H_B Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 but he doesn't seem to consider what reducing the amount of tournaments will do for players lower down the ranking who aren't pulling in millions every year. it's fair enough that he wants to make money but he should realise that the tour doesn't exist for the sole benefit of the top players. He's not talking about reducing the number of tournaments. They can have a tournament every week - makes no difference. What he's complaining about is the number of tournies that are mandatory attendance, and "have" to be in your schedule. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StewartyMac Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 One of his main gripes is having to play in any ATP 250 events, as the points on offer hardly makes it worthwhile turning up (if you're a top player). Expect him to be at his lethargic worst in Thailand next week... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue4578 Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 No one has to play in any 250 events, that is up to the individual. Eight of the nine Masters events, Monte Carlo being the odd one out, are mandatory. You also have to play four 500 events, with at least one after the US Open. The Davis Cup can count as one of these 500 events depending on the circumstances. I don't think anyone would be missing a grand slam out of choice, so that is 16 tournaments, plus the World Tour Finals that the top players should play. The only penalty for not doing so is having zero points for an event that you miss, which stays on your ranking for a year. Not something a player in the top four, who are currently way ahead of the rest, would need to worry about too much. Everyone else ranked in the top 100 has at least 20 tournaments in the past year (except Blake and Ferrero who have had an injury or two) and most are closer to 30 than 20. It's difficult not to make the Masters events mandatory for the top players, as they're investing big money in their tournaments, which would be seriously devalued if the top players didn't show up. The main issue here is probably the schedule and the fact it's not organised very well and that the Davis Cup gets in the way. All of the top players are suddenly interested in playing the Davis Cup at the moment. Strange that, considering you have to play at least two ties in the year before the Olympics in order to qualify to play at the Olympics. Playing the Davis Cup a week after the grand slams is fine, unless of course you happen to make the semi finals or final (note what happened to Djokovic against del Potro on Sunday). Even worse if the final is delayed. In an ideal world, you'd probably play the Australian Open at least 6 weeks later, with the Asian tournaments that happen over the next few weeks before or after the Australian Open. Wimbledon and the French Open would have another week between them, Queen's should probably be a Masters event with at least two of the other Masters events ceasing to be so. The number of mandatory 500 events should probably be three not four as well. You could also play the Davis Cup in a two year cycle, and could consider making it best of three sets. The problem is that all of the tournaments are individually owned, so you can't just close down a tournament, you'd have to buy it from the owners first. Hamburg was stripped of its Masters status and fought a costly (losing) battle against the ATP in court to get the decision reversed. The ATP and the ITF are separate and don't like each other, plus the grand slams are all individual events and act independently of each other. I don't see anything changing any time soon as everyone has vested interests, and it will require agreement from a lot of people to make changes happen. T_S_A_R makes a fair point I think. If the top players think they are playing too much, why do so many exhibitions and why play in the odd 250 event for a massive appearance fee if you want to be resting? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StewartyMac Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 No one has to play in any 250 events, that is up to the individual. You're right, and it's what I've always believed too. I must have misread Murray's comments on the Beeb site earlier in the week. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue4578 Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 I remember that quote, which seems to have been removed from the article ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/14977449.stm this is the one I think), which quoted him as saying players "had to play in 250 events" or something along those lines, but which went onto say it was basically because of appearance money. Perhaps someone publishing something he didn't say and correcting it later on. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_S_A_R Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 He's not talking about reducing the number of tournaments. They can have a tournament every week - makes no difference. What he's complaining about is the number of tournies that are mandatory attendance, and "have" to be in your schedule. as has been pointed out he is currently playing more than his mandatory amount. if he has a problem then he should be avoiding the 250s he plays in. T_S_A_R makes a fair point I think. If the top players think they are playing too much, why do so many exhibitions and why play in the odd 250 event for a massive appearance fee if you want to be resting? i get the impression it's not as much the amount of matches they have to play but the timing of them. i think they would rather be able to train/pratice more in the lead up to slams rather than travel and play in masters events. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_B Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 as has been pointed out he is currently playing more than his mandatory amount. if he has a problem then he should be avoiding the 250s he plays in. I agree actually. I think he is being a whining bitch, having looked at it closer. His "well, you get tasty appearance fees, and get some easy games against shit players" excuse just sums up the poorness of their argument really. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue4578 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 The only reason that Murray is suddenly playing in the Davis Cup is that he needs to if he wants to play in the Olympics. The Davis Cup I think is causing a lot of the problems. If it disappeared, the schedule wouldn't look too bad, although you may want to play the Australian Open a bit later. The Davis Cup final finishes on December 4th this year, which gives any players playing in it about three weeks off before they have to go to Australia, perhaps via Doha or Chennai. I don't see much changing, perhaps the number of mandatory 500 events will be reduced to three but I can't see much more than that. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedWeb Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Murray wins his 19th ATP title by humping Donald "Wildcard" Young 6/2,6/0 in the final of the Thailand Open. Match lasted 48 minutes and Young won three points in the second set. Young had beaten that perennial underachiever Gael Monfils in the semis so had earned his place in the championship match. At 22 years old it was Young's first ATP final and he's currently ranked at a career high in the low 50's. Not convinced Young will ever amount to anything other than a journeyman. Job done by Murray though. Can only beat what's in front of you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarf Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Murray through to the Tokyo semis to face Ferrer. Interesting to see Djokovic pull out of the Shanghai Masters with a back problem. I wonder if he will also miss the Paris Masters next month but miraculously return in time to rip apart the field in the World Tour finals? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_S_A_R Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Murray through to the Tokyo semis to face Ferrer. Interesting to see Djokovic pull out of the Shanghai Masters with a back problem. I wonder if he will also miss the Paris Masters next month but miraculously return in time to rip apart the field in the World Tour finals? his season is 'cycling down' 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pantene proV Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Just bagelled nadal in final set to win 20th atp title. Seemingly he was awesome today though I didn't manage to see it. On his current form he must have feds #3 seed placing well within his grasp now! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedWeb Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 (edited) Just bagelled nadal in final set to win 20th atp title. Seemingly he was awesome today though I didn't manage to see it. Nadal won 4 points in the final set. Apparently according to the reports I've read Murray was creaming winners everywhere and Nadal had no answer: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2011/10/40/Tokyo-Sunday-Murray-Beats-Nadal-In-Final.aspx ...20th tour title in the bag. Hopefully he can take this form into next year and get that first slam in Oz. Edited October 9, 2011 by RedWeb 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE KING Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Just bagelled nadal in final set to win 20th atp title. Seemingly he was awesome today though I didn't manage to see it. On his current form he must have feds #3 seed placing well within his grasp now! The 2nd and 3rd set was the best tennis I've seen him play, he basicaly made Nadal look rank!, even Nadal said he was unbelievable. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nessies long lost ghost Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Murray was awesome this morning. Nadal had no answer in the 2nd and 3rd set. He is playing very well just now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fraser Fyvie Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 When they next meet in a slam Nadal will hammer him no doubt 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedWeb Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 (edited) When they next meet in a slam Nadal will hammer him no doubt If it's in Oz it's usually Murray who does the hammering. Joko and Federer are the big threats in Melbourne. Edited October 9, 2011 by RedWeb 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunkmedal Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 When they next meet in a slam Nadal will hammer him no doubt Well, if he lacks belief against Nadal then today won't have done any harm. I mean Djokovic had never beaten Nadal in a slam until Wimbledon this year, but by the time that came around he'd already won 4 Masters finals against Nadal in 2011 so his belief was sky high. It makes a big difference even if the lesser tournaments don't carry much weight in the rankings. Today certainly proves there's nothing wrong with his game in terms of how it matches up to Nadal. That last set was one of the most one-sided beatings I've ever seen a healthy Nadal take. It's on SkySports 3 again at 6.30 if anyone wants to watch it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pantene proV Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 It's on SkySports 3 again at 6.30 if anyone wants to watch it. Thanks for the heads up, definitely want to see this. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nessies long lost ghost Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Thanks for the heads up, definitely want to see this. You won't be dissapointed. He was faultless in the final 2 sets. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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