Tournament & Tour Announcements

[ti-amie]

The number of ATP 250 tournaments will be reduced from 2025

Five ATP 250 tournaments, including Lyon, will disappear from the circuit from 2025. The objective is in particular to clarify an already dense calendar.

In the restructuring phase in 2025, the ATP circuit will lighten its schedule. According to our information, three tournaments will move to the 500 category, by purchasing the 250 tournament licenses which will thus disappear from the circuit. Those who will move up will be Doha (which “buys” Newport), Dallas (for Atlanta) and Munich, which will “merge” with the Lyon tournament, led by the Ascione-Tsonga duo, thus confirming information published in Le Progrès , Wednesday, which signaled the short-term disappearance of the French tournament.

The ATP will also remove the 250 tournaments in Estoril and Mallorca from the circuit, with the apparent aim of homogenizing the calendar and avoiding weeks where four tournaments could coexist. Most 500 category tournaments will be two on the same date (Doha-Rotterdam, Dallas-Rio, Acapulco-Dubai...), with the exception of Hamburg, which should be played the week before Roland-Garros.


https://www.lequipe.fr/Tennis/Actualite ... 25/1423622
(French)

[skatingfan]

This looks like they are taking steps to make space for the two Masters 1000 events to expand to 10 days in the summer.

[ti-amie]

Australian Open's 'historic' scheduling change on back of 4.05am finish
By Zachary Gates
5 days ago

Next year's Australian Open will begin on a Sunday and the Melbourne major will become a 15-day event, organisers announced on Tuesday.

An Australian Open statement said the decision was made to reduce the number of late-night finishes, which players and fans had flagged as an issue.

This year's match between Andy Murray and Thanasi Kokkinakis did not finish until 4.05am. The only Australian Open match to have finished later was the marathon 2008 battle between Marcos Baghdatis and Lleyton Hewitt.

The extra day of action will also give Nine more exposure to prime-time television.

The Australian Open will be matching Roland-Garros in becoming a 15-day event for the first time. The two other majors, Wimbledon and the US Open, run for 14 days.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley spoke of the positive impact the change would have on players and fans.

"We've listened to feedback from the players and fans and are excited to deliver a solution to minimise late finishes while continuing to provide a fair and equitable schedule on the stadium courts," Tiley said.

"The additional day will achieve this, benefiting scheduling for fans and players alike.

"The first round will now be played over three days instead of two, also giving fans an extra day of unbelievable tennis, entertainment, food and family fun.

"Every year our team works hard to bring fans an event that feels new and exciting, and this is another opportunity to grow what is already the biggest annual sporting event in the world in January."

An Australian Open statement described the change as an "historic first".

Next year's event will run from January 14-28.

Tickets will go on sale on October 12.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/austral ... ocial-WWOS

[skatingfan]

How is spreading the first round over 3 days going to prevent a 2nd round match scheduled second on a show court in a night session from running until the early hours of the next day?

[ti-amie]

How is spreading the first round over 3 days going to prevent a 2nd round match scheduled second on a show court in a night session from running until the early hours of the next day?

Stop trying to apply logic to a situation where none was used. It's just a way for the tournament to make more money.

[mmmm8]

How is spreading the first round over 3 days going to prevent a 2nd round match scheduled second on a show court in a night session from running until the early hours of the next day?

Stop trying to apply logic to a situation where none was used. It's just a way for the tournament to make more money.

Why not just say we want to give working fans more time to enjoy or something like that, the given reasoning is silly and they'll look stupid when they have a 4 am finish on day 4 in 2024.

[ti-amie]

The link wouldn't work for me so I'm not sure if it's the right one

https://fb.watch/nB57_VrBTD/

[ponchi101]

I would go even further. I am pretty sure that no other tournament, other than Wimby, has had such a long run. The US, Aussie, Canadian and all other important tournaments have moved locations in the last century.
Not sure about RG.

[mmmm8]

I would go even further. I am pretty sure that no other tournament, other than Wimby, has had such a long run. The US, Aussie, Canadian and all other important tournaments have moved locations in the last century.
Not sure about RG.

RG got the current site in 1928 - following France's 1927 Davis Cup victory. I remember because there are statues to the Mousquetaires who are Lacoste, Borotra, and two other guys whose names I don't remember.

But the tournament started in 1891 in Paris, so predates Cincy for the "city of origin"

[ti-amie]

SIGH



Who was it who said he's just trying to sell tickets?

[meganfernandez]

I would go even further. I am pretty sure that no other tournament, other than Wimby, has had such a long run. The US, Aussie, Canadian and all other important tournaments have moved locations in the last century.
Not sure about RG.

Cincy has always been touted as the second- or third-oldest continuous tournament in the original city or on the original site. Can't remember. The oldest in the US played in the original city.

[ti-amie]

ATP Announces ATP 250 Event In Sofia
Oct
17
2023
ATP Staff
Tournament will take place as a single-year licence
The ATP has announced that an ATP 250 event in Sofia, Bulgaria, has been added to 2023 ATP Tour calendar. The tournament will take place as a single-year licence, replacing the Tel Aviv Watergen Open, which was cancelled due to the outbreak of war in the region.

The Sofia Open, operated by the Bulgarian Tennis Federation, will take place at the Sofia Arena and will offer Euros 562,815 in prize money.

Stefan Tzvetkov, Bulgarian Tennis Federation President, said: “We’re excited to host ATP Tour tennis back in the historic city of Sofia again. It goes without saying that we wish the circumstances were different, and our thoughts remain with all those affected by the terrible conflict. Our appreciation goes to ATP, the Bulgarian Government, the Municipality, and our team. We look forward to working together with ATP to deliver a successful event for the players and the incredible fans of Bulgaria.”

The Sofia Open was first held in 2016 and counts players including Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev and Grigor Dimitrov among its past champions.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/sofia-2023-announcement

[ti-amie]

The Tennis Podcast
@TennisPodcast
Great reporting, grim reading



Matt Futterman
@MattFutterman
·
4h
The top women’s tennis players asked for a written response to their requests on workplace issues like pay and maternity leave. They got meetings without their representatives and talking points on being ok playing in Saudi Arabia. ⁦@TheAthletic⁩ https://theathletic.com/5014481/2023/10 ... ed_article

[ti-amie]

[ponchi101]

The Tennis Podcast
@TennisPodcast
Great reporting, grim reading



Matt Futterman
@MattFutterman
·
4h
The top women’s tennis players asked for a written response to their requests on workplace issues like pay and maternity leave. They got meetings without their representatives and talking points on being ok playing in Saudi Arabia. ⁦@TheAthletic⁩ https://theathletic.com/5014481/2023/10 ... ed_article