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Post Info TOPIC: ATP unveils new tier of "500" events
Sheddie


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ATP unveils new tier of "500" events
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The ATP, governing body of the men's professional tennis circuit, announced today 10 cities that have been awarded "500" status for the new-look 2009 ATP Tour. The 10 are: Rotterdam, Dubai, Acapulco, Memphis, Barcelona, Washington DC, Beijing, Tokyo, Basel, Valencia.

In addition, Hamburg has been reserved a "500" level week. Between them, the 10 announced today will make a financial commitment to the Tour of $20.7 million from 2009, an increase in prize money of 118% over 2008 for these events.

Launching in 2009, the ATP Tour will undergo its largest set of changes since its creation in 1990. As well as new tournaments and a record breaking level of prize money, the ATP will also introduce a new brand look and identity based on extensive consumer research and designed to make the Tour more fan friendly by linking tournaments to their winners ranking point levels of either "1000", "500" or "250".

From: http://www.atptennis.com/1/en/2007news/500s.asp

The changes we are undertaking represent the biggest shake up of the ATP Tour since its inception but reflect a true appetite for the sport in emerging and key markets; as well as an expression of ambition and confidence in the future.

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Madeline


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RE: ATP unveils new tier of "500" events
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I don't like it.

For the very top players, it will make no difference except that the number of points per tournament will double. But for the lower-ranked players, that doesn't happen. Those tournaments which now have points of 175 or 200 are not going to double, only increase to 250; that makes a much bigger gap in the points lower-ranked players can earn, so how do they ever make the jump to the higher-level tournaments?

Does anybody know if Challenger points are going to increase at all?


-- Edited by Madeline at 21:14, 2007-10-09

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ForeverDelayed


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ATP unveils new tier of "500" events
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Everyone knows that Mr. Disney has his primary focus as increasing the awareness and popularity of the top players, and this is one way to ensure that they stay at the top. It will become virtually impossible for anyone to work their way up the rankings now, as challengers, unless they have the points increased will be so far below in standing that you will have to win 2/3 more events to be able to enter ATP events than they do currently

The actual 500 events are a bit of a joke as well... no warm up before the Australian Open, no grass court event which further makes it seem like a pointless surface, Memphis, Bejing and Valencia being chosen when there is nothing in Germany (and none of the fans showed up in Bejing, and no top players play in Memphis)



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VSandhi20


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They just raking in the money rather than thinking of fan friendly! if they want fan friendly thingy to work, then they need to look at tournaments that are improving year on year, memphis and acapulco do not have strong fields to be awarded with this '500' status.

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Salmon


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Equally ridiculous is the idea of byes at many 32 player fields. http://www.atptennis.com/en/common/TrackIt.asp?file=http://www.atptennis.com/en/tournaments/fullcalendar/calendar2008.pdf


I just hate the concept of byes. Everyone should need to play the same number of matches to get the title. It's not fair otherwise.

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