SA Open falls victim to clustered tennis season

BY foxsports • February 6, 2011

The South African Tennis Association chief executive says he is fighting to have the SA Open reinstated on next year's ATP World Tour after it was dropped to free up the over-crowded international calendar.

Ian Smith says his association is ''not lying down'' after this week's event was removed for 2012 to help ease players' fears over their extended workloads.

Smith says ''it's a sad thing but we're going to fight to get it back.'' He adds SATA is in ''strong negotiations'' with ATP officials, who are ''working around the clock to fit us in.''

South Africa returned to the top men's tour in 2009, but loses out next year when a three-season agreement with the ATP expires.

Top players will have just a month off between the season-ending World Tour Finals and the start of the 2012 schedule.

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