| Subject: |
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Re: Taking Case To Court: Doubles Players Sue ATP ctd. |
| Name: |
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Andrew |
| Date Posted: |
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Oct 9, 05 - 1:25 PM |
| Email: |
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BritishTennis@aol.com |
| Website: |
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http://www.jeffcoetzee.cjb.net |
| Message: |
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long-time tournament director himself, Klosterkemper estimates ATP tournaments spend nearly $12 million a year to support doubles draws and contends doubles does not generate sufficient revenue, attendance or media attention to justify such an expense. Klosterkemper hopes the new shorter scoring system will make doubles more attractive to top singles players and fans and insists the ATP's initiatives are designed to save doubles. Klosterkemper insists the best way to promote doubles is to showcase the game on the television show courts, but believes fans and the networks will not be interested unless top singles stars play.
"More than half of the singles players in the top 50 responded to a poll asking when would you play doubles [by responding] when it was 'remarkably shorter' " Klosterkemper said. "Doubles matches average 96 minutes, but can go as long at three hours 15 minutes." The players council and majority of players agreed to reduce the average length of doubles matches with an aim to get it to 80 minutes. Klosterkemper said they would be testing which scoring system would help to reach that goal with a clear aim to improve attractiveness of doubles and get a sponsorship of doubles game itself. He also did not rule out the possibility in 2008 of a combined ranking, much as the ITF uses in junior play to encourage players to play both singles and doubles matches.
“What we ultimately hope to obtain is much greater promotion of the game,” said the players' attorney, David Mantor of Ellis, Carstarphen. "What the players will tell you is that they have been trying [to work within the organization] and are not getting anywhere," Mantor explaned as to why the suit has been filed. While the ATP is incorporated in the United States and that is why the suit has been filed there, Mantor was not clear on the effect a favorable ruling might have with regard to enforcement at the overseas tournaments that make up the remainder of the 2005 schedule.
Some players say the new scoring system and proposed ranking initiative will not encourage them to play more doubles. Jurgen Melzer, who partnered with Julian Knowle to upset the sixth-seeded French team of Michael Llodra and Fabrice Santoro in the opening round of the U.S. Open doubles event on Thursday, said he does not believe the changes will prompt top singles players to enter doubles draws.
"If you like singles and doubles you cannot do it the whole year; that's why the really big singles players are not going to play (doubles) in Grand Slams," Melzer told Tennis Week. "To play (best of) five-set singles they're gonna pull out of doubles because they're not gonna play the next day singles and sometimes you have to play (doubles) even the same day (as singles)."
Pointing to the fact that Players' Council, comprised primarily of singles players and a few doubles players, voted 8-0 against the doubles reform as well as his own personal poll in which he said nine of the top 10 singles players told him the ATP's new initiatives would not compel them to play more doubles, Knowles argues the ATP is not helping its constituents or the game. The doubles players present at today's press conference are hoping the lawsuit will encourage the ATP to honor its responsibilities to its entire constituency, not just tournament directors who are not making enough money.
"The players are fed up. They have had enough and feel it's really unfair," Knowles said. "We will try to negotiate and are willing to play if they throw out the 2008 initiatives and help us promote doubles. The numbers reflect the promotion and advertising has been pathetic. We're out here busting our butts every day working hard and giving back to the tournaments and we get no draw posted, no results, no doubles race. How can you promote a product if it doesn't exist?" |
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