Federer non-committal on planned tennis league
Source: AFP |
May 28, 2013, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ROGER Federer was reluctant to back the planned International Premier Tennis League on Sunday even if rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic appear to be enthusiastic converts to the Pan-Asia concept.
The ITPL, based loosely on cricket's revolutionary albeit troubled IPL in India, is the brainchild of 12-time Grand Slam doubles champion Mahesh Bhupathi, who plans a tournament from the end of 2014 featuring six city-based franchises stretching from the Gulf to the Far East.
Teams would have between six and 10 players and total salaries for each franchise would total between US$4 million and US$10 million.
Bhupathi claimed at a glitzy launch party in Paris on Friday to have won the backing of Djokovic and Nadal as well as Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.
But Federer, who is already playing a slimmed-down tour schedule in order to preserve his 31-year-old body, still wants to see more details about the planned project.
"I think it's interesting. But nothing changes as a player has to decide how often he wants to play, how many matches he wants to play," said the Swiss.
"So it's nice to have another opportunity, and Asia is very strong. I tried to support the market quite a lot when I played in Shanghai when I was number one. I went to play there quite often. That's why I think it's a very good idea.
"But I think it's still quite far away, so we will see in the future how it goes, but I hope it's a success for them."
Veteran Lleyton Hewitt said he would be interested as he is keen to push the sport's profile in Asia.
"The Asia-Middle East market is massive. From what I've heard, all the top players are pretty keen on it. I think it's a pretty good idea," said the Australian.
"I would definitely look at it, absolutely."
The ITPL, based loosely on cricket's revolutionary albeit troubled IPL in India, is the brainchild of 12-time Grand Slam doubles champion Mahesh Bhupathi, who plans a tournament from the end of 2014 featuring six city-based franchises stretching from the Gulf to the Far East.
Teams would have between six and 10 players and total salaries for each franchise would total between US$4 million and US$10 million.
Bhupathi claimed at a glitzy launch party in Paris on Friday to have won the backing of Djokovic and Nadal as well as Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.
But Federer, who is already playing a slimmed-down tour schedule in order to preserve his 31-year-old body, still wants to see more details about the planned project.
"I think it's interesting. But nothing changes as a player has to decide how often he wants to play, how many matches he wants to play," said the Swiss.
"So it's nice to have another opportunity, and Asia is very strong. I tried to support the market quite a lot when I played in Shanghai when I was number one. I went to play there quite often. That's why I think it's a very good idea.
"But I think it's still quite far away, so we will see in the future how it goes, but I hope it's a success for them."
Veteran Lleyton Hewitt said he would be interested as he is keen to push the sport's profile in Asia.
"The Asia-Middle East market is massive. From what I've heard, all the top players are pretty keen on it. I think it's a pretty good idea," said the Australian.
"I would definitely look at it, absolutely."
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