ATP & WTA Potential Merger

[tented]

I don't see why there should be a problem with ranking points...they aren't ranked together and can use separate systems.

The ATP revamped their ranking system several years ago, so there’s no reason they can’t do it again, in conjunction with the WTA, if need be. Ultimately, though, I don’t think having the same ranking points is absolutely necessary. At the very least, it shouldn’t be the thing which brings the whole process to a halt. But it would be helpful for fans to learn one system, instead of two.

...the pay isn't even "equal" tournament-to-tournament in the men's game or the women's, is it?

Yes and no. For the WTA, the prize money is usually the same (or close) among tournaments in certain categories. For example, tournaments in the “International” level (more or less the equivalent of an ATP 250) generally have the same total financial commitment ($251,750), but “Premier” (like an ATP 500) tournaments vary. Prize money in the ATP has no consistency. Some 250s (such as St. Petersburg) go as high as $1.2 million; the same week, prize money in Metz is about half that.

Since there isn’t strict uniformity within either the ATP or the WTA, this factor also shouldn’t be what prevents them coming together.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ In regards to prize money,will the men be happy to divide the prize money 50/50 or will the women accept less than 50/50?
Will the men be happy to be equal with the women in all aspects of a merger? and vice versa?

 

[Moxie]

^ In regards to prize money,will the men be happy to divide the prize money 50/50 or will the women accept less than 50/50?
Will the men be happy to be equal with the women in all aspects of a merger? and vice versa?

The men and women share equal prize money at all the Majors and some of the joint tournaments. Indian Wells, Miami and Madrid offer equal prize pools for men and women equal prize money for the winners, so I think it's a 50/50 split there, too. Rome doesn't offer equal prize money and it is a completely co-joined event. Roger's Cup in Canada does not, either, though they don't play them in the same city, so they're sort of separate. I would say these are the tournaments that might be more likely to be pressured to pay equally, particularly Rome, but I don't see why much else would change, in terms of prize money. (Did I forget any co-ed events?)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The Western and Southern Open,Ohio is a tournament that does not share equal prize money,I will have to check on other small tournaments that are co-shared

 

[Moxie]

The Western and Southern Open,Ohio is a tournament that does not share equal prize money,I will have to check on other small tournaments that are co-shared

Well-spotted. And I'd appreciate any research that finds smaller tournaments that could make things more complicated. But I'm with @tented, if I'm interpreting him correctly, that this doesn't all have to sorted immediately, if the overall idea is a good one, and I think it is.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ If I was a tennis player I would want all facets of the merger to be put forward before it was unified.Not along the way.
Remember some of the top seeded male tennis players do not believe that woman should have equal pay to begin with,they bring more 'bums to seats' so their share of the prize money should be more.

 

[Moxie]

^ If I was a tennis player I would want all facets of the merger to be put forward before it was unified.Not along the way.
Remember some of the top seeded male tennis players do not believe that woman should have equal pay to begin with,they bring more 'bums to seats' so their share of the prize money should be more.

Well, I guess it will be interesting to hear if it gets moved forward at all, and how much people champion it or not. Haven't actually heard much.

 

[tented]

Jon Wertheim discussing the potential merger.

 

[tented]

Christopher Clarey, Could a Merger of Men’s and Women’s Tennis Come Out of This Hiatus?

 

[tented]

Interesting...

Serena Williams responds to Roger Federer's ATP WTA Merger Idea & then deletes same

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Interesting...

Serena Williams responds to Roger Federer's ATP WTA Merger Idea & then deletes same

I saw that on twitter....weird that Serena deleted.

 

[tented]

I saw that on twitter....weird that Serena deleted.

It certainly makes it seem as if there has been a lot more going on behind the scenes than previously thought.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

It certainly makes it seem as if there has been a lot more going on behind the scenes than previously thought.

I thought this merger was brought up again because of the coronavirus,maybe it was the timing,though I agree with you it appears that this merger has been talked about with some of the top players,both the ATP and the WTA for sometime.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Kim Clijsters advocates for an ATP-WTA merger: https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/37919752/ex-world-no-1-kim-clijsters-advocates-atp-wta-merger

I wonder if this has gained traction over the last 3 years when Novak Djokovic suggested this, and most were against it.

 

[Kieran]

Kim Clijsters advocates for an ATP-WTA merger: https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/37919752/ex-world-no-1-kim-clijsters-advocates-atp-wta-merger

I wonder if this has gained traction over the last 3 years when Novak Djokovic suggested this, and most were against it.

It’s an interesting one but I wonder how it would work. It seems on the surface a Trojan horse move to bring equal pay to women for events where they don’t earn it. Other than that reason, I don’t really see the point…

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

It’s an interesting one but I wonder how it would work. It seems on the surface a Trojan horse move to bring equal pay to women for events where they don’t earn it. Other than that reason, I don’t really see the point…

Didnt we have this conversation before, got us no where, I was reading the other day a former umpire at Wimbledon suggested that woman play from QFs at GS best of 5, which I have no problem with, he also advocated men at GS play the best of 3 till QFs and then the best of 5 onwards? he feel men do the heavy lifting at GS,?

 

[Kieran]

Didnt we have this conversation before, got us no where, I was reading the other day a former umpire at Wimbledon suggested that woman play from QFs at GS best of 5, which I have no problem with, he also advocated men at GS play the best of 3 till QFs and then the best of 5 onwards? he feel men do the heavy lifting at GS,?

Well, in any topic we have to find out what’s really going on. People are rarely simple and transparent about their motives. So why join the tours? What benefit is there for men’s tennis?

I personally wouldn’t be in favour of best of 5 for the women. Maybe in a GS final, but nowhere else.

I certainly wouldn’t diminish the quality and achievement of future men’s GS tourneys by having any matches best of 3..

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well, in any topic we have to find out what’s really going on. People are rarely simple and transparent about their motives. So why join the tours? What benefit is there for men’s tennis?

I personally wouldn’t be in favour of best of 5 for the women. Maybe in a GS final, but nowhere else.

I certainly wouldn’t diminish the quality and achievement of future men’s GS tourneys by having any matches best of 3..

I favor women playing from QFs in a GS only the best of 5, nowhere else,
Personally speaking I would leave the men playing best of 5 in a GS period, there are plenty of other tournaments during the year for men playing best of 3
Gee if they ever decided to bring in best of 3 at GS level for men, in the future, I wont be watching.

 

[Kieran]

I favor women playing from QFs in a GS only the best of 5, nowhere else,
Personally speaking I would leave the men playing best of 5 in a GS period, there are plenty of other tournaments during the year for men playing best of 3
Gee if they ever decided to bring in best of 3 at GS level for men, in the future, I wont be watching.

It’ll be Asterisk City if that happens..

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

I actually wouldn't mind if the men went to Best of 3 for the slams. It would create more upsets/parity in the men's game.