Thirteen men’s tournaments will be fought out over three different round-robin formats in the 2007 season, the ATP Tour said on Thursday.
The ATP announces the introduction of a new round-robin format at 13 tournaments in the next year
MELBOURNE: Thirteen men’s tournaments will be fought out over three different round-robin formats in the 2007 season, the ATP Tour said on Thursday.
The Adelaide International, starting on Sunday Dec. 31 and running through eight days, will be the first to trial one of the new formats aimed at increasing spectator value for money and boosting interest from the media and sponsors, the ATP said.
“Our research with fans, tournaments and media indicate a preference for round-robin,” ATP Executive Chairman Etienne De Villiers said in announcing the one-year trial. “We are going to test different formats and see which ones we will introduce and into what type of event for 2008. It is the ‘’do it, try it, fix it’’ approach. I recognise some players are opposed or indifferent but we will dilligently build our research based on the results and do what’s best for the fans,” he added.
The ATP said 24-, 36- and 48-player round-robin events were organised throughout the year debuting in Adelaide and including Delray Beach, the Stella Artois Championships at Queen’s Club, London and the RCA Championships in Indianapolis.
Critics of the new plans, among them former women’s world number one Lindsay Davenport, say the new set-up could lead to players not trying if they knew they would not be eliminated with a defeat. But organisers of the Adelaide event said they were proud to be the guinea pigs for the ATP drive.
“We can now showcase the game over eight days in a format where every match counts,” co-tournament director Peter Johnston said.
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