All for naught

Woodbridge rejects claims of breakaway from ATP

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, Feb 20 (Reuters) -- ATP player council vice president Todd Woodbridge has dismissed the idea that a breakaway men's union is about to be formed by a group of disgruntled players.

Australian Open semifinalist Wayne Ferreira said many players were unhappy with the way the ATP, the governing body in men's tennis, was running the sport and wanted to take control of their own interests.

But in an interview with Reuters on Thursday, Woodbridge said: "Nobody that I know of has agreed to sign to another organization.

"I've spoken to about 90 percent of the field here [at the World Indoor Tournament] and none of those players are backing Wayne's idea ... there are no factions internally.

"We have an organization which is in place and to go and start a new one would go and defeat the purpose of what we have done before.

"All you would be doing is taking the same players to go and run what's already in place with the ATP ... so he would be crazy."

Ferreira wants to recruit world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, who has had several run-ins with tennis authorities over the years, to his rival body called the International Men's Tennis Association.

Until recently, Hewitt was involved in a long-running dispute with the ATP over a $105,650 fine imposed at the Cincinnati Masters last August after he refused to be interviewed by the event's host broadcaster.

The issue has been resolved although the outcome was never made public.

"Lleyton is a very intricate character in that he has had misdealings with all the bodies of tennis," said Woodbridge.

"He has not been happy with ATP, he has not been happy with the ITF and he has had incidents with Grand Slams so he's probably the most difficult of the players to get to a table to discuss political issues.

"The way that the Cincinnati incident was handled ... perhaps not everybody's work was done correctly.

"Perhaps Lleyton didn't respond correctly and then maybe the Tour didn't, but they've worked out what they think is the right conclusion to that story."

A letter from Ferreira was distributed to players at last month's Australian Open outlining concerns that the ATP was not representing the best interests of men's tennis.

The letter said players were "frustrated by poor information from the ATP regarding the business of tennis including prize money."

"What interests me is that Wayne was a council member and had those doors open to him and then once he chose to leave the council he decided to take a new approach," said Woodbridge.

"The doors and avenues are already open for the discussion Wayne would like to have."

Referring to the collapse of a $1.2 billion marketing deal with now bankrupt sports marketing group ISL, Woodbridge added: "I think he just feels that it's time for tennis to take off.

"We've been through a difficult period in terms of economy in the game, loss of money, loss of sponsors and I think he's trying to put it in the right direction.

"But I don't think he's using the right resources to get to that direction."

The new group also voiced concerns about the income of the ATP's chief executive, Mark Miles, who earned around $1 million in salary and benefits two years ago.

The ATP also stated that in keeping with the downturn in economy, Miles had chosen not to take some of the bonuses owed to him over the past year.

However, Woodbridge said: "Those decisions were made by the council and the board, and Wayne's been part of that so he has been privy to all of that information.

"I think that's a bit more of a personal vendetta than based on fact. To have a leader you've got to pay for those positions ... if you want the best, you have to pay for the best.

"The previous board and council decided what that position was worth so for me that's a non issue.

"If you break away from the tour and from other players ... the players then lose power.

"It's important that all the players see at this stage that they must stay together otherwise you cause factions which will be to the detriment of the players' voice.

"The game can't happen without the strength of the players and if we are one body and one group, then we have power to dictate what terms we want."

 

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