Playing Tennis Is Tough. So Is Being the Director of a Tournament.

If Frances Tiafoe goes out with his, each players in an ATP Masters 1000 tournament will have table and video game tennis. There will be first level food, “not a bit of dry chicken, but quality things that do not know cardboard,” Tiafoe said in an interview in September, and the tournament directors will lend to the players of luxury cars for the week instead of forcing them to trust the tournament.

The most important thing, Tiafoe, an open semifinalist from the United States this year, wants the programming of matches to be fair and equitable for all, not just the stars of the game.

Casper Ruud, the eighth player in the world, agrees with Tiafoe on food, but cares more to have a spacious gym in the place so that players are healed and cool.

“Some players like to eat pasta, others like more meat and others like to eat rice, so having good chefs that can cook fresh food that is something that players really appreciate,” Ruud said the Laver Cup in Berlin Lasth.

Masters 1000s are the highest level tournaments on the ATP tour, which offer the largest number of awards and classification points outside Wimbledon and the Australian, the French and the United States opens. There are nine events of this type, including the Rolex Paris Masters, which begins. More than half of those tournaments (Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome and the Rolex Paris Masters) are led by former tour professionals who have become tournament directors.

Two former number 1 of the female world, Amélie Mauresm and Garbiñe Muguruza, are also tournament directors, Mauresm for the France and Muguruza Open in the WTA finals, which as of November 2. Everyone is sacrificed by a unique perspective in the chickens and the needs of the players.

“Being a player and then a tournament director is completely different,” said Paolo Lorenzi, a former best classified Italian player and now the director of the Italian Open Tournament, by phone from Rome this month. “A player has a lot of pressure. Now I have the pressure of The players. All have different requests. As a player, you know you are doing your best. But as director of the tournament you know that not everyone will be happy. “

Being a tournament director means trying to please everyone, especially athletes who are accustomed to obtaining what they want. Satisfying the disparate parties is the most difficult aspect for Cédric Pioline, the director of the Paris Masters Tournament.

“Programming is a very sensitive part,” said Pioline, runner -up at the 1993 US Open and Wimbledon in 1997. “You have to consult both parties. The players are selfish and want to organize their day. Different time areas.

Last year, Pioline found himself in the hairdresser of a player when Jannik Sinner finished his second round match at 2:37 am and was scheduled to play his third round the next afternoon. Sinner retired from the tournament, complaining that he didn’t have enough time to rest, and Pioline faced a violent reaction from fans and players. Pioline said he tried to please everyone.

“We have to make it work,” said Pioline. “We have some bonuses with hotels, transport and practice courses and times. When it is [Novak] Djokovic asks him to be different from someone who is not so good. We respect all players, they are all champions. But then there are the super champions. “

Daniil Medvedev knows that special talent is needed to deal with top -level players.

“I think you have to have good organization skills and that is what tennis players can have problems when we are playing,” said Medvedev, the 2021 United States Open champion, Duration The Laver Cup. “When you stop playing, you can start developing those skills.”

Tommy Haas admits that he was in the right place at the right time when he became the director of the BNP Paribas Open tournament in Indian Wells, California, Haas, a silver medista at the 2002 Olympic Games before the injuries derail his career, played in Wells 14 times and said a close relationship with Larry Ellison, the co -founder of Oracle Bercone Direct bought in 2016. Elévelo.

“This was a perfect adjustment,” Haas said at the beginning of this month. “I knew I wanted to be involved with tennis, but I was not really interested in training or comments.

“It helps to have connections during all my game years,” added Haas, who came into action in 2019 when Rafael Nadal was hurting his knee and was forced to withdraw from his semifinal against Roger Federer. Haas contacted his friends Djokovic, Pete Sampras and John Mcenroe and organized an exhibition match for fans who included it.

The transition from the role of the player to the director is not always easy.

“I took time to adapt until I found the right balance between an active player and also a tournament director,” said Feliciano López, who has Bone The Madrid Open Tournament Director since 2019. Player, tends to give things for granted. “

The location and time of the year can also have a great impact on a tournament and the role of the director. James Blake, classified a number 4 of his career in 2006 and now the director of the Miami Open tournament knows that a great benefit that can provide the players is Sun and Sand in southern Florida in March. Because his tournament is played in Hard Rock Stage, home of the NFL Miami Dolphins, the can sacrifices his eight best luxury suites to relax, among other advantages. But that does not mean that Blake has it easy.

“Every year there are fires to publish,” he said by phone earlier this month. In 2019, Blake said he had to deal with Federer and his agent who were not happy to have to play a night game after replacing the day. Blake went to the locker room, explained the complex program and Federer accepted the change. He is accustomed to winning the tournament.

This year, Blake had to deal with the attention of the media after Aryna Sabalenka’s ex -boyfriend died for what the police said it was an apparent suicide in Miami before the event.

“You can’t prepare for that child or madness,” Blake said. “I definitely have more gray hairs on the beard now.”

Pioline directs the last 1000 Masters of the season in Paris. For some players it is his last tournament of the year, and it can be difficult to remain motivated.

“It is inside, it is the beginning of winter in Europe, it is dark at 5 or 5:30, it is rainy and that affects your mood,” said Pioline. “For some, they are worried [the ATP Finals in] Turin and the Davis Cup and for others they are thinking about vacations. As an organization, we have to take into account the fatigue that everyone faces. “

Players are accessories to receive luxurious gifts from tournament directors almost every week, including brand clothing and technological items.

Ben Shelton has a desire list for the advantages that he would most like by the current directors of the tournament.

“I would say that my realistic is having a type of private security with you all week, especially being abroad when you listen to listening to the players who have their watches or brass boys with them,” said Shelton, Grigor Dimitrvvrv and thefts involved.

“But then,” Shelton added, “I would say that my only extreme desire would be to fly privately in the city. That would be quite crazy.”

Lorenzi laughed when he told what Shelton wanted. Instead, he sacrificed homemade ice cream and an espresso coffee station in the players hall. Regarding additional advantages?

“We give Rome,” Lorenzi said. “We hope it is enough.”