Blake blasts injury-inducing workload of the ATP

Nov 1, 2008, 17:45 GMT

Paris - James Blake said that injures which forced Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer to quit the Paris Masters 'couldn't be a clearer signal that the year is too long.'

The American, who lost 6-4, 6-3 in Saturday's Bercy semi-final against Jo-Wilfriend Tsonga, will miss a trip to the season-ending masters Cup in Shanghai for the second straight year after playing the 2006 final against Federer.

Federer withdrew prior to a Friday quarter-final with back pain while Nadal quit with knee problems after losing the first set against Nikolay Davydenko the same day.

Blake said that with the ATP revising the schedule for 2009 with more required events in exchange for increased prize money, the deal is looking like a poor one for top player.

'I think we're going to have to deal with eight for eight mandatory events,' he said of the re-branded 'Masters 1000' for 2009.

'It's unfortunate, because I don't think that's good for the players.

'In this tournament, you see the top two players in the world getting injured - it couldn't be a clearer signal that the year is too long.

'There's too many mandatory events, too many times that we have to be playing,' said the 28-year-old. 'Look at baseball players, football players, basketball players, they have a real off-season.

'That's' why they're playing into their 40s and we're retiring at 30.

'It's just tough on our body. When the top two players can't make it through a season at 22 and 27 years old - the peak of their health - it's saying something about the season.'

The former member of the ATP Player Council said that next year's workload on court will be huge.

'To make us have eight mandatory events, four mandatory Grand Slams, and four out of 11 mandatory 500s, it just seems mind boggling to me as a player.'

The American criticised 'people outside of the game making those decisions.'

'I wish the players could have decided that a lot more. I think the council is going to have more power soon now that Roger, Rafa, and Novak (Djokovic) are on it.

'I hope people start listening to the players, otherwise you're going to have too many careers shortened, and that's cheating the fans.'