The WTA Tour Board of Directors approved last week reforms to the women's tour called Roadmap 2010. The reforms, which will be launched in 2009, one year earlier than planned, are highlighted by a shortened season with 20 premier events including four mandatory events, and a more player-friendly structure.


The WTA concluded that players deserve a longer off-season and better schedule, and fans deserve to see more players on a regular basis in all tournaments.

The reforms include:

A shortened season – Tour Championships to end in October, creating a nine-week off-season (up from the current seven weeks) for top players.

A new calendar structure – reorganisation of the Tour's top level events that will feature top players competing against each other more often.

Record Prize Money – significant prize money increase of 30 per cent with a total tour prize pot of  $72m.

A healthier and better designed calendar – a reduction in the number of tournaments with top players from 13 to 10 and limits on top players' ability to play events outside of the 20 premier events.

New rules to ensure players commit to tournaments. Suspensions for Top-10 players who miss commitment tournaments, significantly increased fines for missed commitment tournaments, and an innovative revenue sharing formula that will enable players to share in tournament revenue growth.

Record Investment in world class venues – over $200m to be invested in new world class tennis venues, especially Beijing and Madrid to ensure the best possible presentation of the sport.

China's emerging presence – a mandatory nine-day event featuring equal prize money in Beijing along with a new Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Asia-Pacific regional office to be opened in Beijing.

A new ranking system – based on 16 results and more directly linked to the Tour's top events by awarding of "zero pointers" for any missed commitment tournament, Grand Slam or the Sony Ericsson Championships.

No one really knows how good this new system will be for players or fans. The effort to think forward is in itself a positive thing of course but history proves that it guarantees nothing. Tennis officials have been trying to change the game and its rules for years now (remember the suggestion to allow only one serve or make the service box smaller?) and changes that were made had either zero or no effect (remember the Round Robin fiasco a month ago?) 

I already have a problem with some of the rules. The WTA wants to stop players, especially the top 10, from withdrawing from so many tournaments. What happens if a player brings a legitimate medical form? How would they know if the player is faking injury? This is a grey area that will continue to hurt players, tournament organisers and fans.

Another issue is the fact that some of the big names are retiring (Lindsay Davenport, Kim Clijsters) and no rule or road map can secure replacements that will be as good, attractive or fun to watch no matter how many tournaments a year you have or millions of dollars to distribute.  

As we say in this kind of situations – only time will tell if these changes are "cosmetic" or if they really and dramatically will chang the women's game for the best.

What do you think of the proposed changes? Send your views to Sportingo.