Players want say in new tennis landscape

CHANGES to the landscape of professional tennis look certain over the next couple of years and, as blueprints are laid out and new tournaments proposed, the players are determined that their voices be heard.

A proposal for a radical revamp of the elite game was put on the table by the organisers of the Grand Slams in Indian Wells this month while Saudi Arabia, having got its foot in the door through the men’s tour, is looking to expand its investment.

Everyone, it appears, believes tennis can generate greater revenue but how the sport is structured, and how the new cash is distributed, looks likely to be thrashed out over the next 18 months.

The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) thinks that the players should, at the very least, have a place at the table.

“Regardless of the specifics surrounding any proposals, we’re certain that improvements are possible,” PTPA executive director Ahmad Nassar told Reuters.

“We’re confident that there’s a tremendous amount of additional value to be unlocked, which would directly benefit the players, fans and the industry as a whole.

“This untapped potential underscores our belief in the need for continuous player input and engagement.”

United States Tennis Association chief Lew Sherr, who runs the US Open, last week made public the blueprint for the future drawn up by the organisers of the four majors.

“Tennis is an attractive sport, but… it underperforms commercially,” Sherr said in an interview with Sports Illustrated.

“There are just too many tournaments that aren’t viable… Ten events drive 80% of all of the economics. Four of them are the Grand Slams plus six others.

“If we can lean in and try to address the structural issues the sport is facing, maybe there’s a new opportunity.”

The Grand Slams are proposing a streamlined “Premier Tour” comprising the four majors and 10 other elite combined men’s and women’s events, as well as one team competition and seasonending finals. – Reuters