The mandarins at the ATP have been flexing their Orwellian muscles again.
Andy Murray had suggested he might consider skipping the season-ending World Tour Finals to prepare for Great Britain’s first Davis Cup final since 1978 – if Belgium decided to host it on clay.
Hours later, ATP president Chris Kermode released a terse statement, reminding the world No 3 that the “ATP World Tour Finals is a mandatory event” and that “all players who qualify, unless injured, are required to compete in the event”.
The ATP’s concerns are understandable to a degree.
With the season-finale taking place at London’s O2 Arena, Murray is one of their biggest attractions along with Roger Federer.
The player knows that, too, and had no qualms about playing an exhibition final against Novak Djokovic last year after an injured Federer opted out of the final.
Murray had no obligation to play then, but he did following a request from the ATP. The same man is now being reminded about his obligations, in such terse tones.
It is sad because all Murray is trying to do is make sure he arrives in Belgium fresh, and that might not be possible given the scheduling. The Davis Cup starts five days after the final of the ATP’s season-ending tournament.
The bigger problem is the transition from the indoor hard courts of the O2 Arena to the clay courts chosen by Belgium. Murray reckons five days are not enough, and he is the best man to decide.
An athlete should have the freedom to choose his events, but the ATP seems determined to deny them that right.
Agreed, it has a tour to run, but it could have shown a bit more savvy in this particular situation.
By releasing that statement, sadly, the ATP has shown themselves as inflexible autocrats.
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