Tennis - Reformations of the Atp-tour
This year's ATP season draws to a close, there are only two tournaments left, the BNP Paribas Masters in France and the Tennis Masters Cup in China. The players have around one month after that to get some rest and concentrate already on the beginning of the next season which starts on January 5th 2009, with the first three tournaments in Qatar, India and Australia.
There are several modifications planned for the new season, for example the calendar will be restructured, the prize money will be partially raised and some of the court surfaces will be changed as well. In total there are 63 tournaments advertised for the next season, which will take place all over the five main continents, where around 31 countries will serve as hosts.
One of the most important reforms in the calendar of the coming up ATP season is the change of names of the tournament categories. The Masters Series will now be called "Masters 1000" and the eleven tournaments of the International Series Gold are now named "500". The numbers indicate the points that the players will receive by winning one of the tournaments in these series. So if a player wins in the Masters, he will receive 1000 points and by winning a tournament at the former Series Gold, he will receive 500 points. For all the other ATP tournaments players are assigned 250 points.
The tournament in the South African Johannesburg which was part of the ATP calendar from 1976-1995 as an outdoor tournament in a hard court will come back on 2009 season. On the other hand, the Austrian tournament in Kitzbühel won't be part of the ATP calendar anymore. The first tournament of the year in Australia changes its location from Adelaide to Brisbane and the ATP finals of the best eight players at the end of the year will shift from Shanghai to London. The German fans won't have to deal with any losses, the five tournaments in Hamburg, Stuttgart, Halle, Munich and Düsseldorf will continue in the calendar. In the USA and France the fans can enjoy more tournaments than before.
Another change was made for the court surfaces, the game on carpets will be totally taken off the agenda to make the games in general slower and in this way more interesting. "We don't want to play anymore on surfaces which were fabricated seven or eight years ago. On the carpets back then, the games did not last more than one hour", said the director of the tournament in Vienna, Peter Feigl, in an interview. And so the last indoor tournaments in Europe will now be transferred to the hard court.
The reformation was already announced in 2007 by the ATP manager, Etienne de Villiers. The players however don't seem to be too happy about this decision. Two years ago there were around 60 players, amongst them the Swiss Roger Federer and the Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who collected their signatures and sent a letter of protest to the ATP. De Villiers contract expires on December 31st of this year and he announced that he will not extend it. Does his decision have anything to do with the accumulation of criticism?
It is possible that after the coming ATP conference everything will be different and that maybe the announced renovation will even be totally pulled back... we'll see.
Related Tags: season, tennis, modifications, masters, series, tournaments, reform, atp, federer, nadal, prize, villiers
Emeli Dean is a high-ranking writer on sports for the sports betting industry.
Feel free to reprint this article in its whole on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.
Recent articles in this category:
- A Look at How Saunas Are Healthy
Most people go to Saunas in order to relax after a stressful day or intense exercise. The act of sit - The Rigid Training of Army Fitness Program
When you are healthy, it leads you to have a quality and enjoyable life. It improves your dispositio - How Important is Finding a Dentist Speaking the Same Language With You
I personally hate to visit my dentist. Neither because she is a unprofessional dental care provider - The Right Diet For Acne
Acne occurs when the over production of oil (sebum), from the sebaceous glands, clogs the follicle, - Scrubs - The Health Care Worker Uniforms Trend
Throughout history, fashion has not usually been dictated by comfort or purpose. This is not the cas - Hippotherapy is an Excellent Physical Therapy Choice
When the average person thinks of physical therapy, they immediately picture a trained expert and a - Getting the Best Massage Therapy
Having a massage can help take away the feeling of tension and stress that runs through your body af - Do You Have a High Risk Factor For Gum Disease?
According to the American Academy of Periodontology, there are certain factors that create a higher - Where to Buy Pure Acai Berry?
Life feels so lonely when your friends shun you. However, have you ever thought why did this occur?Y - Options to Keep in Mind Regarding Body Massage Toronto
The amount of stress that we all deal with on a day to day basis can have a harsh affect on our bodi
Most viewed articles in this category:
- What About The Zone Diet?
What Are Gums? Gums that are common food additives are also water-soluble, found in stems and seeds - Freestyle Bmx - Drive yourself to the Limits
Freestyle BMX otherwise also known as Bike Stunt is actually the trick of maneuvering bicycles. Well - Serious Fat Loss Using Boxing Training
This brief article will outline a boxing workout you can use to get shredded and take your condition - Hemaroids
Do you feel constipated frequently? Do you postpone your bowel movements? Do you exclude roughage fr - Folding Mountain Bikes - your Travel Mates, your Convenience!
Folding mountain bikes are essentially practical bicycles, which are easy to store and transport. Th - How Exercising Helps In Losing Weight
The beneficial effects of exercising were used to treat obesity since the beginning of modern medica - What Physical Activity Is Best For You
As you may already know, physical activity and health come together, like a couple. Regular exercisi - Treadmill Running Tips
Running is a beautiful way to get fit. It is so simple and so basic, and while it can be difficult a - The Gestational Diabetes Fear For Moms
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops in pregnant women in 2-3% of pregnancies. F - Low Carb Diet - Weight Loss Benefits
A low carb diet, as the name implies, is a diet that is low in carbohydrates (bread, rice, sugar, es