Judy Murray backs change in ATP scheduling after injury-packed 2017

11/28/2017

Judy Murray has asserted that the ATP needs to rethink the scheduling of the year’s matches to avoid players missing out majors due to injuries. The 58-year-old coach pointed out that despite managing their workload, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal ended up missing quite a bit of the action.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal shocked the world when they won two Grand Slams apiece in a season that saw many players pull out halfway into the season.

Despite not playing for a major part of 2016, Federer decided to skip the entire clay season, stating that he did not want to risk injuring his knees. He played three out of the four majors and just four out of the nine ATP 1000 events in the year. Nadal, on the other hand, decided to take part in all the major events despite struggling with a knee injury for most of the campaign. It ended with the World No. 1 pulling out of the World Tour finals after just one match.

With Novak Djokovic ending his season in July after an elbow injury, Stan Wawrinka and Andy Murray followed suit. Judy explained that the five-sets matches and the gruelling schedule meant that it was hard for the athletes to stay fit for the entire duration of the season.

"The men's circuit is extremely demanding and long, with matches to the best of five sets in the Grand Slam and Davis Cup, which is a great physical and mental wear," she said, reported Express.co.uk.

"It is necessary to change and revise the calendar because last year were Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer who were several months out and this year there are many 'top ten' who have not been able to finish since the US Open.

"Especially men have a very long calendar, very congested and the great players, after a Grand Slam, always have a downer and it is very difficult physically and mentally to be able to play the Davis Cup. It should be held every two years instead of every year.”

However, she did not forget to pay homage to both Federer and Nadal, who bagged two Grand Slams each after coming back from major injuries. While admitting that the duo had surprised her with their performances, she explained that it was their competitiveness that had helped them make a successful comeback to the sport.

"I was surprised to see them there in some aspects and not in others, I was surprised because they came out of long injuries and quickly returned to the top, but on the other hand they are players who have been at the top for many years, showing that they are fantastic players and, especially Rafa, is a great fighter,” she explained.

"Both have in common the passion for tennis and what they do, knowing the demand and competitiveness they have has not surprised me so much.”