The WTA releases its 10th Roadmap Report, a quarterly analysis of players’ participation rates, withdrawal rates, and retirements, which compares the state of the game today to the way it was in 2008. Four years ago, the calendar for women’s tennis was changed in response to concerns from players that the season was too long and grueling. The Roadmap shortened and streamlined the season, and attempted to provide more breaks and reduce tournament commitments for top players, with the goal that they would be healthier for the tournaments they committed to.
This 4th Quarter, 2012 report (which compares January-October 2008 with January-October 2012) says that top player participation is up 34 percent in the tour’s top nine Premier events, and that overall withdrawals are down seven percent. It also says that the strength of player fields at Premier Mandatory and Premier Five events amongst Top 10 players has improved by 43 percent.
However, the number of retirements has dramatically increased, from 55 in 2008 to 74 this year (a 36 percent increase). Walkovers increased by just one, from 14 to 15. Medical timeouts have marginally increased from 160 to 162, and while overall prize money has risen 51 percent from $35.2 million to $53.2 million, the number of job opportunities (with two less events) has actually fallen from 4,534 to 4,494.