On the opening day of the final grand slam of 2017, two players have already retired during their first round matches. Retirements are not uncommon in tennis, but how they entered the draw is the subject of a debate.
Dmitry Tursunov and Andreas Haider Murer both entered the US Open with the use of a protected ranking. The rankings are only applicable to players who have been injured for at least six months. It applies to the first nine tournaments a player participate it. If they have been injured for over 12 months, they are allowed 12 passes.
34-year-old Tursunov retired after trailing by two sets to Cameron Norrie. It is the seventh consecutive time that he has lost in the opening round of a grand slam tournament. Despite the retirement, he will exit New York with $50,000 in prize money. Raising a debate about the fairness of protected rankings.
Dmitry Tursunov, who retired today, has earnt $323,626 in the 12 events he entered with a protected ranking since Jan ’16. His record? 2-12.
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) 28 August 2017
In recent months Tursunov has explained that he has been bothered by hip and calf injuries. Prior to the US Open, he told journalist Paul Bauman that he was considering ending his career.
“I’m asking every day if I’m ready to play a full season or not. I’ll try to play as many tournaments as I can and after the U.S. Open figure out if I want to continue or stop.” He told norcaltennisczar.blogspot.com. “It’s going to depend a lot on how I feel physically. I can even lose the matches, but if I feel like I can play another one the next day, then that’s a good indication that I can continue.”
Andreas Haider Maurer retired 6-7(3), 1-5, down to Evgeny Donskoy. The Austrian, who has been ranked as high as 47th in the world, missed 19 months of the tour due to a heel injury. Haider Maurer has shown promise leading into the US Open by reaching the final of a Challenger tournament in Meerbusch, Germany.
Suggestions of players using protected rankings to enter draws in order to get prize money is not new to the sport.
During this year’s Wimbledon championships a series of players withdrew injured during the first round, receiving £35,000 in prize money. Prompting calls for grand slams to implement the ATP’s withdrawal/lucky loser rule. Where Players can pull out of their matches and still receive the prize money. Meanwhile, the lucky loser replacing them will receive prize money should they win their opening round (as well as ranking points).
“I think the new rule that the ATP has reinforced allows players who deserve already, who have made it to the Grand Slam main draw, to get what they deserve, but on the other hand allow someone else to play if they can. I support that kind of rule.” Novak Djokovic said in favour of the rule earlier this year.
In this year’s US Open men’s draw, six players have entered under the protected ranking system.
