CAPE TOWN – Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios does not feel that a merger between the ATP and WTA would be good for the game.
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Billy Jean King have in the past called for an ATP-WTA merger due to the belief that bringing the running of the game under one umbrella would be good for tennis in the long-run.
On Wednesday, Federer gave his voice to the idea by tweeting: “Just wondering….. am I the only one think that now is the time for men’s and women’s tennis to ve united and come together as one?
“It probably should have happened a long time ago, but maybe now is really the time. These are tough times in every sport and we can come out of this with two weakened bodies or one stronger body,” Federer wrote.
Federer’s suggestion was supported by Rafael Nadal, who wrote: “Hey @rogerfederer as you know per our discussions, I completely agree that it would be great to get out of this world crisis with the union of men’s and women’s tennis in one only organisation.
Did anyone ask the majority of the ATP what they think about merging with the WTA and how it is good for us?
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) April 22, 2020
The idea has received support from tennis fans and other influential players, but not the opinioated Kyrgios.
“Did anyone ask the majority of the ATP what they think about merging with the WTA and how it is good for us?” Kyrgios said, before adding: “We shouldn’t merge.”
We shouldn’t merge
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) April 23, 2020