Murray issues threat of strike

Shanghai Daily, September 21, 2011

The world's leading players are "not afraid" of going on strike unless officials heed their calls to improve the crammed tennis calendar as soon as possible, Andy Murray warned.

For years athletes such as 10-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal have complained about the punishing schedule with the top players required to compete in all the four grand slams, eight Masters 1000 events, the World Tour Finals and a handful of lower-tier tournaments.

Matters came to a head during the US Open when bad weather forced players in the bottom half of the draw, which featured both Nadal and Murray, to play three singles matches in three days just to reach the semifinals.

Murray now feels that a jam-packed schedule planned by those who do not actually go out and wield their rackets day-in-and-day-out is no longer acceptable and the time has come for the players to revolt.

Asked if taking strike action will be discussed when the players meet up for the Shanghai Rolex Masters next month, the British world No. 4 told the BBC: "It's a possibility. I know from speaking to some players they're not afraid of doing that.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that but I'm sure the players will consider it. If we come up with a list of things we want changed, and everyone is in agreement but they don't happen, then we need to have some say in what goes on in our sport. At the moment we don't.

"We'll sit down, talk about it with the Association of Tennis Professionals and International Tennis Federation, see if they will come to a compromise and, if not, we'll go from there. We just want things to change, really small things. Two or three weeks during the year, a few less tournaments each year, which I don't think is unreasonable."

Trimmed

Last November, ATP chief Adam Helfant announced that the season would be trimmed by two weeks and a seven-week off-season will be in place from 2012. While the move meant certain tournaments will be re-scheduled, the amount of events will remain unchanged as will player commitments.

"Right now it takes so long to change things," said Murray.

"To get another change implemented may take five or six years at the rate things are going and then all of us will be done (retired). We want it to happen sooner rather than later."

ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti said last week that Nadal's quibbles over the Davis Cup scheduling were "inconsistent", saying players voted for the current dates in 2009 and went against the ITF's wishes.

"The players should and do have a major say in how the game is run, which is one of the key reasons the ATP Tour was formed as an equal partnership between players and tournaments," the ATP said.