Uh-oh, is another clay masters (Madrid/Rome) going to get the cut?

[DragonBlaze]

http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/news...ten&type=story

Didn't see a thread on this, my apologies if there is one already.

Seems from the article that the ATP wants just one 2 week long clay masters (like Indian Wells/Miami) during the Rome/Madrid time slot, which would mean one of them would get the cut/become non-mandatory (probably Rome considering all the money Tiriac has).

Would be pretty bad if they did this. I mean, jeez get rid of one of the HC masters, not the clay ones.

[augustobt]

Firstly, I hate the Madrid Clay Masters. The only year that I really liked was the las one sorely due to the Blue Clay.

Secondly, Rome Masters is one of the most tradicional clay court events of the season. Even if boring as monte carlo because of Nadal's domination, stills a very nice tournament to watch.

This chance is one of the most stupid decisions ever made by ATP. From 3 clay court masters, now only one is mandatory? Ridiculous.

[Clarky21]

What a crock. They should get rid of one of the hc masters and leave the clay season as it is. Hardcourts are way overrepresented as it is.

[FlashFlare11]

Originally Posted by Clarky21

What a crock. They should get rid of one of the hc masters and leave the clay season as it is. Hardcourts are way overrepresented as it is.

I agree. We need to add more clay and grass (especially grass) courts. I wish the season were more evenly split amongst the three surfaces.

Honestly, I say make Monte-Carlo mandatory, keep Rome mandatory, and make Madrid optional. I don't even know why, of all the Masters 1000 series events, the only optional one is on clay.

Is the article actually suggesting one, two-week long tournament played in best of 3 format? Kind of like a mini slam?

[augustobt]

The obvious thing would be make Shangai the opitional masters, but if they do that probably nobody would never play there.

[Tennis Fanatic 070]

Eliminating one of those boring clay events would be a gift from heaven

[HughJars]

If Rome gets the cut before Madrid then I will gouge my eyes out.

Rome is beautiful and traditional. Madrid is horrible. Small crowds and ugly courts.

[WhiskeyEE]

They need to demote both monte carlo and rome to atp 500 status and make them non-mandatory. And then bring back the blue clay in Madrid.

Rome is the most poverty looking tournament I've ever seen and is too close to RG.

[insideguy]

I said this on another post. Make Madrid a grass masters. If they don't do it give it back to Hamburg and make that a grass masters. Wala problem solved. Madrid would draw much bigger crowds if they went grass and put it two weeks before wimby. Right now its the third wheel in a crowded claycourt season. It could make itself very special.

[Hood_Man]

I can see why they're doing it, the tour is very gruelling on the players.
However, I can't say I understand why they're doing it for clay. If they want to replace two tournaments for a single fortnightly masters they should do it for hard courts, perhaps post-Wimbledon?

[FlashFlare11]

Originally Posted by insideguy

I said this on another post. Make Madrid a grass masters. If they don't do it give it back to Hamburg and make that a grass masters. Wala problem solved. Madrid would draw much bigger crowds if they went grass and put it two weeks before wimby. Right now its the third wheel in a crowded claycourt season. It could make itself very special.

I don't think Madrid needs to be a Masters 1000 event, though, I figure Tiriac's wallet affords it that status. With all of the continental Europeans tournaments taking place during the clay stretch, it's hard to imagine fitting Madrid in anywhere else.

Halle or Queen's would make excellent MS1000 events. Both have consistently great turnouts in terms of field quality.

[WhiskeyEE]

Originally Posted by FlashFlare11

I don't think Madrid needs to be a Masters 1000 event, though, I figure Tiriac's wallet affords it that status. With all of the continental Europeans tournaments taking place during the clay stretch, it's hard to imagine fitting Madrid in anywhere else.

Halle or Queen's would make excellent MS1000 events. Both have consistently great turnouts in terms of field quality.

The problem is that no one would play the non-masters one. But it would be ideal if they would.

Get rid of one of the clay masters and finish off the clay season earlier. Then have a 500 event at halle, a masters 1000 at queens and then wimby.

Another problem with that, however, is that there (still) isn't enough time between RG and Wimby for any sort of real grass court season.

[Netspirit]

They are just trying to make sure Nadal remains a clay GOAT, like Becker (?) remains the carpet GOAT forever.

[insideguy]

Originally Posted by Hood_Man

I can see why they're doing it, the tour is very gruelling on the players.
However, I can't say I understand why they're doing it for clay. If they want to replace two tournaments for a single fortnightly masters they should do it for hard courts, perhaps post-Wimbledon?

I don't think they are talking about doing it specifically because of clay. But the french open is the only GS that has three masters practically back to back leading into it. They could be playing on pillows and be beat up.

Of course saying that I still think someone like Nadal would play as many clay tournaments as he could leading up to RG. Its where he gets his points, and he gets confidence by playing them. So if the eliminated Madrid he would just go play in portugal or something that week.

[FlashFlare11]

Originally Posted by WhiskeyEE

The problem is that no one would play the non-masters one. But it would be ideal if they would.

Get rid of one of the clay masters and finish off the clay season earlier. Then have a 500 event at halle, a masters 1000 at queens and then wimby.

Another problem with that, however, is that there (still) isn't enough time between RG and Wimby for any sort of real grass court season.

An actual grass season is badly needed. Like you said, making Queens or Halle a Masters would be great. Just move the non-Masters to a week before the MS event. The clay season could start one week earlier after Miami and end one week earlier, allowing time for a one-week 250 event, a one-week MS1000 tourney, a week break, and finally Wimbledon. That way it wouldn't cut into the brief off-season before the summer HC season.

[insideguy]

Originally Posted by WhiskeyEE

The problem is that no one would play the non-masters one. But it would be ideal if they would.

Get rid of one of the clay masters and finish off the clay season earlier. Then have a 500 event at halle, a masters 1000 at queens and then wimby.

Another problem with that, however, is that there (still) isn't enough time between RG and Wimby for any sort of real grass court season.

They are adding an extra week in between Clay and Grass season in 2015 I think. So that will be three weeks I believe. You could put a master grass in the second week no problem.

[TennisMaven]

They should have the same number of clay events as grass. Why have more?

[HughJars]

Originally Posted by WhiskeyEE

They need to demote both monte carlo and rome to atp 500 status and make them non-mandatory. And then bring back the blue clay in Madrid.

Rome is the most poverty looking tournament I've ever seen and is too close to RG.

Haha, thought you were serious until I realsied you got Rome and Madrid mixed up!

[Tennis Fanatic 070]

Originally Posted by TennisMaven

They should have the same number of clay events as grass. Why have more?

Because there are more clay courts than grass court in the world.

[Towser83]

If Rome gets demoted it will be a disgrace.