A speech that shows collective fed up. This Thursday, the president of the ATP, Andrea Gaudenzi half-heartedly conceded a reality denounced by all players on the professional circuit: the calendar is no longer tenable as it stands. “ I agree with the players that our offseason is too short “, acknowledged the Italian.
But for him, the demands of the calendar have someone to blame: the Davis Cup. “ This is partly due to the format of the Davis Cup. When I was a player, the Davis Cup final was between two teams, now there are 50 players who are mobilized for the final stages », Estimated the former 18th player in the world. Next week in Malaga, eight nations will indeed be competing for the final phase of the team competition reformed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in 2019.
No new Masters 1,000 before 2028
On the calendar, often presented as problematic by the players, the boss of the ATP sent them back to their contradictions. “ Tennis players are independent workers, who are therefore free unlike basketball or football players whose schedule is determined by their teams. They can make their own schedule, not to mention that there is the temptation to play exhibition tournaments which pay a lot “, he recalled in reference to the “Six Kings Slam” organized in October in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia).
Gaudenzi, on the other hand, defended the decision to extend the duration of most of the Masters 1000, which now takes place over two weeks. “ We want to grow this + premium + product where there are always the ten best in the world “, he explained while players, like the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, showed their strong opposition, describing this new format as ” Calvary “, regretting “ a step back with the aim of lightening the schedule ».
Often mentioned, the creation of a new Masters 1000, particularly in the Arabian Peninsula, will not be done “ not before 2028 » : « We are discussing, but no decision has been made. If a decision is taken in this direction, it will not be before 2028, because there is the question of infrastructure to be built. »
