Asia swing safe, say tennis chiefs

SHANGHAI: Tennis chiefs have played down fears that the Asian swing will become the perennial victim of player pull-outs at the end of the gruelling season after high-profile absentees at the Shanghai Masters.

The question of burnout was bubbling away again in Shanghai, missing a clutch of top 20 players including marquee names Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, taking some of the shine off the high-profile tournament which finished Sunday.

America's Andy Roddick said the no-shows from world number one Djokovic and 16-time Grand Slam champion Federer were stark evidence of the toll put on players by heavy playing commitments.

The Asian swing consists of five events, taking players to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Tokyo, and Shanghai

Andy Murray, the winner in Shanghai, made clear last month that players' patience was wearing thin, even floating the possibility of a strike, although he sought to play down the issue last week.

Despite the weakened field in China Brad Drewett, chief executive of the ATP's (Association of Tennis Professionals) International Group, remains unperturbed and is convinced that players are still keen to come to Asia even towards the end of a long, arduous season.

Drewett said withdrawals were not unique to Asia and it was important not to draw sweeping conclusions from just one tournament.

The vast majority of the top players remain based in the United States and Europe but while Drewett concedes local stars would help drive the tennis boom in Asia, he said the game was nevertheless making major strides.

Drewett plays down the chances of Asia ever having its own Grand Slam but nevertheless sees the region as a crucial growth area for the game.

The 2011 schedule started with the Brisbane International on January 2 and finishes with the Davis Cup final starting on November 28.

But despite mutterings of discussions over the heavy schedule among players in Shanghai, it was more a matter of talks about talks with no sign of definitive action.

Murray made it clear that none of the players he knew wanted to strike and he had only said it was a possibility, adding that they would try to meet before the end of the year.

World number two Rafael Nadal said the players were generally of one mind.

But despite the persistent rumblings Drewett is adamant that the players' views have been taken on board. (AFP)