The Clay season is so Ridiculously PACKED!!!

[Jimmyk459]

I personally find it completely ridiculous that starting on April 20th, there are 4 HUGE consecutive Clay tournaments followed by a week off before Roland Garros.

Week 1: AMS Monte-Carlo
Week 2: Barcelona
Week 3: AMS Rome
Week 4: AMS Hamburg

All of these tournaments are absolutely huge and it is unfair to the players who thrive on this surface to compress their clay court season to approx a month and a half. It is also unhealthy for the players because most players who do well in these tournaments play almost every day (Especially Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Davydenko, Ferrer, etc...). I would like to see the ATP begin the clay season a month earlier to allow all of the top players to play in ALL of these tournaments while receiving ample amounts of rest.

There is no other time of the year that is so incredibly grueling for the players except perhaps the end of the US Open series leading to the Open and we all know how everyone (fans and players alike) feel about that.

thoughts..??? Agree, disagree? why?

[Nadal_Freak]

Agreed. Totally unfair to Rafa.

[coloskier]

It just shows to you that most people just want to get the clay season over as quickly as possible.

[superstition]

Originally Posted by coloskier

It just shows to you that biased ATP officials want to get the clay season over as quickly as possible.

fixed

10 characters.

[gj011]

Originally Posted by coloskier

It just shows to you that corrupt US TV stations, with no regards about the game of tennis, just want to get the clay season over as quickly as possible, in order to satisfy their couch potato audience.

Fixed properly.

[bluetrain4]

I agree that it's way to crowded. But, if a player is a true contender for the French, there's no way he should be playing all four events (though Rafa has done it in the past, I still think it's a bad idea). Isn't there a week off between the German Open and the French when the World Team Cup is played?

[superstition]

Originally Posted by gj011

Fixed properly.

The TV stations aren't making the calls. It's one thing to apply pressure (TV execs) and it's another to actually make the decisions (ATP officials).

[Chauvalito]

Originally Posted by gj011

Fixed properly.

There is only one channel in the US that shows any of these tournaments...the tennis channel.

It is a cable channel. While they may have enough clout to move a tournaments like Indian wells and and the PLO, they have no effect on European tournaments (for now).

The blame should be placed placed with the tennis governing bodies who have yet to make any significant changes to the schedule that would be to the betterment of the tour and the players.

[superstition]

Originally Posted by bluetrain4

if a player is a true contender for the French, there's no way he should be playing all four events (though Rafa has done it in the past, I still think it's a bad idea).

The big question is: does he need to play all those tournaments to have a shot at taking the number 1 ranking?

[Stchamps]

it separates the best from the rest

[veroniquem]

Spanish Espn is showing them too, I subscribed for less than 6 dollars a month!

[Moose Malloy]

I would like to see the ATP begin the clay season a month earlier to allow all of the top players to play in ALL of these tournaments while receiving ample amounts of rest.

Considering that Key Biscayne & Miami probably generate more revenue for the ATP than Barcelona, Monte Carlo(their center court looks smaller than court 2 at IW), Rome, & Hamburg(which is losing its masters series status after this year, remember?) combined, there is no chance in hell of the clay season ever being lengthened by a month, it would interfere with the big money events.

Money is all that is important to the ATP, not the players interests, which is sorta understandable, without some revenue there would be no ATP, & half the guys on tour would be teaching at your local club.

At least its a lot fairer to the players today than it was in the 70s or 80s, players had to play a MS type event indoors in the US one week than play on clay in Rome the next week some years. And they had to play best of 5 finals every other week or so as well.

[tacou]

yea for real, I love the clay season and the players who Love it are getting screwed.

[gj011]

The TV stations aren't making the calls. It's one thing to apply pressure (TV execs) and it's another to actually make the decisions (ATP officials).

You are correct, the reason why the schedule is moved is the pressure US TV stations put on ATP. But I cannot blame the ATP only, since US TV machine knows how to be persuasive.

Originally Posted by Chauvalito

There is only one channel in the US that shows any of these tournaments...the tennis channel.

It is a cable channel. While they may have enough clout to move a tournaments like Indian wells and and the PLO, they have no effect on European tournaments (for now).

The blame should be placed placed with the tennis governing bodies who have yet to make any significant changes to the schedule that would be to the betterment of the tour and the players.

The schedule is moved so IW and Miami could be aligned with NCAA basketball final 4 which was later this year for some reason. The clay season is shortened due to this reason only, since they have to start clay tournaments later because Miami finished later. Bad and mindless decision.

[Moose Malloy]

The schedule is moved so IW and Miami could be aligned with NCAA basketball final 4 which was later this year for some reason. The clay season is shortened due to this reason only. Bad and mindless decision.

I'm not sure this is true, the clay season was exactly the same in 2004 as well. It can't just be coincidence that both years are Olympic years.

And even so, why all the outrage over a schedule that is shortened by exactly one week compared to last year? Can just one week really screw the top players that much?

[gj011]

Originally Posted by Moose Malloy

I'm not sure this is true, the clay season was exactly the same in 2004 as well. It can't just be coincidence that both years are Olympic years.

This is just an excuse they use. Why would they push forward schedule in April and May for the Olympics which is played in August. Schedule will be back on track for RG and Wimbledon. I really don't see any connection here. If they pushed back all events before Olympics I could see a reason. Like this it makes no sense.

[big ted]

i wouldnt say barcelona is a HUGE tournament.. the only reason nadal plays it is cuz hes from spain..

[Andres]

Originally Posted by big ted

i wouldnt say barcelona is a HUGE tournament.. the only reason nadal plays it is cuz hes from spain..

It's the 2nd biggest non-Grand-slam-non-Master-Series event, after Dubai. Or third (maybe Queens...)

But yeah, it's a big tourney.

[Fee]

Originally Posted by Moose Malloy

I'm not sure this is true, the clay season was exactly the same in 2004 as well. It can't just be coincidence that both years are Olympic years.

And even so, why all the outrage over a schedule that is shortened by exactly one week compared to last year? Can just one week really screw the top players that much?

Yes it was compressed in 2004 as well, to accomodate the Olympics.


It's still longer than grass. Next's year's schedule will probably be an even bigger mess. The proposed schedule still hasn't been finalized, apparently no one is happy with it, they hope to release it at Wimbledon, and if we're lucky, it will be the final nail in DeVilliers coffin and his contract won't be renewed in December.

[NoBadMojo]

This clay court season is nowhere as grueling as the US hardcourt season.

It is played in milder weather on a much kinder surface for the body.

Even federer commented that it really isnt greuling playing best 2 of 3 on the dirt and he usually makes the finals....pounding on the now slower higher bounding hardcourts in oppressive heat and humidity is far more demanding. Also the hardcourt season comes much later in the season when players are more tired, injured, and likely to be injured