Why the ATP and WTA Tours Can No Longer Ignore the IPTL

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: October 19, 2015

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Serena Williams' 2015 WTA Tour season ended the day she lost to Roberta Vinci in the semifinals at the U.S. Open. Maria Sharapova hasn't completed a match since Wimbledon. Roger Federer has played in just one match, outside of Davis Cup, since the U.S. Open. Sabine Lisicki, a Wimbledon finalist in 2013, announced she's done for the year, too. 

Still, all four of these players are scheduled to participate in the International Premier Tennis League that kicks off its 2015 season Dec. 2.  

Brushed off by the ATP and WTA Tours as a glorified exhibition, the IPTL is back for a second year, and it's bigger. This time, Rafael Nadal, Kei Nishikori and retired greats such as Marat Safin are joining the league. 

With the biggest stars playing in front of packed houses in some of the most under-served tennis communities in the world, the ATP and WTA can no longer ignore the IPTL.

Whether through cross-promotion or by simply including IPTL results on its website, the ATP and WTA need to find a way to embrace what is becoming one of the biggest stories in the offseason. 

The IPTL has developed into more than just a traveling exhibition. The matches are competitive and high quality. Most importantly, the events are star-studded and entertaining. 

An individual sport, tennis is driven by personalities. When the biggest personalities in the business are promoting and participating in something, fans take notice. 

It's not as if the ATP and WTA ignore other non-tour activities. Whether Sharapova is hawking candy, Serena Williams is showcasing her clothing line at New York Fashion week or Federer is pitching Moet at a press junket, the tours cover these players and events.

So if the ATP and WTA have no problem promoting players pitching non-tennis products, why ignore them when they are actually playing tennis? 

Besides, the IPTL is ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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