawal offences.