Tennis bodies move to end late finishes

PARIS – The ATP and WTA, the two bodies that run the majority of men’s and women’s professional tennis respectively, introduced new scheduling measures on Jan 9 aimed at minimising the scourge of late finishes.

Tennis tournaments have been plagued by matches that drag on long into the night and even early morning.

To counter that, the ATP and WTA have now said that no match on their tours will start after 11pm, while matches unable to start on the court before 10.30pm will be moved to an alternative court and evening sessions will start at 7.30pm at the latest.

“The number of late match finishes (defined as matches finishing after midnight) has risen considerably in recent years, negatively impacting players and fans,” the ATP and WTA said in a joint statement.

“No matches (will) go on court after 11pm, unless approved by the WTA/ATP supervisor in consultation with WTA/ATP management.”

The late finishes are tied to an increase in average match length on tour as well, they said.

As such, there will also be no more than five matches per day per court, with three matches during the day session and two matches during the evening session, the organising bodies added.

The ATP and WTA will enforce new regulations from January as part of a one-year trial, with further review to follow.

However, the measures will be introduced just for tournaments on the tour circuits, which do not include the four Grand Slams, the highest profile of the world’s professional tennis tournaments – the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

However, the Australian Open, which begins on Jan 14, has switched to a Sunday start and will be held over 15 days instead of 14 for the first time in a bid to avoid late finishes, organisers said in October.

The ATP and WTA also announced a strategic review of tennis balls with the aim of eliminating potential inconsistencies of balls used week on week, by introducing “tighter certification and specification requirements for an enhanced end product”.

“Match scheduling and tennis balls are both priority topics on our agenda, together with the WTA. It’s imperative that we evolve and adapt to the demands of the modern game, particularly where player health and fan experience are concerned,” said ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

“We’re optimistic about the impact we can make on both these fronts, now and in the longer term.”

WTA chief Steve Simon added: “It is important that these initiatives are fully aligned between the two tours and will allow for athletes to perform at their highest levels, providing for an improved athlete and fan experience.

“The athlete’s direct feedback in cooperation with our event members has been terrific in allowing us to continue modernising our sport.” AFP, REUTERS