""There has been a clear sentiment across the Tour that the current calendar does not feel sustainable for players given the physical, professional, and personal pressures of competing at the highest level," Camillo, who became chair in November, wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press."
"Camillo's letter said the council "will focus first on areas where the WTA has direct authority to drive change, while also identifying longer-term opportunities that will require broader coordination across the sport" -- by working, eventually, with the ATP men's tour and the four Grand Slam tournaments, she explained in a telephone interview."
""We are very open to looking broadly at a host of potential solutions to this. ... The idea is: We go in there with a very open mind and open dialogue," Camillo told the AP. "We're not going to solve the entire world [immediately]. ... The reason we don't want to wait for, 'Hey, let's do this as a collective system,' [is] we want to be timely, we want to be focused on making an immediate impact.""
A 13-person Tour Architecture Council will propose changes to the women's tennis calendar, ranking points rules, and event participation requirements. Jessica Pegula, the 2024 US Open runner-up and world No. 5, will chair the council. Valerie Camillo, WTA Tour chair, established the council to address widespread concerns that the season is too long, the offseason too short, and that current demands contribute to injuries and burnout. The council will prioritize areas within direct WTA authority and will identify longer-term options requiring coordination with the ATP and Grand Slam tournaments. The WTA aims for a revised setup to be approved by 2027 and seeks timely, focused recommendations for immediate impact.
Read at ESPN.com
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