WTA Tour, Players Reach Compromise Over Indian Wells, First-Round Byes

The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour has reached a compromise with its top players regarding crucial elements of next season’s new Roadmap plan.

CEO Larry Scott met with the top competitors at the Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha on Sunday to discuss their concerns about the new innovations for 2009.

According to Christopher Clarey at the New York Times, the Tour and the players have settled many concerns, especially regarding Venus and Serena Williams’ participation at Indian Wells.

The Indian Wells Tennis Tournament will be a mandatory stop on the 2009 WTA Tour calendar, yet this is an event that Venus and Serena Williams have adamantly refused to play or promote. Based upon the 2009 rules, players who do not compete are still required to appear for promotional events.

Scott, says Clarey, is confident that they have reached a compromise that will meet the spirit behind the rule. “We’re not going to put them in a position that is going to be awkward,” Scott said. “It would be neutral, something to promote the Southern California Tennis Association or the juniors or something for a tournament sponsor.”

Another issue which concerned the top players is the elimination of first round byes—-an exemption that provided the women a few extra days of rest when competing at back-to-back tournaments.

“To alleviate some of the pressure at the top,” Clarey writes, “Scott said the tour had reached a compromise in Doha this week whereby players who reach the semifinals in Rome or Tokyo in 2009 will get first-round byes the following weeks in Madrid and Beijing.”