Federer hits out at ATP and ITF

MONTE CARLO (Reuters) - World number one Roger Federer, backed by several top players, has hit out at the ATP's plans to downgrade the Monte Carlo claycourt tournament in 2009.

The Swiss, who is top seed this week in the principality, slammed the lack of communication of the men's governing body and also criticized the International Tennis Federation (ITF) over Davis Cup dates.

"The ATP is moving really fast at the moment. (The players), we've had a letter signed several times about the ATP and the ITF about certain issues," Federer told reporters on Monday.

"I mean, issues like here in Monaco, with the 2009 calendar, and then obviously also things with the ITF, the weeks of Davis Cup. They don't seem to understand that we have a say, so we would like to address this issue through the media for a change," he added.

"It's just a little scream for help. We're just not happy with the last few months. The players' meeting in Miami was a big disappointment for all of us.

"We had many issues on the table and we couldn't really discuss them at all, and decisions are being taken very soon for 2009, and we would just like to have a little say as well."

Earlier this month, Monte Carlo organizers filed an antitrust lawsuit against the ATP over its plans to downgrade the tournament from a Masters Series event.

The Hamburg claycourt event also filed a lawsuit over plans to downgrade it as part of the ATP's reshuffling of the calendar from 2009. Madrid will change from an indoor event in October to a spring claycourt Masters Series.

"It's been difficult, we've had a change at the top of ATP, we've been trying to talk to him (chairman Etienne de Villiers). I've had many, many meetings with him," said Federer.

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"Of course he has his ideas. I wish he would just listen a little bit more to what we have to say.

"We've had a lot of issues with them (the ITF) as well, letters signed to them, and told them what we think are the best Davis Cup weeks.

"They seem to respond that they know better than we do. They're not in the tennis shorts playing on the court and knowing how demanding Davis Cup and the ATP circuit is."

Federer helped Switzerland defeat Serbia in a World Group play-off last September, but was absent when the Swiss were beaten by Spain in the first round this year.

The ITF issued a statement on Monday saying they were in talks about dates and the possibility of issuing ranking points for Davis Cup matches.

"It seems that the players may not be fully aware of the status of our discussions with the ATP but we want to be clear that we have taken their views into consideration as we plan the future of Davis Cup," the statement said.

Croatian Ivan Ljubicic, a French Open semi-finalist last year, believes the ATP is acting in the interest of the American tournaments at the expense of the European players.

"It's disappointing to see it's going to be downgraded," Ljubicic said of the Monte Carlo tournament.

"Are they afraid of U.S. tournaments? It was never an idea to touch anything over there. European players are the ones paying the price."

The towering Croatian also criticized the American players for their lack of support.

World number nine James Blake and Andy Roddick, who is third in the ATP rankings, have pulled out of the Monte Carlo event.