Q&A with Weller Evans, ATP Tour manager

[GregOz]

Well, thank you very much for letting me know that the focus of the ATP is solely on America. Not every country has hundred's of choices at the click of a button and even in those other countries that have pay-tv (as we call it) available ,the number of people opting for the service is far from overwhelming. So there you go, you've got a captive audience already.

As to shorter attention spans, not all of us think it's a good thing and not all of us believe it is an integral part of the television experience. Marius has mentioned golf as a positive example that people will stick with a product and I could just as easily use Cricket. Now, there's a sport that doesn't reach a conclusion (and sometimes the conclusion is that there is no winner) for 5 days but people watch. Travel to the participating countries and you will hear it on television sets from start to close of play. Hardly an indication that sport can't hold an audience over more than 3 sets.

People are turning away from the sport not because there is anything wrong with the actual sport itself but because the game has no sense of continuity. When Agassi is gone the link to the past is Federer and that's it. While the skills may be more polished nothing remains of the game's beauty. Tennis has been allowed to become monotonous because the element of risk has been removed, partly through the slowing down of courts and largely through the inability to regulate equipment. Now, ironically, the only chance to see players fully test themselves is in doubles, the game you'd effectively wipe out.

[Deuce]

Very good stuff from both Marius and Greg here.

The only thing I'd change is the following, from Greg's post:
"Tennis has been allowed to become monotonous because the element of risk has been removed..."

I would replace the word 'risk' with 'creativity', or 'imagination'.

[NoBadMojo]

I think all of those terms apply. Lack of risk (endless topspin crosscourt groundstrokes w. high safety margin.....yawn), and lack of creativity and imagnation by one dimensional baseline play to a large degree. baseline play could be interesting if it wasnt dominating the sport (ie a baseliner vs an all courter or serve/volleyer...think Agassi vs Sampras)....now we essentially have one baseliner going aganst another w. very few exceptions.....It seems to even be boring to many of us who are actually very interested in the game....pro tennis is turning into NASCAR from a viewing standpoint....if NASCAR can be wildly popular why cant T be at least semi popular?

[Mahboob Khan]

Sir: This Forum (I am writing here for the past 8 years) and other instructional websites are doing wonders in areas of technical-tactical teachings and corrections. It would be nice if the WTA and ATP players visit them, learn from them, and possibly give their input whenever they are not playing/training (due to rain delays, etc). This will result into a great interaction between players and coaches and will be good for the promotion of the game of tennis. Last year through the help of forehand models I fixed a technical flaw in the forehand of Aisam ul Haq Qureshi of Pakistan who is an ATP player. Because of that minor adjustment in his point of contact and backswing, he had great wins against Paradorn Srichaphan/Thailand, and Lu/Chinese Taipei in Davis Cup matches. I live in Islamabad/Pakistan and away from these sites but found them excellent teaching tools to fix those flaws we often see on the WTA and ATP tours:

-- This forum

-- www.tennisplayer.net (excellent video work by John Yandell)

-- www.procomparetennis.net (excellent downloadable hitting sequencings)

-- www.tennisgeometrics.com (excellent info about grips, etc)

-- www.tennisone.com (just excellent).

It would also be a good idea if your touring Pros employ certified coaches in addition to their "hitting partners" -- these hitting partners are good in hitting but not good in fixing a technical and/or tactical problem!

Regards,

Mahboob Khan
Tennis Program Director
Islamabad/Pakistan
email: makhan67@hotmail.com

[TW Staff]

Originally Posted by GregOz

Well, thank you very much for letting me know that the focus of the ATP is solely on America. Not every country has hundred's of choices at the click of a button and even in those other countries that have pay-tv (as we call it) available ,the number of people opting for the service is far from overwhelming. So there you go, you've got a captive audience already.

Weller
A: Well, last week in Beijing I had 75 channels to choose from and even touring the Mekong Delta this week in Vietnam I saw satellite dishes atop huts so I probably have a broader perspective than GREGOZ is willing to acknowledge. As for MARIUS, he seems to profess an expertise in both racquet technology and advertising...I have neither. I can only relate what numerous television and sports marketing people have advised. As for reining in the equipment now used out on tour, it would appear that door was left open and the proverbial horse has left the barn. I am surprised to hear that people are running away from the game because of all the "baseline bashing." Wasn't it just a few years ago that we heard it was the predominance of the serve which was killing the game?

[TW Staff]

Posted by Marius_Hancu
Q: The medical timeouts have gotten totally out of whack. Players are using the current situation for gamemanship purposes.
Thus, yesterday Nadal first was "assessed" for 5 minutes in his match with Moya at TMS Montreal, then the was "treated" for another 5 minutes, breaking Moya's rhythm. Of course, when he came back, his wrist was perfectly OK, continuing to blast winners at will. And in fact the whole treatment was a discussion with the trainer, nothing was really applied. I was there.
If you can't play for 10min, you should be defaulted.

Posted by Andrew D
Q: This is a point that really needs to be explored by the ATP.
During the current USTA boys 18's Nationals the top seed took an injury time-out when trailing 3-6 4-5. He later admitted that he took the medical break as strategy not entirely due to a physical ailment -“ it gave him a chance to think about it, and gave me a chance to gather my energy.”
That attitude is being driven by the behaviour of the pros and the ATP really needs to do something about it to discourage emulation at the junior level. If they dont then the practise will become endemic.
The 'offending' player in the above instance won the match so he obviously got what he wanted. However, what tennis got was sportsmanship traded cheaply for gamesmanship.


Weller
A: I do share the concern for the fact that the expanded medical timeouts now compromise the competition. The history of this goes back 10 years when Shuzo Matsuoka suffered terrible cramps in his Grandstand match at the US Open. Instead of walking out to the middle of the court where Shuzo was immobilized and writhing in pain and telling him, "Shuzo, we can get you medical help right now BUT the match will be over", the referee chose instead to "count him out" over an agonizing three minute period. This led to outcries from fans, media and the medical community about how withholding medical treatment was not only inhumane but could be dangerous to the players' health. The following year, a new rule allowing for a much broader range of medical treatment was introduced (typical of how we sometimes fall prey to "knee-jerk" reactions).
The intent of the old rule was never to withhold necessary medical treatment. However, this treatment should not interrupt the natural flow of the match nor should it allow a player to regain a "natural loss of condition" which, for many of us, is cramping or fatigue. The Australian Open final this year between Hewitt and Safin saw each player take what some categorized as a "strategic" medical timeout. A member of the ITF Medical Commission observed this as well and suggested a review of the current rule. Even a majority of ATP players polled were in favor of placing limits on the current procedures. The resistance is coming from the medical community which seems intent on providing any medical assistance whenever a player needs it. However, in the process, we cannot forsake fairness to the OTHER player or the integrity of the competition.
ANDREWD is correct that not only does this balance need to be restored to the professional game (I'll include the women here because I believe that the gamesmanship of the medical timeout is much more rampant on their side) but also at the junior level. This is one aspect of the professional game we do not want emulated by our junior players.

[TW Staff]

Weller
A: On a related topic, JROSS has asked for updated injury reports as they have for American team sports. While we would like to keep our fans as informed as possible, we are limited in this regard by the fact that professional tennis players, unlike team sport athletes who are under contract to a team or league, are individual self-employed contractors whose medical histories and records are their domain. Therefore, we do not have the authority to make their injuries and medical prognosis public. Any disclosures would have to come from the players themselves.

[TW Staff]

5. Posted By Craig Sheppard:
Q: Do you have any firm plans to coordinate more ATP events and WTA events to be at the same time and venue? If not, what is the major hurdle--the size of the venue, not enough time to fit all matches in, sponsorship issues, etc.? Even further, has their been any discussion about merging the ATP & WTA? I know I as well as many other fans take much more interest in an event when both the men and women are playing in the same place.

Weller
A: Craig, the past few years have seen an rapid growth in combined (men's and women's) events on the international tennis calendar. Sydney, Auckland, Memphis, Acapulco, Rome, Washington, Cincinnati, New Haven, Beijing to name a few have joined ATP Masters Series events Indian Wells and Miami as well as the Grand Slams in hosting both the men and the women, many during the same week. While this presents a tournament organizer with tremendous logistical challenges at times (not the least of which is having an appropriate venue or facility which can accommodate such a large undertaking), most feel the added value it brings to their fans make it worth the effort.
As for merging the ATP and WTA, while the concept has been discussed by some, neither player group seems eager to make it happen. You know, men are from Mars, women are from Venus. However, there are areas of the game, mostly behind the scenes, where the two tours are working more closely together than ever before. It has been called the "One Game" approach.

[Marius_Hancu]

Mr. Evans, thank you very much for your reply on medical timeouts.

Concerning the length of TV presence, I can only hope you and the ATP will be able to work with those experts which have so successfully advised the PGA, in order to achieve more on time, and not less.

Shortening the matches IMO, etc, is the path of least resistance and will definitely lead long-term to the lessening the influence tennis has in terms of advertising and revenues. It isn't a path golf has followed and PGA has done very well.