Sneak Peek: 2009 Pro Tennis Calendar

by Lynn Berenbaum | April 5th, 2007, 12:56 pm
  • 8 Comments

An unintended consequence of my last post is that it brought on an important discussion around the proposed calendar changes for both Tours. I laid out each Tour’s proposals in one handy document which can be viewed here.

This calendar is based on best-known info and I will be updating this document as more information becomes available.


While the WTA threw out an abundance of information in their recent announcements (see my last post), please bear in mind that some information is still forthcoming. That being said, I’ve left blanks in the WTA side that have yet to be filled in — again, this is a working document.


The information regarding the ATP’s slate was compiled from a variety of sources, and save for known changes reflected here, the structure of their events currently remains intact. Their calendar is reportedly reliant upon rebranding of the Masters Series. There have, however, been conflicting reports between the brand names of “Masters Series 500” and “Open 500”.

No announcement regarding the calendar will be made by the ATP until at least the U.S. Open. It’s also important to note that no formal announcement has been made by the ATP regarding their calendar, save for the introduction of the Shanghai Masters Series event.

The last, and most crucial note, is that neither organization has confirmed nor denied this structure. I would also be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out for the fine reporting by Matt Cronin at Tennis Reporters, which helped inform much of the WTA side.

A side-dish to this calendar revamp is that through the discussions between fans we might be able to create an alternate document — a fan fantasy calendar, if you will. While that sounds like a monumental undertaking, just remember that it’s all in good fun. And who knows? We may wind up rewriting the calendar ourselves. Stranger things have happened. I’d like to start that discussion in my next post, so save your thoughts. I’ll bet they’re good ones!

For the time being, feel free to leave your thoughts on the 2009 proposed ATP/WTA calendar.


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8 Comments for Sneak Peek: 2009 Pro Tennis Calendar

Christophe Says:

I’ve seen the calendar. Not good.

1) The number of Master Series has passed from 9 to 8. They add one, they remove two. At least keep the total number of Master Series. Like that, there is no need to remove Monte-Carlo.

2) Where is gone Hambourg? What is the sense of replacing Hambourg clay tournament by Madrid indoor tournament? Will Madrid be played on clay?

3) If one of the current Master series has to be removed (that is lose the status of “Master Series” tournament), a better solution:
– take off Cincinnati and replace it by Madrid, which has similar surface (adaptation easier).


Ali Says:

It’s so unfair for clay court players like nadal, he’ll lose all of his points, and besides, why don’t move Australia to march or late february?


zola Says:

I think players have to come together and work with IMG or other associations to dump ATP and play as another body. without the players ATP will be nothing. Ignoring what players and fans want has become a part of ATP’s new mission: Destroy Tennis!


FloridaMan Says:

I personally think that the tennis schedule is one of the worst schedules in all of sports. And the fact that there’s very little off season has not much to do with it.
The Grand Slams ARE what tennis is about. Therefore, I think the schedule needs to be built around putting them in a better time in the calendar, and having the tournaments lead up to it. I think the Aussie Open should come after the Indian Wells and Key Biscayne tournaments…that way there’s not this whole thing of “well, people are just starting the new year, they don’t really know what their form is like, going into the Aussie Open.” If the Aussie is after Key Biscayne, there would be a lot more practice for the players going into the tourney, and plus, it wouldn’t be so far away from the other slams, like it is now. And the other thing that I’ve been saying for years is: The French and Wimbledon are ridiculously too close together. There needs to be a longer grasscourt preparation season, just like there is before most of the other slams.


zola Says:

Floridaman
that makes lots of sense to move Australian Open to after Miami, because the weather is much cooler in Australia at that time. I also agree that there should be more time between RG and Wimbledon. Perhaps ATP should put two master series on the same surface as the Grand Slams before each one. The problem is they don’t really care.


Davis Cup Madness Weekend | Off the Baseline Says:

[…] Sneak a peek at the 2009 ATP/WTA calendars. [Dysfunctional Tennis Blog] […]


Ginger Smith Says:

Ginger Smith said
How does the new ATP system works ? When can we know which tournament will be Master 500 / 1000? I am worry the tournament in my country will be downgraded. When can we get the calendar of the fall. :(


Slam Sam Says:

FloridaMan says it all.

Tennis = Grand Slams. Masters and IS/ISG tournaments must revolve around them.

I love the Aussie Open in January because I haven’t had tennis in two months, but its place is CLEARLY after the Indian Wells and Miami hard court Masters, just like the US Open is after the Montreal-Toronto/Cincinnati.

Personally, I would take one of the clay court Masters (3), change it to grass and place it after Roland Garros – that would give us one (only one) Masters on grass, a couple of weeks before Wimbledon.

I’m not sure what to think about the Davis Cup schedule. I’m not a big Davis Cup fan, but it seems odd to put the matches in the week following the four Grand Slams. They don’t want Federer and Nadal in the Davis Cup, or what?

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