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Roddick injury highlights ATP's dilemma

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-10-14 02:03

LONDON - Andy Roddick's injury-enforced withdrawal from the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday graphically illustrated the American's gripes about the relentless demands placed on the world's best tennis players.

Andy Roddick of the U.S. holds himself up after an sustaining injury during a match against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland during the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament October 13, 2009. Roddick's body finally gave up on him when he limped out of the Shanghai Masters after retiring in the first set of his second-round match against Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka on Tuesday. [Agencies]

The 27-year-old, who on Monday said governing body the ATP must give players a proper off-season or risk shortening the careers of its billboard names, went lame against Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka citing a knee injury.

His second-round pull-out was a further blow to the tour's Asian swing that has lost some big draws this year, sparking further debate about the overcrowded schedule.

It also illustrated the dilemma faced by the ATP as it juggles the needs of the tournament organisers, sponsors and the players.

World number one Roger Federer and Andy Murray missed last week's Japan Open and Shanghai because of fatigue and wrist injury respectively while world number two Rafael Nadal, who missed Wimbledon this year with a knee injury, skipped the Thai Open.

Asian tennis fans, in particular, feel short-changed, especially with Federer and Murray's faces staring down at them from promotional posters splattered across Shanghai.

"Trust me, as frustrated as (the fans) are that we're not here, I promise you we're more frustrated," Roddick told reporters after lasting just seven games against Wawrinka.

Roddick said he spoke to ATP officials in Shanghai on Tuesday regarding his widely-reported comments of the day before in which he labelled the season ridiculous.

"I had a good discussion with one of the representatives today. You know, they were receptive. To be fair, there has been a kind of a new leadership this year that's kind of stuck picking up the pieces, which is a tall task, an unenviable one at best. There does need to be something changed."

While the women's WTA tour concludes in Doha on Nov. 1 the men's top eight contest the ATP World Tour finals at the end of November while the Davis Cup final is in December, less than a month before the new season begins on Jan. 1.

This year the ATP reduced the amount of mandatory ATP Masters 1000 events from nine to eight while there are further concessions to players who have either played 600 career matches, are over 31 or who have been on tour for 12 years.

However, with half of the ATP's six-man Board made up of tournament representatives there seems little chance of events being axed and there remains no real off-season for their most prized assets, the likes of Federer, Nadal, Roddick, Murray, Novak Djokovic and U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro.

"The ATP is in constant discussions with all players about all matters relating to the season, its structure and length," a statement said on Tuesday.