This is an interesting article. When one thinks that De Villiers is the guy behind the failed introduction of round robins in the tour this year and that he is now trying to downgrade top tounaments such as Monte Carlo from their TMS status, this guy is a joke. 60 top players including Roger Federer have signed a petition against it. Why did we bring someone from dysney land to rule this organisation? This is absurd. The circuit needs some change for sure but if the guy is not consulting the players before doing so, he will never get it right.

I really don;t like the way the game is turning at the moment....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/6539411.stm

A ridiculous tournament to choose to "downgrade" being a players favourite...it's not a particularly brilliant tournament in regards of facilities, but it does have a wow-factor.

If de Villiers wishes to reduce the number of tournaments during the season, that is one thing...but he would do well to pay some heed to the events the top players enjoy the most.

As for round robin :angry: A happy day, indeed, when that ludicrous and infuriating idea was buried....!

When you think that at the beginning of the year he fined Davydenko a lot of money for saying that Sydbey was not important and now he is saying that MC shoudl be less important.

Why didn't he try to take one of the 2 US TMS first? IW or Miami? Having both tournies within 2 weeks on the same surface (or very similar) has no real value tennis wise. Plus we all know that clay hardly damages the ligaments and most injuries are on hard courts like in Miami and IW. Same applies to Montreal and Cincy. Fed only played one the last 2 years (yes he did pull out in Cincy in my book).

But he won;t touch Cincy because it has huge financial backing. They even forced this ridiuclous loud adverts between games. And they also allowed Music and adverts in the USO during change of sides. I think it is completely destroying the spirit of tennis and can only be of interest for those people with a deficious attention span.

De Villiers go back to Dysney Corp but get your hands off our beautiful sport. You only have messed it up thus far.

More info here.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070409/nym055.html?.v=71

I know Liam Valid's hair color is important too ;) but hey guys if ever you want CC to become a recognised source of opinions of tennis knowledgeable fans, please put your thoughts here.

I think it already is Tenez :)

And yeah Fed did pull out of Cincy, just not voluntarily :P

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Is there an online petition anywhere to get rid of this guy?
All this bull about making the game more accessible to other people and encourage new fans by introducing little "bonus treasures" such as music between changeovers, adverts, matches sandwiched and scheduled between other sports, is completely pointless in my opinion.
Tennis fans are tennis fans as they love the game, it wasn't the cringeworthy music in between that attracted us to the game in the first place and it sure as hell won't attract other fans. Seriously, where is the logic in that??
Same as the On Court Coaching thing, (WTA) that needs to go too, even if it was allowed, I don't think we should be able to hear what is said.

I like the fact that Fed is taking a stand against him. Sends a very strong signal to De Villiers and the money men when their number 1 star and main attraction is oposing every thing you do. This is where biting the hand that fieeds you can be ignored.

Tennis is tennis and we love it as it is. Leave off and learn from your embarrassingly public mistake with the Round Robin shennanigans, or better then that, as Tenez said. Leave. :)

I can't bear the new "cool" effect he's going for with tennis...the music, ads is totally dreadful. The argument that it gives tennis a more far reaching appeal is nonsense in my book. You either like a sport or you don't. Playing an annoying dance track isn't going to change that. It's pure and utter money grabbing spin.

de Villiers lack of explanation as to his downgrading is pathetic...as Tenez says, why fine Davydenko if you then go and make the same statement...?? is disgusting...again, purely financial.

I understand the need to make money and to promote sensibly...but let's face it, it's not like the game is struggling.

Listen to your players, de Villiers and stop trying to turn tennis into a circus show. Surely, as stated, you've learned from Round Robin-gate!? Fool!!

I don't quite understand what De Villiers is trying to do here? Is he only going to have 7 Masters' Series tournaments from now on? Or is he going to 'upgrade' some other tournaments?

Surely, based on the fact that it's very easy to ask the public's opinion of things these days, the best thing he could do would be to come up with some ideas to restructure the tour - after consultation with the players, and then ask for the tennis fans' opinions on the various options. He doesn't exactly have to implement exactly what the fans say, but at least it would give him some idea of what direction tennis fans want their sport to go in. After all, it's all well and good trying to attract new fans, but not really worth it if he ends up driving away the long-term tennis fans.

Has anyone watched a Basket ball match live in the US? I went to see the Chicago bulls a year ago. Lots of fun and excitement even though i am not a big fan of basketball. We had the cheerleaders, the circus dog act, the magicien, the remotely controlled inflated flying bull, the talking parrots, acrobatic dances every 7 mins and other spectacles I will never remember. Though it was a good experience, I am certainly return to such event on my own will. it is clear that De Villiers is simply trying to get closer to such models as they generate lot of money in the US (where the money is) but I also think that those side spectacles have entirely killed the drama of basketball as i think it was in the older days. I found it extremely difficult to get interested in the basket ball match itself and in all honesty only remember that the outcome of the match because I lost a small bet on it.

Can you imagine going to watch a Federer Nadal match and not remembering who won cause all the circus going on around including your sitting neighbour jumping on his sit at match point cause his tambola ticket got him a 32" flat screen?

Tennis is a different sport and requires different management.

De Villiers....The door!

I think the most telling thing in the first article Tenez posted is that the tennis players themselves are signing petitions against such things - and rightly so. They know full well that we dont need to be downgrading anything - if they want to restructure the schedule - then check with your players first and see what works best for them - after all, if they dont play the tourneys, you wont have much of a tour left.

DV seems to be trying to bring a certain 'American' type of feel to tennis - which you can understand as the 'feel' I mean is very exciting and a clear money spinner, and is not a slur on anything American - the basketball match mentioned sounded very exciting and it clearly works for lots of sports. But tennis simply isnt one of them. Its more... I dont know... elegant? During a match you need silence, if you rev up the audience, you must lose that anticipation, that utter silence you need.

DV really does need to take a step back, and ask the right people about this type of thing - the players and the fans! Sara is right, learn from the RR fiasco and stop blundering into schemes designed to piss off all the wrong people!

I was actually going to use the basketball analogy, also. I have been, and from a pure spectator at "an event" view point, it was great fun. However, as I don't know too much about basketball, that could be because the various sideshows, announcements and music made it a real event to the bball novice!

It worked in that arena, because as Pebs says...that kind of atmosphere works for some sports. I would image more for competitive team sports, or for real spectator events...wrestling or suchlike. Almost circus like?

Tennis requires calm, concentration, tension...all of which are destroyed entirely if you bring in the side shows. De Villiers surely MUST see that the very essence of tennis would be destroyed if he tries to do this? It simply cannot work.

Next thing, he'll be asking Federer to walk onto "Simply the Best"

As we have all voiced, his inability to listen to anyone other than himself and the sound of money shows a woeful ineptitude at doing his job. I only hope he is evacuated before any permanent damage is done.

Glad Peb you made some sense of my above post. ;) When reading it againI realised it needed serious correcting but it is too late now.

Anyhow, you grabbed the main point : what can work for basketball might /will not work for Tennis (and I actually doubt it works for basketball either as this sport does not export very well, does it?). Tennis is growing, Guys like Nadal, Djoko and some future asian players are opening it up on the East and latin side and it is a question of time before it gets really popular out there with a huge potential. But for some reasons DV seems only interested in the US market, The fact that - as far as I know - he hasn't suggested any downgrading of the US TMSs is really suspicious in my view.

Do we know whether DV ever picked up a racket or liked the sport before getting in that position? Let's give the job to Borg, he needs the money! :P

Exactly! Thats what I was trying to get at - but badly! The very nature of the game does not lend itself to this type of additional entertainment. About the only time you can probably get away with it is during the DC when it comes more about the nations then the actual tennis.

I quite like the Fed idea though ;)

Nah, it read just fine hun :)

I take your point about this sort of ringside circus not even working well for basketball - I dont know how big it is outside of America, but I guess its not the most successful of exports :shrug: But even if that is the case, as you then go on to state, DV seems more interested in the American audience, so will this bother him? I suspect not.

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_tenni..._robredo_s.html

There's a deep split among the players and de Villiers, who is a strong "people person,"

Is this a joke?! A people person who doesn't listen to the people. Quite revolutionary!!

roflmao

Yep - this guy (the poster) is a joke. He finds it perfectly normal to go against the will of 60 top players including Fed and Rafa! And clearly his main argument is about the generating of money.

But as you mentioned, what kind of money woudl they make without the players? Not considering the players and tennis fans view is absurd. The more I read about this guy DV, the less I can make sense of him and his decisions. Surely he will go :pray: .

Hi to all, :D

My comment will be very very short: why this guy had this job? WHY??? What he wants to achieve ? Assure playing Tennis without players on the court...I really hope that soon this guy will disappear: let's hope..
:pray: :pray:

BTW: Safin :ok: did a great job last week end: Let's hope he can do well on clay this year it is always a pleasure to se him playing at his best :rolleyes:

Nice stamp TV! ;) - Fed deserves one.

Regarding Safin, I have always been a fan but I am not hoping much and that is the best approach with those kind of players; " take whatever they come up with and don't bet on them".

Unfortunately last week week end I was seriously routing for France as you can imagine. In turn, I will be routing against Fed in all his DCs . May he never win it :pray: :whistle: ! That will be my revenge upon you TV ! ;)

As you saw the match, was it him playing that well or PHM crumbling under pressure ....AGAIN!

It was a good match, but disappointing for PHM.

Quote from Safin:

"I hoped Andreev will win his match and I will not step on the court at all," said Safin, who had not been able to practice at full strength because of a hurting foot. "I was afraid I would not be able to play until the end. But in fact, Mathieu did not threaten me at all."

Don't hold back there, Marat!! :D

Think Argentina / Sweden is still the biggest surprise to me. Del Potro just saving Argentina from a rather humiliating event.

Cheers Saraless

BTW, I have always wondered where does your username come from?

Who's gonna put a petition up? www.petitiononline.com

Something to this effect: Edit do what you wish or start a new one... I can't as at work and need access to email to set one up.

Maybe try and include www.centrecourthavoc.com in there somewhere? ;)

Dear Mr. Etienne de Villiers
We, the undersigned, call for you to step down from your current position as Executive Chairman/President of the ATP tour. The changes you are implementing/proposing for the tour are changes tennis fans do not want to see.
Tennis fans are tennis fans because they love the sport, they are not interested, they will not watch more, they will not pay more money, (which is ultimately what your changes are about) if tournaments play a little party tune on changeovers, if they hear what fantastic offers the sponsors have, or if you reduce the status of well established, successful tournaments. All of these proposals go against what tennis fans want. None of these proposals will attract new fans to the game either and the tennis community fail to see your logic in thinking that.
You don't listen to your players, you don't listen to the fans, you haven't learnt from the Round Robin fiasco and are oblivious to the FACT that these changes WILL be detrimental to the game we all love. Therefore, you are incapable of successfully "shaping the future of men's tennis" and should resign your position.

I'll sign that....and we shoudl link all tennis forums links to it as I have not read positive remarks from tennis fan about this guy yet.

Who's a member of KoC? Shall we put it to them for a joint petition from our communities? Join forces for something like this?

Just put a link to both sites on the petition?

with respect, the social bar forum is there for a reason, and im sure most posters will agree CC is more than just a tennis board. There is something for everyone on here, unlike some boards where you get banned for going off topic. Our community spirit is what makes this the best tennis board around, :) And as long as we have knowledgable posters like you around Tenez, the balance between serious tennis talk and community based banter will make us the envy of the tennis message board world :)

You've got to assume i think that DV got the job precisely because he is a businessman, and probably a reasonably good one based on the fact that he's even in this position at all. He's obviously been hired to try and make tennis a more popular sport, and to increase the revenue from the sport. You could even argue that there is some merit in hiring someone who is not simply a tennis fan, as they won't be shackled by a deference to history.

However, it does appear that DV appears to be managing from up on high, and not paying much attention to what the fans or players want. As a businessman his thinking will be based around the bottom line, and I would assume that increasing the popularity of the sport in the US will help that a lot. But unless he starts to realise that if he gets it wrong - as he so spectacularly did over RR - he has a lot more people to answer to than just a few shareholders or whatever.

Finally, I still don't quite see what on earth he's trying to do my downgrading these two tournaments? Is he going to upgrade some other tournies, or only have 7 master's tournaments? Because surely only having 7 Masters will not actually increase the revenue of the sport? :blink:

De Villiers CV certainly reads impressively - in that he's responsible for a good portion of Disney success. He's obviously academic, also.

However, managing a business has got to be very different to his role at ATP. You can get on the wrong side of people in business...it's to be expected, but getting on the wrong side of your main bread and butter in your players seems somewhat foolish.

As Dinky Jo says, he's obviously been tasked with making more money and raising the profile of tennis. However, he does seem to be making some very strange decisions. Clearly a watch this space...only I hope he's stopped from turning Wimbledon into a WWF tournament!

My name is just a variation of my name...about as interesting as Bogo in a GS :)

roflmao

Top picture for me Liam!

;)

roflmao roflmao thanks for the imput ;)

im surpreised he hasnt gone already tbh, if he was a polition his blunders would be akin to 2Jags punching an onlooker :yikes: Players should have more imput imo, although i doubt anyone will ever listen to the fans. am happy to sign the petition though

EDIT: mind you, it still took us a few years later to get rid of 2Jags

Looking at the stuff on the introduction of Round Robin, you've got to remember that DV did actually discuss the changes with players.

I seem to remember that as much as Federer has since said he was against the changes, at the time he was very much willing to see how the RR format worked, whilst not actually playing in any RR tournaments himself.

Right now, though, it does appear that DV doesn't have the players on his side, and I doubt the fiasco with RR has helped improve the players' confidence in his decisions.

Good balanced comments Dinky and Sara but the problem we see here is in fact a problem we see in our day to day life. It is time we realise as a so-called "advanced" civilisation that money in excess leads to plenty of problems and a degradation of our quality of life. Clearly, we are slave to it and regarding our matter, DV does not do anything to temper that. Getting more money will not help. A good Director our CEO should also consider his/her organisation in the long term and not simply as revenue for the next quarter. The killing of the Goose with the golden eggs is not a myth of the past by more than ever a current problem we should face.

I am not discussing ideal worlds here but when I see someone running what we consider still a healthy and recreational sport with blind eyes, cold heart without having a sense of what MC - a symbol of the rebirth of the beautiful tennis season - represents to the players and fans alike, the guy is at the wrong job, wrong time. No excuse, no time for those kind of guys.

Besides was he really successful at Disney? All the good movies in my view came when he was only old enough to watch them. Again having read a report on Walt Disney (the man himself) and his life, their best movies were produced during their most difficult financial times. A lesson to learn here again!

I do agree on the best Disney films being made an age ago...!!

I do think De Villiers could be in the wrong job...tennis, cold and in your face advertising and mass money production do not go hand in hand. It seems an unnatural partnership, and one that does not sit comfortably with the players and fans.

He'd be better at a football club...Manchester United are one of the most famous "brands" in the world. I cannot imagine the branding of tennis to such an extent?

Unfortunately, it does seem that the finesse of many sports and the spectator enjoyment falls somewhat by the wayside in this huge money making machine.
It's hard enough to get tennis tickets now...I certainly don't want to imagine what it would be like should it get harder (as it certainly has done with football, basketball etc)

Yep, you can def see why DV might have got the job - gotta agree with you there Jo, but I am sure we are all in agreement that his kind of business accumen is just not what we want as fans.

The thing is, if he is good a what he does (and I assume thats why he got the job!), I am sure he could do what he needs, raise the profile, make more money (though, personally, I am sure the game doesnt need that so much - like Sara says, its hard enough to get tickets now!) without alienating every other person who plays / watches the game. Whether he will find a way to do that remains to be seen.

De Villiers has relatively no background in tennis. I think he grew up in the apartheid of South Africa, and when he got the job everyone was proclaiming him an 'outsider'. For such an 'outsider' to do the job successfully, he'd need to build good relationships with the players and really listen to what they have to say. He paints himself as a people's person, but it sounds like while he might listen, he certainly won't act. The Americanisation of the sport is fundamentally flawed; yes, the USA aren't gripped like they used to be, but that's down to the lack of an American champion like Sampras or Agassi. Imposing this nonsense on every continent is merely 'Disneyfying' the sport.

There were rumours that Toronto was going to be downgraded, but it seems Monte Carlo has been chosen. A new tournament will now be upgraded, but it remains to be seen which one it'll be - surely not an American event?

I'm not overly concerned just yet, I can't see him managing to turn tennis into a total gimmick, but this is coming from someone who's been alarmed at the state of tennis for quite a while now :yikes: I'd much rather see some internal action, rather than papering over the cracks - there's hardly any variety on court, so de Villiers is trying to provide variety off it. If he took action to speed the grass courts up again, reverted the balls back to their original size and balanced out the calendar a little, I'd personally be able to cope with the cheesy dance music. But as a way of taking the sport forward, the music, RR, pointless fiddling with tournament status etc, will have far more negative repercussions than positive.

Most importantly... the bottom one, Liam :ok:

Apparently, Shanghai is going to get a Master's event from 2009, and rumour has it London will host the Master's Cup.

I personally would like to see a longer grass court season and a bigger gap between the French and Wimbledon , maybe having a Masters on grass in between .

But I totally agree that tennis is a game steeped in tradition and who does DV think he is to change it .

'The Monte Carlo Tournament is among the most feted in tennis history, dating back to 1897. Legendary players including Bill Tilden, Roy Emerson, Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl, Boris Becker, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have competed at Monte Carlo. Last year, more than 100,000 people attended the tournament and millions watched on television around the world. The tournament is one of the founding top nine events that made up the ATP tour when the tour was created in 1989 to represent the interests of men's professional tennis.'

For me the most interesting part of the season starts at MC and ends at Wimbledon .So thats IMO where most of the Masters series should be.

I even take WA'S point about speeding up the grass court game again.Bring back serve-volley.

It is true that MC is really a symbol of the tennis season. Much more than Cincy or Montreal will be. There is also someting a bit odd to have IW and Miami following each other so closely and not really bringing anything new/different from each other except that one is on the west coast, the other on the East one. But as discussed, this is not DV problem as his job is simply to raise more money I guess.

This is why I feel our concern to see more grass tournaments ( a common request amongst tennis fans) is probably DV's least worry unfirtunately.

Regarding speeding up the grass court, I am not sure it will change much. The guy with more reflexes, touch and guile will prevail as he has for the last 4 years. By slowing the courts slightly however, we are preventing a Karlovic or Roddick wins through lucky tie breaks and bring the trophy to more rewarding players. Grass is still fast enough to make rallies short and sort the talented one from the hard working one...and this is why I like it as it is now. Maybe a tat faster but not much more (a wet day will take care of that).