"I can't support it" Roger Federer on Two-year Ranking System

"I can't support it as President of the Player Council" This is why Roger is the President and why fellow player have voted him for the Stefan Edberg Sportmanship Award again and again - being fair to all players and having all players' interest at heart.


Q. Do you have any thoughts at all on the suggestion made by some people we should go to a two‑year ranking in tennis, like they do in golf, rather than a one‑year period?

ROGER FEDERER: My opinion on the two‑year ranking?

Q. Yes.

ROGER FEDERER: I'm not a big fan of it just because I think it would make things rather boring. But that's my personal opinion. Other than that, as the president of the Player Council, I think it's not a good thing for the lower‑ranked players, to be quite honest. I think it's going to be a struggle for them to make a big breakthrough. It's going to take them multiple breakthroughs. So the dream of having one great tournament, then making a move, in my opinion, is never going to happen.

I like golf, but I couldn't tell you who's in the top 10 of golf right now. I couldn't even mention four players. This is where I think tennis lives from the weekly rankings we have, the changes. You guys love it, I think. You guys like writing stories and the debates about what's going on.

If we have a two‑year ranking, things would be so slow and nothing would really move. I can't support it as a president of the Player Council and I have to look at all the players in the eye.

I know it could be a good thing for me or for Rafa or for other good players because we would stay at the top for a very long time. For us to move down in the rankings would take something extraordinary. But for the lower‑ranked players, I don't think it's a good thing and that's why I can't support it.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Roger
• Federer
• ATP
• tennis

[ca1houn]

@CommanderSwedePlays But this suggestions are all coming from the top 3 ranked players and they all seem self-serving Nadal, Novak, and Murray don't seem to care about the lower players if you ask me. Also they can't afford to miss some of the little event and play like 18 tourney a year.  I think the players want to fix the prize money situation more so then the events. By the way who plays in the rain play is stoped

[ca1houn]

Tell Nadal to skip all those Exos which he played more then anybody else in the top 4 last years. also skip Monte Carlo and Barcelona since there not mandatory if he so hurt or exhausted

[bojack99]

god why would you want some thing like Golf golf is so over rated why would you even like it

[CommanderSwedePlays]

@ca1houn Thats not true, it has a lot more supporters and it doesn't have to affect the lower ranked players. And that's the main reason Murray is a supporter, I forget what event, but there was one which it was raining the day before the matches, and they figured it would dry up before play began so they got everything set up with the networks, but then it was still really wet when it was time to play and they were forced to play anyway to appease the networks

[CommanderSwedePlays]

@ca1houn It's not just Nadal. I think a solution can be found easily if Fed would just be a little more open to suggestions and change.

[CommanderSwedePlays]

@ca1houn There are certain mandatory tournaments, they're not 100% in control. And helping the bigger guys doesn't have to affect the lower ranked players, a middle ground can easily be reached....but there's something to be said if players are forced to play in hazardous, rainy conditions just to keep networks happy.

[ca1houn]

@CommanderSwedePlays What are you talking about there the ones without a voice, the top guy make tone of money and have a lot of extra perks. If you not in the top 20 then it very hard to make a living off of tennis because you pay for everything yourself. that include coaches, plane fare, hotel fees, insurance, family, living, etc. The tennis year is fine, the top players are in control of there own schedule so what the problem.

[CommanderSwedePlays]

Too bad he's currently NOT being fair to all players and having all their interests at heart, what with the Union thing and all that. I guess, again, he's thinking of the lower-ranked players when he's against unionizing, but nonetheless, that's not ALL players.