This is a personal Statement but the calendar I have below is to facilitate the below outcomes
1/ Longer off season for the players - By starting the Year in February rather than January.
2/ Restore fast court tennis - by having more tournaments between Roland Garros and Wimbledon and also restore indoor carpet as a major playing surface.
So here goes:
Australian/New Zealand Calendar pushed one month out - ie pre-Australian Open warmup tournaments first 2 weeks of Feb. and Australian Open last 2 weeks.
Indian Wells - March
Miami - April
European Clay Court season - Last 1/2 of April + May. Monte Caro - mid April, Rome end of April, French Open to be played 1 week before it is now currently. Remove Madrid as a Masters series event. Only have Monte Carlo and Rome as Master series events. Note: I feel that the clay court season is too long and having 3 Masters series then Roland Garros is a bit much wear and tear on the players.
Grass Court Season - Wimbledon to be played 1 week later than it is now. Hence there would now be 4 weeks between Roland Garros Finishing and Wimbledon Starting. Create 1 Master series tournament on Grass - Either make Queens' a Masters series OR create a new tournament called the US Grass Court championships by moving the Newport Hall of Fame Championships to before Wimbledon and making it a Masters Series. Also key to the grass court season is speeding up the Wimbledon surface (and all of the other tournaments towards its old speed. (Not quite as quick though, rallies are a good thing!).
Hard Court season leading up to the US open - pretty much as it is at the moment.
After US Open - indoor carpet season - like in the 70's/80's/90's. Indoor Hardcourt is NOT the same as indoor carpet. Ending in Season end finals Mid-November.
Off season would be 1/2 November, all December, all of January.
The other thing I would say that should continue to happen is that alongside the Main Seasons mentioned above should be tournaments (not Master's level - but one below) of other surfaces than the primary seasons so that non-specialist players can still continue to play eg Clay Court tennis still around in Grass Court season, but the top 10 not obligated to play. This actually happens at the moment, which is good eg Umag Croatia in Late July. But for the top players, having distinct seasons of Australian Hard Court, Warm state (Calif. / Florida) US Hard Court, Clay Court, Grass Court (and now being 4 weeks, it is a serious season once more), US Open run-up tournaments on Hard Court, Indoor Season.
Sometimes less is more. I think there are too many tournaments. By strategically placing the right tournaments in a less cramed calendar, it would be good for players and spectators.
What are other people's take on the tennis calendar?
1/ Longer off season for the players - By starting the Year in February rather than January.
2/ Restore fast court tennis - by having more tournaments between Roland Garros and Wimbledon and also restore indoor carpet as a major playing surface.
So here goes:
Australian/New Zealand Calendar pushed one month out - ie pre-Australian Open warmup tournaments first 2 weeks of Feb. and Australian Open last 2 weeks.
Indian Wells - March
Miami - April
European Clay Court season - Last 1/2 of April + May. Monte Caro - mid April, Rome end of April, French Open to be played 1 week before it is now currently. Remove Madrid as a Masters series event. Only have Monte Carlo and Rome as Master series events. Note: I feel that the clay court season is too long and having 3 Masters series then Roland Garros is a bit much wear and tear on the players.
Grass Court Season - Wimbledon to be played 1 week later than it is now. Hence there would now be 4 weeks between Roland Garros Finishing and Wimbledon Starting. Create 1 Master series tournament on Grass - Either make Queens' a Masters series OR create a new tournament called the US Grass Court championships by moving the Newport Hall of Fame Championships to before Wimbledon and making it a Masters Series. Also key to the grass court season is speeding up the Wimbledon surface (and all of the other tournaments towards its old speed. (Not quite as quick though, rallies are a good thing!).
Hard Court season leading up to the US open - pretty much as it is at the moment.
After US Open - indoor carpet season - like in the 70's/80's/90's. Indoor Hardcourt is NOT the same as indoor carpet. Ending in Season end finals Mid-November.
Off season would be 1/2 November, all December, all of January.
The other thing I would say that should continue to happen is that alongside the Main Seasons mentioned above should be tournaments (not Master's level - but one below) of other surfaces than the primary seasons so that non-specialist players can still continue to play eg Clay Court tennis still around in Grass Court season, but the top 10 not obligated to play. This actually happens at the moment, which is good eg Umag Croatia in Late July. But for the top players, having distinct seasons of Australian Hard Court, Warm state (Calif. / Florida) US Hard Court, Clay Court, Grass Court (and now being 4 weeks, it is a serious season once more), US Open run-up tournaments on Hard Court, Indoor Season.
Sometimes less is more. I think there are too many tournaments. By strategically placing the right tournaments in a less cramed calendar, it would be good for players and spectators.
What are other people's take on the tennis calendar?
