Rafael Nadal wants shorter tennis season for protecting of players

rafael_nadal02 Rafael Nadal has called for a reduction in the amount of tennis on the ATP calendar ahead of the start of the US Open. Nadal, who has struggled with tendinitis for much of the year, believes the season is too long and that the requirement to compete regularly in tournaments to gain ranking points puts extra strain on players.

Nadal says “I think that everyone knows that starting on 1 January and ending on 5 December is too long of a calendar,” said Nadal. “But it’s not easy to fix because there are many tournament interests at play and everything is very difficult and you can’t scorn any tournament. We must try to find the best possible solution that more or less pleases everyone.”

“Things need to change. I believe the bad thing about the calendar is how it is made and obligates you to play tournaments all year. If you want to achieve the most you can [and] go as high up [in the rankings] as you can, you have to play from the start to the finish because there are important tournaments from the beginning to the end.”