Changes to WTA Tour in the cards

Posted by Andrew Wallace Nov 30, 2006

The Associated Press recently reported that the WTA Tour "wants to shorten its season, reduce the number of mandatory tournaments and give the top women more of a break after Grand Slam events."

And in light of the startling amount of injuries and withdrawals on the women's circuit this year, it seems like a pretty good idea.

The WTA Tour was plagued by last-minute withdrawals and the out-right absences of some of the game's best players in 2006. The WTA reported that the amount of top ten players withdrawing from Tier 1 events more than doubled from 2005 to 2006 with 13 such competitors dropping out last year compared with a whopping 31 this year. Furthermore, so many young players' careers are being cut short by injury lately - Kim Clijsters, in particular, comes to mind - that something had to be done.

The new proposal by the WTA - which is supposed to go into effect in the 2009 season - is to expand upon the policies that are to be implemented in 2007. Next year the amount of mandatory tournaments for the tour's top talents is to be reduced from 13 to 12 with a further reduction to 11 come 2009. The WTA wants to finish the season earlier in the calendar year, bringing the competition to a close in October as opposed to mid-November, while scaling back the overall amount of action to increase rivalries and competition amongst elite players.

When it comes down to it, it just seemed like the gruel and rigor of the WTA schedule was too much and as a result the quality of the product was suffering. With circumstances as such, it's time for a change.