Ricci Bitti unmoved by Nadal's worries over schedule

Ricci Bitti unmoved by Nadal's worries over schedule The International Tennis Federation chief responds to Rafael Nadal's concerns over a crowded schedule.

Rafael Nadal has got his answer perhaps quicker than expected over recent complaints about the gruelling tennis calendar, with the head of the International Tennis Federation strongly knocking back the Spaniard's thesis that top players are overworked.

Francesco Ricci Bitti labelled the Nadal line of reasoning "inconsistent," adding pointedly: “Nadal has all the right to feel tired after playing 70 matches this year.

"But that’s not the fault of the Davis Cup, which he has played only three times in the past two years. Nadal says we don’t listen to the players but the date of the Davis Cup was changed against the wishes of the ITF and its president.

"But we still feel the dates, especially those in September, are not right.”

While he was at it, Ricci Bitti also laid down the law on any over to try and change the Davis Cup to a once-every-other-year competition. The Italian called the concept of the annual Davis schedule "nonnegotiable.”

“Playing Davis Cup can’t just be about money, you also have to give something back to the sport,” he said in an attempt to try and end the contentious conversation which is starting to surface more frequently in tennis.