Roger Federer joined Rafael Nadal in condemning a back-door attempt by the Madrid Masters to install blue clay courts in the face of all tennis tradition.
The re-launched event, moved from October indoors onto a new surface at the 160-million-euro Magic Box had tried to quietly get approval for blue clay courts, but the men's ATP quickly knocked back the radical plan.
Federer, president of the Player Council, gave a measured condemnation of the aborted plan. "I don't think there a chance for blue clay. I only saw it when I drove past it. But we are against it, red clay is the tradition".
Federer was annoyed by the lack of procedure inherent in the affair, with Madrid officials failing to go through the ATP on the matter. "You (should) go to the ATP and to the board in the normal way", said the Swiss still looking for his first title of the season. "You don't ask individual players".
"That is only dividing us, it should anyway be a unanimous decision".
The re-launched event, moved from October indoors onto a new surface at the 160-million-euro Magic Box had tried to quietly get approval for blue clay courts, but the men's ATP quickly knocked back the radical plan.
Federer, president of the Player Council, gave a measured condemnation of the aborted plan. "I don't think there a chance for blue clay. I only saw it when I drove past it. But we are against it, red clay is the tradition".
Federer was annoyed by the lack of procedure inherent in the affair, with Madrid officials failing to go through the ATP on the matter. "You (should) go to the ATP and to the board in the normal way", said the Swiss still looking for his first title of the season. "You don't ask individual players".
"That is only dividing us, it should anyway be a unanimous decision".
