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By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, April 28, 2024
The Premium Tour might radically reform the professional circuit into one mixed Tour.
Daniil Medvedev has seen some proposals for the Premium tour and has combined feelings about it.
More: WTA Finals Heading to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
As soon as idea of the Premium Tour, would create a mixed ATP-WTA Tour that includes the world’s High 64-ranked women and men competing on the 4 Grand Slams and about 10 different mixed 1000-level occasions, the BBC’s Russell Fuller reports.
Below that mannequin, present Tour 500 and 250-level occasions would develop into a part of The Contender Tour for gamers ranked under the High 64. The very best gamers of The Contenders Tour would compete at a year-end occasion for promotion to The Premium Tour.
Critics say the plan might eradicate 500 and 250-level tournaments by eradicating stars from these occasions making a a lot harder activity for these tournaments to promote sponsorships and tickets.
Requested his response in Madrid, Medvedev provided combined feelings.
On the plus facet, Medvedev believes a streamlined tennis tour can be a lot simpler for followers to observe and doubtlessly develop the sport.
On the adverse facet, Medvedev is just not a fan of the Premium Tour plan to play a Masters 1000 occasion in in Saudi Arabia in January previous to the Australian Open. If a Saudi 1000 was staged in February out of deference to the Australian summer season season, it will doubtlessly jeopardize conventional European indoor occasions like Rotterdam.
“Right here I sort of really feel like I do know the main points. I believe, initially, I believe that one participant, even like me, even like Rafa or Novak or Roger, can not resolve it,” Medvedev informed the media in Madrid. “It may be another guys deciding, you understand, in a manner the place tennis goes. I simply hope they will make it for the perfect, which is extra followers, extra individuals who like tennis, simpler to observe and stuff like this.
“As a result of in a manner I agree that even myself, after Australian Open after I’m at house, typically it isn’t simple to observe when one match is Montpellier indoor exhausting courts after which there may be Cordoba out of doors exhausting courts. Typically I am, like, who gained this match? Then I see, like, simply do not observe just like the match itself.”
Nonetheless, the considered marginalizing and doubtlessly cannibalizing 250 and 500-level tournaments that provide added jobs to gamers and alternative for followers to see world-class tennis at decrease ticket costs than Grand Slams, have to be factored into a call says Medvedev.
The 2021 US Open champion stated no matter determination tennis takes inevitably some gamers will prefer it and a few will not.
“I believe tennis might do higher in some facets, however then, you understand, concerning Premium Tour or Saudi first week February, I simply hope the choice goes to be the perfect for tennis,” Medvedev stated. “As a result of you will have 100 gamers, 50 are going to be joyful; 50 should not going to be joyful.
“Me, myself, I simply need to spend New 12 months’s Eve as a result of it is essential in Russia at house, so I hope I haven’t got to play like twenty seventh December. However let’s have a look at the way it goes. I simply hope the perfect for tennis, greatest for gamers, for followers, simply all people to take pleasure in tennis. I believe it is already the case however we will do even higher.”
Picture credit score: Matthew Calvis/Getty
