ATP in a spin

Kuerten: Going head-to-head with Marat Safin

BBC Sport's Iain Carter gives his verdict on the ATP's new system which was designed to simplify the Champions Race.

The ATP are getting themselves into a bit of a lather over the climax to their Champions Race, the system they introduced this year to try to simplify the way the world rankings are regarded by tennis fans across the globe.

They are trying to build it up into the most exciting development in the game for years, but it's proving a tough job.

Sure Gustavo Kuerten and Marat Safin are going head to head to finish the year as world number one, but the value of this two horse race is damagingly diminished because the game's genuine thoroughbred hasn't left his stable in the last two months.

Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras hasn't picked up a racquet in anger since getting married in September.

The obsession with the Race means we're not meant to look at the real world rankings or "Entry System Positions" as the ATP want us to call it

  Iain Carter

He has chosen to honeymoon while the season has been building to a climax, missing the last two Masters Series events in Stuttgart and Paris.

These tournaments were supposed to be pivotal to the outcome of the Race.

Sampras currently lies third and though his last missive said he plans to return to action in the season ending Masters Cup in Lisbon, there must be doubts over whether he'll choose to make his comeback in such a high profile event.

The ATP has been trying to paper over the cracks by continuing to vigorously promote the Race, but in so doing they've been deflecting attention from far more significant matters.

The obsession with the Race means we're not meant to look at the real world rankings or "Entry System Positions" as the ATP want us to call it.

Safin: Taking on Kuerten

But this is the league table that really interests the players because it determines seedings and who is eligible for what tournament.

For example, Britain's Greg Rusedski couldn't give a fig about the race, he came here to Paris to try to boost his ranking - sorry Entry System Position - so that he would end the year in the top fifty.

He lost in the first round and now can't be sure of which tournaments he will be able to enter at the start of next year.

Rusedski is not alone and to my mind his story is much more interesting than one about an artificially constructed race which doesn't even boast a complete list of runners and riders.

For a sport that craves attention that is bad news but the ATP show no sign of recognising it.