[ad_1]
Talks have emerged for a radical revamp of the tennis landscape, elevating Grand Slam and Masters and 1000s events into their own “premium tour” much like the Formula 1 calendar.
The Athletic reported the organisers of the grand slams – Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open – are hoping to form a partnership with “at least the 10 largest tournaments” to reshape the sport and simplify it for fans.
Currently, top players are only certain to enter the grand slams and top-level tournaments (Masters for men, 1000s for women), and the calendar is otherwise confusing and muddled with several levels of events, often competing with each other.
Watch India v Australia on Kayo Sports. Every T20 Live with no ad breaks during play. Join Kayo now and start streaming instantly >
But under one scenario the top 100-odd players would earn a golf-like “tour card” which runs for the season, guarantees them a salary and entries to the top-level events, while they could play smaller events and exhibitions if they want to.
Other players would then need to qualify for the tour through their performance at 500- and 250-level tournaments, and so on.
Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley has reportedly been involved in these discussions amid reports Saudi Arabia is hoping to host a major early January event, which would ruin much of the Aussie summer of tennis – including the new United Cup – if top players were forced or incentivised to play in the Middle East instead.
TA declined to comment.
Top tennis officials in Turin, Italy for the recent ATP Finals did not receive an official proposal but are hoping to have a plan sorted by January’s Australian Open.
Both the heads of the WTA and ATP have been supportive of elevating top-level events closer to the grand slams, the only place where most of the casual sports landscape pays attention to the sport.
“We all know that premium drives the business,” WTA CEO Steve Simon said this week.
“How do you create a calendar that is easier to follow?”
ATP Tour CEO Andrea Gaudenzi told reporters in Turin: “We want to grow our premium product and that’s a fact that we’ve been very vocal about.
“For the sport, closing the gap between the Masters and the slams is good for everybody. Now, there is a very big gap.”
As it stands tennis players effectively have no off-season, and it’s hoped a set schedule of major events would ensure they could find time for a break, likely between the end-of-season ATP and WTA finals and the Australian swing in January.
WHAT THE NEW TENNIS CALENDAR COULD LOOK LIKE
Using 2023 event locations/dates
United Cup (Sydney/Perth – hard), early January
Australian Open (Melbourne – hard), mid-late January
Potential Saudi Arabia/Middle East event, February
Indian Wells Masters (California, USA – hard), early March
Miami Open (Florida, USA – hard), late March
Monte Carlo Masters (Monaco – clay), early April
Madrid Open (Spain – clay), late April
Italian Open (Rome – clay), early May
French Open (Paris – clay), late May
Wimbledon (London – grass), early July
Canadian Open (Toronto – hard), early August
Cincinnati Masters (Ohio, USA – hard), mid August
US Open (New York – hard), late August-early September
Shanghai Masters (China – hard), early October
Paris Masters (France – hard, indoor) – late October
WTA Finals (Cancun, Mexico – hard) – November
ATP Finals (Turin, Italy – hard, indoor) – November
[ad_2]
