Irate Nadal slams ATP over crazy schedule

BEIJING, April 22 -- Rafael Nadal fears calendar congestion is hampering his claycourt preparations as he bids for a fourth straight French Open title.

The second-ranked Spaniard defends his Monte Carlo Masters title this week, and then hopes to play in Barcelona, Rome and Hamburg in a hectic four-week period on clay leading up to the May start at Roland Garros.

"(The) calendar is completely crazy," Nadal said on Sunday. "I think this is not fair for the European players and for the clay players, too. Three Masters (series) in four weeks, it is too much."

Even with his remarkably high fitness levels, the Spaniard is not sure he can manage to play them all. "You never know," he said. "I am going to try my best to play the four."

Calendar modifications this year, which have also take into consideration the Olympic Games in August, saw the American hard court season altered.

The Miami Masters, traditionally held in mid-March at Key Biscayne, Florida, stretched into April because of US television contracts, and this greatly angered Nadal.

"They say this is an Olympic year, but the truth is that they put Indian Wells and Miami (Key Biscayne) one week (back) because they have the university college (basketball)," Nadal said. "Well, I understand in the United States, that (college basketball) is very important. For us, we have the world tour calendar. We can't do the calendar thinking about the college (basketball) of the US. That's my feeling."

Nadal feels the claycourt season has been unfairly condensed and believes that other players are also losing faith in the ATP, the governing body for men's tennis.

"Everything has to change, everything," Nadal said. "Right now, the players, I think we finished the confidence with ATP, we finished the confidence with everything. The ATP is doing always what they want."

He thinks players are not consulted enough on important issues.