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By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday December 31, 2023
Of late, there have been many rumors about drastic modifications to tennis on the horizon, particularly the development of a “premium tour” that mixes the Grand Slams, the Masters 1000s and some different prestigious tournaments into one tour, which might enable prime gamers to prioritize greater occasions, play shorter seasons, and in the end earn more money doing so.
Final week in Australia, World No.1 Novak Djokovic was requested to provide his ideas on the rumors. The 24-time main champion, who additionally doubles as the top of the PTPA (Skilled Tennis Gamers Affiliation), had the next to say:
“So far as I do know, the 2024 calendar is out, in order that’s not occurring this yr,” Djokovic confirmed, including: “There are numerous rumors on the market, however I feel so long as there are rumors and no factual proof on the market and concrete formalized discussions on the desk, I do not assume it is value speaking about it.”
Djokovic was pleased to elaborate and says he believes that the game of tennis isn’t maximizing its potential in a means that advantages the followers and the gamers.
“I’ve mentioned this many instances earlier than, that I feel that tennis isn’t utilizing its full potential,” he mentioned. “We’re some of the globally watched and well-liked sports activities on the earth, however I feel that we’ve been fairly conservative and traditional in sure points, and that sadly hasn’t actually been a terrific attraction to the youthful viewers.”
Djokovic believes that tennis must strike a stability between nurturing custom and embracing change.
“I am large supportive of our historical past and custom and all the pieces, I feel we should always all the time nurture that, however I feel we have to attempt to modify to the fashionable instances and attempt to perceive what the youthful viewers desires and actually make the tennis extra interesting to that group.
Djokovic was reluctant to speak about rumors of a brand new premium tour that has been described by tennis journalist Matthew Futterman in articles printed on the Athletic. He says he doesn’t have a transparent image of particulars and that he isn’t conscious of any concrete discussions.
“The main points are nonetheless being labored out, however the broad define is constructed round a premier tour for top-level gamers — say, roughly the highest 100,” Wrote Futterman, who added that below the plan “all the opposite occasions could be a part of a developmental tour, with gamers exterior the highest 100 competing to make the premier tour.”
“I don’t know what elite tour you are speaking about,” Djokovic mentioned. “I’ve heard rumors, as effectively, nevertheless it’s, I suppose, nonetheless early levels and we did not see something concrete on the market.”
There has additionally been rumors flying about the opportunity of Saudi Arabia providing large cash to fund a prestigous tour occasion, or presumably even a breakaway tour that fashions golf’s LIV Tour. That’s one thing the ATP and WTA are probably scrambling to keep away from, which explains their imaginative and prescient of a premium tour that may garner extra media rights and consequently supply a better proportion of income sharing to the gamers.
In keeping with Futterman, negotiations on the rumored premium tour are progressing quickly and a proper supply is predicted within the coming weeks.
Even when change is not imminent in a bodily sense, 2024 could possibly be a season which marks the start of huge change for the excursions… keep tuned.