Rafael Nadal Calls for shorter season

[bobbynorwich]

It's not just Nadal calling for fewer mandatory tournies, lots of company on this one.

 

[CyBorg]

Doesn't have to be shorter. Just give the players more choice and add more clay in place of hardcourts.

 

[veroniquem]

exactly.
... change the rules, that's the point.

and i don't get how nadal can complain about it and at the same time have rotterdam(!) and dubai (both on hardcourt) on his schedule... that's ridiculous.

anyway, even with the actual rules, i don't get the complains. if you are a top player and don't wanna play too many matches, then just skip the tournaments you don't wanna play, and that's all ! what do you risk ?
- a suspension ? come on... when was the last time a player was suspended for not playing a tournament ? (Moose, do you have the answer ?)
- a fine ? probably a ridiculous amount of money for these top players...

i prefer a long season with players having breaks than a short intense one with players breaking down.

players have often skipped important tournaments in the past, for various reasons (faking injuries or not !).
just some examples :
- some players (i.e. moya) have often skipped wimbledon, is that a big deal ? if they don't want to play it, fine, they do what they want.
(by the way, the very theorical obligation of playing is working for masters-series but not for grand slam tournaments ?)
- in the past, many players have clay-oriented their schedule because they had some injury problems (muster car-crashed knee ?) or simply because they prefered clay.
- american players not playing too many european tournaments or vice-versa, understandable.

now, changing the rules (for playing tournaments) would not be a bad thing, so that it can not be argued that these rules incitate/force the players to play too much.
what about "you have play at least 5 of 10 simili-masters-series tournaments, and we take the best 8 results" or something like this ?

still too much hardcourt on the tour ?
- i think it would be a good idea to bring back the carpet in the indoor tournaments. it would counterbalance a bit the fact that the game has been so much slowed down. in the 80's/90's we had an exciting indoor season leading to the masters, that was cool.
- the return of green clay ? why not (and i don't like clay). converting few outdoor hardcourt tournaments to green clay (fast clay, hopefully), depending on their place in the calendar, could be a possible option... the diversity of surfaces is fine.

by the way, slowing down the play conditions leads to longer exchanges and to more stress on the players'bodies, doesn't it ?
so bring back the carpet, join the CPL !

OTOH, battles of serves drive the audience away, can't be good for the sport...