Fans First as ATP Primed for Finale, '07 Changes
© Getty Images All 8 top singles players and doubles teams ready for Tennis Masters Cup
All Tennis Masters Cup matches to be streamed live via ATPtennis.com
Player challenge system, ATP Doubles Revolution reinvigorate game
ATP set to test more innovations for 2007 circuit
All of the world’s top tennis stars, led by ATP World No. 1 Roger Federer, ATP World No. 2 Rafael Nadal and ATP World No. 1 team Bob & Mike Bryan, have descended upon China to contest for the Tennis Masters Cup title. The circuit finale features both a round-robin format and Sunday start, two elements of the ATP plan to transform the pro tennis circuit in the years ahead.
Red Group round robin play begins Sunday at 1 p.m. in Shanghai with a repeat of the thrilling finale last year between Federer and David Nalbandian, followed by Ivan Ljubicic and Andy Roddick in the group dubbed by media as the “Group of Death.” The third match on opening day features the Bryans against popular Israeli team Jonathan Erlich/Andy Ram, followed by Paul Hanley/Kevin Ullyett vs. Martin Damm/Leander Paes.
© ATP
“Our tournament starts with a Grand Slam semifinal on Sunday—what a terrific opening for all our fans!” said ATP Executive Chairman and President Etienne de Villiers, who met with all of the singles players on Friday to secure their input on some of the future initiatives and changes. “Here in Shanghai are elements of the sport that we plan to feature more in 2007: Opening weekend Sunday starts, round robin formats, promotions built around our top stars, singles and doubles matches celebrated for their unique attributes. We’re committed to transforming men’s professional tennis into an integrated entertainment business to grow the sport and best serve our fans, players, tournaments, sponsors and media.”
The ATP, governing body of the men’s professional tennis circuit, previously announced changes for 2007 intended to help the sport achieve broader appeal. The 2007 plans include elimination of best-of-5 set finals at all but a few ATP events to ensure player health and enhance TV scheduling; Sunday starts to build Opening Weekends at ATP tournaments; testing of round robin formats; increased prize money; and a new multi-million dollar marketing fund. The ATP also intends to extend into 2007 the fan benefits of the player challenge system (video review) and ATP Doubles Revolution. (Report)
“We’ve moved in the right direction this past year and there is a lot of potential to improve the game of tennis even more for players, tournaments and fans,” said Ljubicic, President of the ATP Player Council, the player leadership body that recently added Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan as its newest member. “For sure there will be challenging times ahead for all of us and we may not necessarily agree, but I am optimistic from the discussions we’ve had with the leadership of the ATP that we will do what’s beneficial for the game.”
Player Challenges A Video Hit
The player challenge system, which utilizes video review for close line calls, has been received enthusiastically worldwide in 2006 by fans, players, sponsors and broadcasters after first introduced in Miami in March. The system also was used throughout the summer US Open Series tournaments before moving to ATP tournaments in Beijing, Moscow and the two final ATP Masters Series events, the Mutua Madrilena Masters Madrid and BNP Paribas Masters in Paris.
© Getty Images
“I like everything about it,” said American Andy Roddick, who makes his third appearance at the Tennis Masters Cup. “I think it's great for the fans. I think it adds another dimension to watching it on TV, that three- or four-second clip where you see the ball going through, the crowd (goes) ooohhh...I think it's good.”
Through twelve events, 1,141 total player challenges have been made on the ATP circuit, an average of 3.21 per match. Players have been correct on 38 percent of the challenges (1.22 per match). Out of the eight Tennis Masters Cup singles qualifiers, Ljubicic has been the most accurate on his calls, challenging correctly 16 of 20 times (80 percent).
The three biggest events to start the 2007 season – Australian Open in January and the ATP Masters Series tournaments Pacific Life Open (Indian Wells) and Sony Ericsson Open (Miami) in March – will use the player challenge system.
ATP Doubles Revolution
ATP doubles stars gained greater support and exposure than ever in 2006, as the ATP signed Stanford Financial Group as the Official Sponsor of ATP Doubles and launched a promotional campaign designed to celebrate the team game. A graffiti theme representing the “ATP Doubles Revolution” created a unique look featured on player gear, advertisements and ATPtennis.com.
(Rollover Video Box to Play)
The Bryan brothers, who last week clinched the Stanford ATP Doubles Race to finish the year as the ATP World No. 1 team, launched the Revolution in February with a New York City media blitz.
Mike Bryan said: "There have been lots of center court matches, televised matches, posters, draws and rankings posted and publicized, hats, t-shirts, doubles social get-togethers, a doubles court at the US Open’s Arthur Ashe Kid’s Day, a whirlwind media blitz in New York City and a ringing of the closing bell at the NY Stock Exchange. And there have been some unbelievably exciting and well-played doubles matches! It has been a great year for doubles all around.”
The new doubles format featuring no-ad scoring and a Match Tie-break proved a hit with fans during the regular ATP season, with larger audiences exposed to the team game. Matches averaged 71 minutes – 16 less than its 2005 average – providing for better scheduling and more showcasing of doubles on feature courts. Through the end of the regular ATP season, 381 matches were scheduled on center court – a 36 percent increase from 2005. Additionally, the new format attracted 15 percent more singles players to “double dip” by playing both singles and doubles at tournaments.
More at ATP Doubles Revolution
2007 Changes Benefit All
The 2007 ATP season will feature 64 tournaments in 30 countries. ATP tournaments will test three different round robin formats (24-, 32- and 48-player draws) at select circuit events. The tournaments, to be finalized soon, will be held on different surfaces in different countries throughout the season, and guarantee fans the opportunity to see their favorite players more than once during the week while improving scheduling for broadcasters and tournament promoters. (Report)
“The round robin format is a fan friendly format,” said former ATP World No. 1 Jim Courier, who has played under the round robin format in senior events and previously in the ATP circuit finale. “I am pleased the ATP will bring this format to their tour next year. It's another step forward to understanding the fans’ needs and making tennis tournaments more accessible for them.”
ATP tournaments also will phase in Sunday starts incorporating singles and doubles matches, pro-ams, charity events and family activities. In addition to a number of the round robin events, two ATP Masters Series tournaments have been chosen to utilize a Sunday Start program in 2007: Masters Series Monte-Carlo (April 15-22, 2007) and Rogers Masters in Montreal (August 5-12, 2007).
Additionally in 2007, ATP tournaments will feature best-of-3-sets matches including finals, a change to ensure player health throughout the season. The shorter length of the match also will benefit broadcasters by offering an entertainment product with a more predictable, reasonable length. Eleven tournaments with best-of-5-set finals this past season will move to best-of-3 in 2007: Barcelona, Basel, Gstaad, Kitzbuhel, Stuttgart, Vienna and the ATP Masters Series events in Hamburg, Madrid, Monte-Carlo, Paris, and Rome. ATP Tennis Masters Series tournaments Pacific Life Open and Sony Ericsson Open will maintain their five-set finals for 2007.
Next season, the ATP also will implement its first across-the-board prize money increase since 2000. All International Series Gold and International Series tournaments currently at the minimum prize money level will pay 10 percent more in 2007. In addition, all other ATP tournaments will fund a marketing program expected to be near $5 million in its first year. The total financial commitment from ATP and Grand Slam tournaments next season is expected to rise to nearly $100 million.
Tennis on the ‘Net
© ATP
The world’s No. 1 online tennis destination also broke through two other significant milestones during Madrid. For the 10 months of the year through October 22, ATPtennis.com had served a monthly average of 1.6 million unique visitors and hosted a year-to-date total of 51.4 million user sessions. That represents respective increases of 37 percent and 43 percent on last year.
ATPtennis.com en español, the ATP’s Spanish language Web site, also recorded significant growth this year, registering a 50 percent increase in page impressions and unique visitors from 2005. The ATP expects to greatly expand its broadband console offerings, on display during the Tennis Masters Cup, in 2007.
|
