Ananova:
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| No move for Australian Open |
The Australian Open will remain a January fixture in the tennis calendar for the foreseeable future after organisers rejected the possibility of moving the season-opening grand slam to March.
The tournament will remain in its current slot - the last two weeks of January - for the next two years, but to help create a longer off-season for players Tennis Australia president Geoff Pollard announced it will move one week later in 2007.
Each year, players complain about the lack of off-season with the grand slam starting so early in the tennis calendar.
The change ensures the Australia summer circuit does not start before the new year, as presently happens.
"The Australian Open is playing its part in trying to create a longer off-season for the players whilst finding a solution that fits both with Melbourne's extensive year-round major sporting and cultural events calendar, and the existing popularity of the tournament in the summer months here in sports-mad Australia," said Pollard.
"Through the sport's Calendar Working Group, we will continue to work globally to investigate additional ways to further extend the player's off-season through bringing the year-end a week earlier which we believe is achievable."
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