The WTA and ATP tennis tours want to
have four major mixed tournaments beside the Grand Slams from 2009,
the head of the women's tour said on Wednesday.
For now, both tours come together at six stops outside the Grand
Slams _ Sydney, Memphis, Indian Wells, Key Biscayne, New Haven,
Tokyo _ but the tours want to showcase their talent better.
``The four Grand Slams are the pillars of tennis. But after that
I think there's room for four additional combined mandatory events
around which we have this common vision,'' WTA Tour chief executive
Larry Scott said at the Zurich Open. ``I think we should be able to
put most of the pieces in place by 2009.
``One of the best things that could happen in tennis from my
perspective is for the ATP and WTA tours to work more closely
together. Both tours are excellent on their own but they're better
together at the appropriate times.''
The purpose of showcasing four non-Slams is to create more big
stages with the best of men's and women's tennis ``because that's
what creates stars and excitement,'' Scott added, ``and that
hopefully translates to the other weeks on the tour when people want
to see the stars come to town.''
Key Biscayne in Florida, long considered the ``fifth Grand
Slam,'' was one certainty for 2009, as it offered equal prize money
which will characterize all four events, Scott said.
Another could be Indian Wells in California, also already a
multi-week combined event but currently only a mandatory event on
the men's tour and not the women's.
``So we'd have two in America in March,'' Scott said.
Those will be followed by a clay event before the French Open.
European tournaments which have expressed interest include Madrid,
host of one of the men's Masters and 2006 season-ending WTA
Championships; Rome, which hosts the men and women in successive
weeks; and Monte Carlo, which also features a men's Masters.
The fourth will likely be in Asia, indoors or outdoors, late in
the season.
``China would be the most logical market given the development of
tennis, in particular the women's game,'' Scott said.
Scott said he and ATP chairman Etienne de Villiers hoped to
eventually stage their year-end championships together but that will
have to wait until both tours can coordinate their calendars.
The WTA is planning to finish its season two weeks earlier to
give players a longer off-season in an effort to reduce the number
of injuries and withdrawals on the tour.
``Etienne and I would love to see that happen, together at a
joint event ending the season,'' Scott said. ``It would be a nice
end to the story of the season, where the circuits come together
with a big bang.
``But it's unlikely to be part of the initial rollout of the new
order in 2009. The men so far cannot streamline their calendar and
end it as early as we do, and I'm not sure I want to sacrifice that.
So it could take a few more years but it's certainly desired
eventually.''
Scott also cited commercial complications, with the WTA and ATP
each having different sponsors, and television broadcasters
partners.
``There's been a lot of talk about it even before I left in
2003,'' said Martina Hingis. ``I enjoy the big events like Miami and
Indian Wells and the Grand Slams. It makes things interesting for
fans to see both sides and the difference between the two, men and
women. It makes it more attractive.''
