ATP Tour
European Union
ATP Tour Tennis tournaments, for Men.
ATP Gstaad
Match scheduled:
30-07-2009 from 11:00 until 21:00
Day 4 :: ATP World Tour 250 - Allianz Suisse Open :: Gstaad, Switzerland
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Started in 1972 by several players, it was first managed by Jack Kramer and Cliff Drysdale.[1] The organization was integral in creating professional players rankings which started the following year and continues to this day. From 1974 to 1989, the men's circuit was administered by a sub-committee called the Men's Tennis Council. It was made up of representatives of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the ATP and tournament directors from around the world.
The ATP requested and got the Men's International Pro Tennis Council (MIPTC) to introduce a Drug Testing Rule, making tennis the first professional sport to institute a workable and well-designed drug-testing program.
But the tour was still run by the tournament directors. The lack of player representation culminated in a player mutiny in 1988 changing the entire structure of the tour. CEO Hamilton Jordan is credited with the now infamous "Parking Lot Press Conference" resulting in their own ATP Tour. This re-org also ended a rather awkward lawsuit with Volvo and Dell.
By 1991, the men had their first television package to broadcast 19 tournaments to the world. Coming on-line with their first website in 1995, was quickly followed by a multi-year agreement with Mercedes-Benz.
Lawsuits in 2008, around virtually the same issues, resulted in a restructured tour
live tennis TV
