The ATP Player Council member weighs in on the biggest topics affecting tennis and calls for praise for Novak Djokovic's work on behalf of lower-ranked players. “Tennis needs major change,” says Vasek Pospisil, longtime member of the ATP Player Council and current World No. 93. “It wasn’t until I was in my mid-20s until I opened my eyes to how many issues there were in tennis. I felt like ‘Why aren’t we able to change anything as players. We have so much leverage if we actually decided to get organized and use it, because without the players there is no tennis tour.”

Pospisil joined Mark Masters and Rick Westhead on “Tennis In Depth,” a video program sponsored by TSN, to engage in interesting discussion that centers around his work with the council and his familiarity with the games biggest stars on an intimate level.

Insight from @VasekPospisil on …

* Why it'll be tough for tennis to return in 2020
* Response to ATP-WTA merger critics like Kyrgios
* Big 3 dynamic on Council
* Economic shake-up needed to help lower-ranked guys

In Depth feature with @rwesthead 👇https://t.co/lzMcUxJiJ5

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) May 5, 2020

Pospisil, a Canadian who has long been an advocate of player’s holding more sway in the biggest discussions and decisions facing the sport, says that the players need to unite and find their collective voice in order to make a significant impact and claim a greater stake in the game’s financial future.

“Step one is actually being unified and step two is really digging in and finding out what needs to be changed," he said.

The formation of a player's union, or something similar, would be a big step. But not an easy one to make. Pospisil said he spent a lot of time looking into the possibilities last year, and even drummed up 80 percent of the signatures of players inside the Top 100 with the support of Djokovic. But the push to unionize had its progress slowed when Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal expressed their desire to engage in talks with the majors instead of forming their own entity across the table from them.

"It's a shame, to be honest," Pospisil said. "I've had some great talks with Roger, I like him a lot he's a great guy. … He agrees with a lot of the issues but ultimately didn't get behind the actual movement."

There are other hurdles to a union for tennis players as well.

"Tennis is extremely international,” Pospisil says, “So I know unionizing players in a sport like tennis is not so easy because suddenly you have all these conflicting labor laws from different countries… it’s a very tricky, difficult scenario.”

Pospisil engaged in some thoughtful conversations about topics ranging from the proposed WTA/ATP merger, prize money distribution, player relief for lower-ranked players and how the big stars of the game impact and influence these conversations. He even gave his thoughts on Nick Kyrgios‘ stance against a proposed WTA/ATP merger.

Pospisil was asked: “What’s the conversation with players like Nick Kyrgios, who don’t support the concept of a merger?”

“A lot of players, or people in general, express an opinion without having any information, just because they feel like they want to say something, so I think that might be the case with Nick,” Pospisil said. “To be honest he’s in no position to express an opinion when he just hears about this for the first time and has done zero due diligence. So there are some guys like that and I’ll have no problem telling him that to his face, but again it raises eyebrows, and there are a lot of valid questions that need to be asked and answered, which I have. My message to the people that are against it or not, especially on the tour and tennis players is just that you need to have a little bit more information before you can kind of come to your viewpoint.”

Pospisil added that he was extremely impressed with Novak Djokovic because of the work he has done as the president of the council on behalf for lower-ranked players.

“I’ve been really impressed with Novak, how much he cares for all the players,” said Pospisil. “Even the lower-ranked guys. I don’t know if it is because of where he came from or how he grew up. I know that his family went through tough times when he was a kid, he really cares for all the players and the lower-ranked guys and so I give him so much respect and credit for trying to actually affect positive change.”

The 2021 Australian Open will look different from any Slam you've seen—if it's contested.
The Happy Slam could be strictly home major next January.

As the coronavirus crisis continues to shutdown sport, Tennis Australia officials are considering contingency plans for the 2021 Australian Open.

Nadal: 2020 Practically Lost

The tournament is scheduled for next January though if it's contested it will likely look unlike any Grand Slam we've previously seen.

Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley says "worst-case scenario is no AO." 

Under a best-case scenario, players would be quarantined in advance of the Melbourne major with only Aussie fans in attendance, according to Tiley.

"'Our best-case scenario at this point is having an AO with players that we can get in here with quarantining techniques and Australian-only fans,'' Tiley told Australian Associated Press.

Wimbledon cancelled for the first time in 75 years.

Roland Garros made the unilateral decision to move from its traditional May spot in the schedule to September 20th—one week after the US Open ends.

The US Open, which is set to start on August 31st, is in jeopardy given New York's status as the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tiley's comments come days after world No. 2 Rafael Nadal said he was doubtful the 2020 season will resume and hopeful tennis can return in time for the 2021 Australian Open.

"Hopefully [the season resumes], but I don't think so, unfortunately," Nadal told El Pais. "I sign [up] to be ready for 2021—hopefully.

"I'm more concerned with the Australian Open than what happens later this year. 2020 I see it practically lost. I hope to be able to start next year. I hope it so."

Tiley told AAP there are four models for the 2021 Australian Open, which are all predicated on decision dates. 

“We’ve modelled the times we have to make decisions, dates we have to make decisions, who it impacts, how it’s going to impact them," Tiley said. “We’ve done that for 670 staff. We’ve done that for all of our partners: our media partners, our sponsors and for all the governments and places we rent facilities.

“And now we’re working on the international playing group and getting them to understand what each of those scenarios are and what it means for them and how we can action it."

Photo credit: Australian Open Facebook

Fund will aid about 800 ATP and WTA singles and doubles players in need of financial support.
The coronavirus crisis has stopped sport leaving many players and coaches without income.

Now, players will receive some financial aid.

Nadal: 2020 Season Practically Lost

Tennis' governing bodies have launched a Player Relief Program "in excess of $6 million" to provide financial aid to players in need during the pandemic, the ITF announced.

The fund will aid about 800 ATP and WTA singles and doubles players in need of financial support. The ATP and WTA jointly extended suspension of the pro circuit through July 13th.

The seven stakeholders in the sport—ITF, ATP, WTA and the four Grand Slam tournaments—contributed to the $6 million fund.

The ATP and WTA will administer the financial distributions of the Player Relief Program funds split equally between men and women.

It's another act of cooperation between the governing bodies of men's and women's tennis weeks after Roger Federer called for a merger of the two tours into one unified tour.

Eligibility for the Player Relief Programme will take into account a player’s ranking as well as previous prize money earnings according to criteria agreed by all stakeholders.

The question remains: is it enough?

Equal distribution of the funds would amount to about $7,500 per qualifying player.

Given growing speculation the current pro circuit suspension could be extended how will players sustain themselves through a potentially greatly abbreviated and possibly suspended 2020 season?

"The move by the seven stakeholders provides the financial backbone of the Program, with opportunities for additional contributions to follow," the ITF said in a statement. "Funds raised through initiatives such as auctions, player donations, virtual tennis games and more, will provide opportunity for further support of the Program moving forward and are welcomed…

"We will continue to collaborate and monitor the support required across tennis with the aim of ensuring the long-term health of the sport in the midst of this unprecedented challenge to our way of life, and our thoughts remain with all those affected at this time."

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Pair rallied on roof of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in Queensland to say thanks to healthcare workers.
Aussie champions staged a roof-top rally of gratitude for Australia's healthcare workers.

World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty Hall of Famer Patrick Rafter rallied on the roof of the Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in Queensland to show their appreciation and support for frontline healthcare workers battling the coronavirus.

Nadal: 2020 Season Practically Lost

The Roland Garros champion has a personal connection to health care workers.

Barty's sister, Sara, is a midwife and her mother, Josie, also works in the medical field.

In a desire to show her support and respect for dedicated health care staff, Barty came up with the idea of hitting with the two-time US Open champion.

Rafter and Barty took a tour of the hospital and watched frontline health care staff in action in the emergency and infections unit, which treates most of Queensland's COVID-19 cases.

The pair conducted a video conference with other members of the hospital staff to express their thanks and gratitude for the work done on a daily basis.

“It was really incredible to come into one of the COVID wards and just to see how it all works and how it’s sectioned off,” Barty told Tennis Australia's website. “There were a lot of people and a lot of unsung heroes who are going unnoticed at the moment who are doing a lot of work to keep us safe, keep the community safe and to keep us tracking in the right direction.

“So it was really special for us to see that today.”

Rafter said seeing healthcare staff fully engaged in the hospital's fontline battle with coronavirus was an intense experience.

The last few months have been a challenging time for everyone. Thank you to the wonderful doctors, nurses & healthcare heroes who keep us safe. A special thanks to Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital for the visit today. Hitting with 3 Aussie legends on a helipad was pretty special pic.twitter.com/EXbTnvQNCL

— Ash Barty (@ashbarty) May 5, 2020

“Being in that environment, it’s pretty tricky,” Rafter said. “You can’t thank these guys enough for what they’re doing.”

Photo credit: Tennis Australia Facebook

In an interview with Tennis Majors the Swiss admits he's not quite sure about when he'll step on the court for his next tennis match. Stan Wawrinka spent time talking about his views on the 2020 tennis season and what might be some of the difficulties when it comes to bringing the tour back online with Covid-19 still lurking as a threat across the globe.

The three-time major champion spoke to Alizé Lim for the website Tennismajors.com to give his views on several subjects while also engaging in some light-hearted conversation about his quarantine.

In the latest edition of Major Talk, @stanwawrinka discusses life in lockdown, emotions, regrets and being inspired by @rogerfederer @AlizeLim https://t.co/AJ2qv6pW6W

— Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) May 5, 2020

Wawrinka says that that new events, such as Patrick Mouratoglou's Ultimate Tennis Championship and the the Tennis Point Exhibition Series, currently taking place with no spectators behind closed doors are good for the players and the fans.

“Everything that leads to playing tennis again, for the players, for the coaches, for the fans as well, is something that is very positive for tennis,” he said.

Wawrinka says he might play an event such as this later in the summer, but for now he doesn’t feel he is ready to take the injury risk. Currently the Swiss is practicing three times a week and doing as much as he can to stay in shape on the off days. But he’s far from Stanimal form.

“Do I imagine playing [this type of event]? Maybe but not for now,” he said. “For the moment we are very far from competition.”

Wawrinka says he is not willing to fully ramp up his training with the commencement of the season in doubt. He says he needs a time—and a challenge—to begin his intense tournament routines again. Until then, playing competitively would be too much of a risk.

“It’s too early to do this kind of competition for me,” he says.

While the 2015 Roland Garros champion isn’t sure about the possibility of playing Roland Garros on its scheduled date in September, he does hold out some hope that it will happen.

“I hope,” he said. “I hope for the world that we will all be at the stage where we can compete again in September, that would mean things went well.”

But Wawrinka added that it is simply too early to tell.

“Currently we are in the middle of this crisis,” he said. “It is difficult to see the end.”

The biggest problem with tennis, Wawrinka says, is the travel. And those problems ring true for the players, coaches and fans as well.

“We come from all around the world,” he said. “We are all in confinement. So the first step is for us all to get out. The second stage is to get to the shopping and the restaurants. The third is to travel. It takes time.”

 

 

 

 

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Time to ‘wine’ down … 😏🍷🤫 #saturday #night #cheers #stantheman #wine

A post shared by Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka85) on

May 2, 2020 at 10:41am PDT

Wawrinka also discussed what his quarantine time away from the game has been like, and explainined how he is extremely busy home-schooling his ten-year-old daughter when she is with him. When he is alone he enjoys his epic Instagram Live cocktail parties with Benoit Paire.

Wawrinka says he and Paire like to do their cocktail hours in person but since they are both confined they figured they should have some fun and let fans watch.

With confinement we began to talk more by Facetime,” Wawrinka said. “One day we said: “Let’s try a live! We are ourselves, like we are off-screen.”