• ATP Tour

ATP slash two weeks off season

ESPN staff
November 22, 2010
Adam Helfant has confirmed a shorter season for the ATP from 2012 © Getty Images
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The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has extended the off-season to seven weeks, starting in 2012.

ATP chairman and president Adam Helfant confirmed the board had approved the proposed changes after a number of top players called for the season to be reduced.

The players will enjoy an extra two weeks off at the end of the year without any tournaments suffering the axe. The ATP World Tour Finals will follow immediately after the Paris Masters, removing a free week in between the final Masters event and the year-end finals, while four late-season events have been scheduled to dates earlier in the year.

"The length of the off-season is arguably the biggest issue confronting the sport of tennis, and it was the responsibility of the ATP to find a way to address the problem," Helfant said.

"The health and wellbeing of our players is paramount. Preserving and extending their playing careers is critical for the long-term good of the sport."

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