Top players call for more input into ATP 2009 revamp

By Bill Scott Apr 16, 2007, 14:45 GMT

Monte Carlo - Roger Federer called on Monday for more player input into controversial ATP reforms, characterising his plea as 'a scream for help.'

The Swiss world number 1 spoke at this week's ill-starred Monte Carlo Open began its run under a cloud after being touted as a likely candidate for a downgrade from elite Masters Series status from 2009.

Federer, who has worries on the court after losing his last two matches on hard court, will be making the switch to clay as top seed. He lost the 2006 final to Rafael Nadal.

With time running out on ATP plans to reveal the scope of changes in coming weeks for the 2009 season, the Swiss said it's time to slow the pace and listen to players, whom both he and number 2 Nadal feel are being ignored.

'We're the ones out there on court in the tennis shorts, they're not,' he said of ATP bosses and mandarins in Florida.

'We've not been happy the past few months. A (player) meeting in Miami (last month) was a big disappointment. These decisions need to be taken more slowly, we want a say as well.'

The even-handed Federer also include the ITF in his criticism, saying meeting with the organisers of four Grand Slams are also urgently needed regarding the awkward annual scheduling of the Davis Cup.

ITF head Francesco Ricci Bitti answered the charges in a statement only hours after Federer's comments.

'The ITF wants to assure the players that we have listened to their views about the scheduling of Davis Cup. Following the Australian Open, the ITF entered into constructive discussions with the ATP about the scheduling of Davis Cup in the calendar.

'We are confident that we can come to an agreement including the possibility of ranking points that will please all of our constituents.'

Federer said that his meetings over past months with new ATP CEO Etienne de Villiers had resulted in little progress. The Swiss was among signatories of a letter from players which many feel has been filed away without action.

'We need to speak with the bosses, things are going too fast,' said Federer.

Federer and Nadal and others are also opposed to the pending demotion of the Hamburg Masters, a personal favourite of Federer. Both events recently filed suit in Delaware against the ATP.

Shanghai is likely to be become the eighth Masters under the ATP plan, with only European masters events affected by the shakeup and not American ones.

'I've had many meeting with ET (De Villiers). He listens but then goes and does things his way - I wish he would listen more. We've gone from (predecessor) Mark Miles doing nothing to ET doing too much.'

World number 3 Nikolay Davydenko was something less of a diplomat as he voiced his complaints.

'ET says 'trust me.' He wants too much trust, you can only believe five or ten percent of his decisions.'

De Villiers has already been forced to end a controversial round- robin experiment in doubles after a major rules implementation problems at Las Vegas in February.

Davydenko was also critical of American events remain untouched by the proposed calendar changes. Indian Wells, Miami and Cincinnati remain as is in the US while Canada's revolving event in Montreal and Toronto is also unscathed.

He feels that Europeans are being hard done-by. 'We like Monte Carlo, that's why we play it.'

Ivan Ljubicic, elected head of the Player Council, joined Federer and Rafael Nadal in their plea for prudence.

'We don't want it to come to a situation where we say we don't want to play,' said the Croatian. 'ET didn't know much tennis when he took the job (in 2005).

'He's been willing to learn, but it seems like the advice from those around him has not been that good.'