The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour announced on Wednesday its landmark 2009 Roadmap calendar.
They constitute the biggest change to women's tennis since the Tour was founded in 1968.
The reforms are designed to create a more fan friendly and healthier structure to more consistently deliver stars to top events and reduce withdrawals.

"With the Roadmap reforms, 2009 will see the strongest women's professional tennis product in the sport's history," said Larry Scott, Chairman & CEO of the Tour. "Fans will be able to watch more stars and rivalries on the game's biggest stages, and follow a shortened and streamlined season that unlocks the full value of women's tennis. The fan, player and commercial partner experience will benefit significantly through more combined events, a calendar that keeps our players healthier, world-class facilities and more equal prize money events than ever before. These reforms will help lift tennis as a whole to new heights."


The key elements of the "Roadmap" are:

- A more condensed calendar featuring 54 tournaments in 31 countries and record prize money of over $86 million
- An extended off-season of nine weeks and a three-week mid-season break for the top players
- More combined events, including 10 at which women will receive equal prize money
- Permanent use of on-court coaching
- Suspensions for players who do not participate in the tournaments for which they have entered
- $710 million of investment in new stadia
- The creation of a second-level championships - The Commonwealth International in Bali - for the eight players who finish 9-16 in the Race to the Sony Ericsson Championships rankings


More info on a "Roadmap" here.


Click here to see the 2009 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Calendar.


(source Sony Ericsson WTA Tour)

WTA tour announces Landmark 2009 Roadmap Calendar and changes