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  • Nadal pitches plan for optional portion of the long ATP season

    12/8/09 10:25 AM | Johan Lindahl
    Nadal pitches plan for optional portion of the long ATP season With his mind already set on 2010 with training resuming at home on the island of Mallorca, Rafael Nadal has voiced a thought which tennis officials might be wise to consider - an optional portion of the long ATP season.

    "Maybe you could have nine months where it is obligatory to play and three months where you are free not to," the Spanish world No. 2 told London's Guardian. "In those three months there could be tournaments – but not decisive tournaments which affect your ranking.

    "But we have the sponsors to consider. The ATP wants to do it but I think it's going be better for the next generation than us."

    Nadal could be in a position to make his voice firmly heard on the issue as a member of the powerful ATP players council headed by Roger Federer and with Novak Djokovic also on board.

    But the Spaniard, who capped a so-so 2009 with success at last week's Davis Cup final for Spain, is currently content to say focused on his own game - a game which he hopes to improve before his return to the courts on New Year's eve at an Abu Dhabi exhibition.

    By his own choice, Nadal will have had only three weeks away from the sport when he returns, with most of that time spent on the practice court after two lengthy breaks this years due to knee and abdominal injuries.



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Comments

A so-so season??? okay for Nadal maybe! good luck to him it will be nice to see the ole Nadal back to the courts, great champion, he brings so much energy to tennis and if his match against Berdych in the DC is anything to go by he still has it in him! go Nadal!!! BTw beautiful picture of him!!*phew*

afrodite7 , 12/8/09 2:23 PM


haven't read the article yet... but i LOVE the picture :D

Sib69 , 12/8/09 7:05 PM


That would be nice for players whom play a physical game ,but, if you think about the sponsors and the fans that is unfair,that means they will only play in GS and masters, take Duabi tournment for example if that happened no body will go there specially players like Nadal and Federer so fans will not get the chance to watch them despite that there is a good tournment with good sponsors because players like Nadal and Federer dont care about the money as much as for the ranking in the mid season ( that is away from Abu dahbi tournment)
it is tough sport where they have to be at the top of there game day in and day out but that what it takes maybe little adjustement is not so bad but we see some smaller tournments that organized and the stadiums are better than some masters,so it desreves a first class players!

tennislover , 12/9/09 11:01 AM


I think the greed of the sponsors have sapped the players of the love of the game. It's going to be very very difficult to unwind all the contracts and sponsorships which have been fuelled by the high profile of two of the biggest stars the sport has ever seen in Nadal and Federer. They are the victims of their own success. Everyone wants a piece of it and it's such a shame that it seems impossible that anything can be done about the situation.

Sweet picture of Rafa, that has cheered me up no end.

Vamos Rafa!

carrie , 12/9/09 3:02 PM


tennislover , your have a vlaid point .
I think the schedule is just fine provided you dont try and play every tournament . If you play just the mandatory tournaments it does not really look like a taxing schedule . However , when you slap on the additional tournaments being played in order to make up for failures to do well in MS and GS ...then it get a little bit taxing . Players have the option of making thier schedulles and everyone is bound by the same rules ...
Being a Pro Tennis player is not just about hitting the ball ..its also about fitness , planning and common sense of what you can and cannot take . You need to make smart decisions to capitalize on tournaments . These format of play has been going on for very long and though i would be the first to admit that its tough ....its not impossible with smart decision making .


C'MON !!

fedexfan , 12/10/09 9:12 AM



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