ATP’s ‘jewel in the crown’
It has been an amazing year of Men’s Tennis as the season comes to an end. Men’s Association of Tennis Professionals [ATP] events in the past four decades have made Tennis a very popular and a visible sport worldwide. Best Tennis players of today are house-hold names and often spoken about personalities at dinner.
The structure ATP has created, as the annual calendar, with multi-tier events feeding into a single-ranking-system is an ingenious mechanic in sports management. Effects of these have made Tennis stand out in popularity and in the exhibition of the game among the best global sports. Even the ATP’s
Under-21 ranking is extracted from the single open-ranking events which ATP maintains and is not from isolated age group events. This total integration has raised the global Tennis standard, development of the game and appeal to spectators and fans. The year-end London World Tour Finals starting on the 9th of November is the ‘jewel in the crown’ from ATP.
Events structure and players
ATP calendar has 66 events in its eleven-month worldwide schedule. They are in four tiers with ranking points given to players according to their status. At the top are the four grand slam events. This year, each had nearly fifteen million dollars as prize money and the biggest ranking points to players. Next are the ATP 1000 Masters-Series with over two million dollars each, followed by the ATP 500 series with one million dollars each and the ATP 250 series with up to half a million dollars each. In total, I believe the ATP had prize money closer to one hundred and fifty million dollars in 2014.
The ATP annual events are tightly scheduled to give critical long breaks to players for recuperation from November. The London event is the World-Tour finals with six and half million as prize money and is closed only to the top eight players in the world ranking.
ATP events have players from all five continents and at present, European players are not only dominating the elite positions but also in numbers. According to regulation, a player has to be 15 years of age to participate. The ATP respects players’ independence and permits individuals to enter ATP events without their national association’s or other approvals. This player independence has opened the doors to many who have been restricted in the past.
ATP rankings
The much venerated ATP rankings go up to 1500 based on the points offered to players for their performance in each event. Being in it has a lifelong positive impact on individuals. Its influence opens many doors to players after their competitive career. Each of the 66 events has a cut off mark for direct entry into the main draw and another for the qualification rounds. For example, for the Wimbledon Championships in England which has 132 in the main draw, the cut-off mark for direct entry is around 160th ranking position. There is also entry into the main draw through qualification rounds and by wild-cards. It is the privilege of the organizing committee of the event to give wild-card entry to players of their choice.
As one could see the mechanics are not simple but over forty years, the ATP has put up a very credible system and is maintaining the standards well. Players are subjected to rules and disciplinary action for misconduct. Drug abuse is another area where advice is given to players and control tests are a regularly feature to enforce drug ban.
Top eight and London draw
Every player in the top eight of the 2014 ranking has achieved something significant. Novak Djokovic is currently number one, has five major titles and over 10,000 ranking points.
The ‘ever green’ Swiss, Roger Federer whom many thought should call it a day, is surprising everyone being the challenger to the number one position in 2014. His ‘late-spring’ performance at an age over 30 will be a recallable history in the future. Points gained from the London event by these top two players could decide as to who will be number one in 2014. Spaniard, Rafael Nadal is ranked three. Due to recent surgery he has withdrawn from the London event, which in turn is permitting 9th ranked US-Open Champion Croatia’s Marin Cilic as a ‘first timer’ into the World Tour finals.
The other five in London are: Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka, winner of Australian – Open grand slam.
Japan’s Kei Nishikori, the first Asian to be among the top eight in the ‘Open-era’ with admirable number of titles.
Scotland’s Andy Murray with a lean record compared to his 2013 performance.
Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych — with only two titles but, a steady overall performance.
Canada’s Milos Raonic who came up with some of the best results this year including a win against Roger Federer in Paris-Open two weeks ago.
Raonic and the young lady Eugenie Bouchard who is WTA’s under 21 number one, has made Canada famous for Tennis.
In London, World-Tour finals format has placed the eight players in two groups for the early round robin format matches.
Lesson from ATP U-21 rankings
This is an example from ATP which all the countries, players and parents can learn from. That is, extracting the age group rankings from the Open-Events and not from isolated age group events. No one suffers more than the ‘players’ themselves in ‘development’ and in ‘their career’ from the folly of age group event participation.
As parents, it is advisable to restrict your children being exposed to this ‘age group success folly’. ATP matures its younger players better and faster, making them play in Open events. After all, no one remains under 18 or 21 forever. The current number one in the ATP under 21 ranking is the Austrian Dominic Thiem. His ranking of 39 in the ATP ranking is giving him this position. Australian Nick Kyrgios is number two, being 50 in the ATP ranking. This example is the road for better Tennis standard even in Sri Lanka.
Tennis in London
ATP and its road-map is the future of Men’s global Tennis. The system is realistic, progressive and presents Tennis as an interesting and career-based sporting pursuit. London will be enjoyable and educational to everyone and not only to the Tennis enthusiasts. The eight players have a class of their own. The personalities and the skill levels to play Tennis were the best in 2014.
-George Paldano, former international player; Accredited Coach of Germany, ITF and USPTR; National, Davis Cup and Federation Cup Coach–gptennis.ceylon@gmail.com-