Players could boycott 2009 WTA Tour, says Safina

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The top players could boycott next year's WTA Tour if their questions were left unanswered, world number three Dinara Safina said on Saturday.

The Russian said the players were unhappy with the changes being made to the schedule.

"If they (WTA) don't listen to what we have to say we might even choose to boycott the new tour," Safina told reporters after losing 6-2 7-6 to compatriot Vera Zvonareva in the Kremlin Cup semi-finals.

"They said the leading players would have to play in designated tournaments while lower-ranked players would be able to enter any event they like. There's no logic in that at all.

"What if all the top players choose to enter the same tournament? What will the WTA do then? We want to know," added Safina.

Under the so-called Road Map 2010, 26 Tier One and Tier Two events will be combined into 20 Premiere tournaments with players committed to play in at least 10.

Four $4.5 million tournaments in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Beijing will be mandatory for all players who qualify.

MANDATORY EVENTS

Below the mandatory events will be five $2 million stops in Canada, Dubai, Rome, Cincinnati and Tokyo, of which the top-ranked players must play at least four.

The WTA has committed to having at least seven of the world's top 10 players at each of these events. Players will complete their schedules by competing in at least one or two $700,000 events.

"There are a lot of gray areas," said Safina. "No one seems to understand which tournaments you can play and which you can't."

Her thoughts were echoed by Zvonareva and compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova.

"I was told only two players from the top 10 could enter a smaller tournament like the Kremlin Cup next year," said world number seven Kuznetsova.

"What if (world number one) Jelena Jankovic and Serena or Venus (Williams) want to play here?

"Then all the top Russian players, and there are five of us in the top 10, will not be able to play in their home tournament. That's nonsense."

Safina, who will rise to a career-high number two when the new rankings are released on Monday, said the leading players will get together at next month's season-ending WTA Championships in Doha to share their concerns.

WTA officials were not available for comment.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)