There was a sumptuous dinner here on Tuesday night to celebrate the securing of equal prize-money everywhere that matters in women’s tennis and, we are assured, the great and good of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour did not indulge all the extra cash wining and dining themselves.One should never forget that, after a good night out, there is usually pain the next morning and such was the reaction yesterday that one of the main strands of the 2009 Road Map proposals designed to enhance the tennis calendar has been cut. Of the four combined events scheduled in addition to the four grand-slam tournaments in two years’ time, that in Shanghai in the autumn was regarded as the Asian jewel.As part of the quid pro quo for losing its Masters Cup host status in 2009 — London is considered a possible venue but no means a certainty — Shanghai’s organisers were verbally promised that they could stage one of the revamped, ten-day combined tournaments. Having got wind of this probability, representatives from the China Open in Beijing have made a money-no-object move to whip the red carpet from beneath Shanghai’s feet.Losing a friend like Shanghai would be a bitter pill. But this reflects a feeling of unease creeping through the sport. The ATP last night announced the end of an experiment with round-robin tournaments after only five events and the return of all men’s events to the traditional knockout format. The ATP said that a 32-man hybrid format caused confusion, creating problems on deciding which players would progress from the round-robin stage.After the widespread disapproval of the round-robin format, a 60-strong petition has been signed by the leading male players deploring the idea that the Monte Carlo Open, a tournament steeped in tradition and regard, will lose its Masters status in this proposed brave new world.Rafael Nadal, the defending Monte Carlo champion, and Tommy Robredo, his Spanish compatriot, were those arguing the case that the championship has to stay as it is, which would throw the planned changes into chaos. It is thought that Roger Federer and Andy Roddick, hardly of the clay-court genre, have signed.The new purple courts here are a perfect reflection of the colour of the cheeks of those trying to drive forward changes in the sport. Maria Sharapova suits any colour. When a call came through last week from Larry Scott, the chief executive of the WTA Tour, she was reluctant to take it, because she does not like to be interrupted when shopping. But the news was that funds for next year’s spree would be more generous, because the four grand-slam tournaments had fallen into line and agreed financial equality with the men.Sharapova says she has never really looked at her cheques, only principle matters. The Russian can lay claim, though, to being one of the primary factors in the women’s cause, for no one could seriously doubt her abilities or the desire to make the most of them.The world No 2 has played three tournaments in 2007, reaching the final in the Australian Open, where she was blown away by Serena Williams, and was a little stunned last week by Vera Zvonareva, her Russian compatriot, in Indian Wells. “We all have grey moments but I don’t go in for pity parties,” she said. “It is a part of life, I realise I can’t be on top form all the time. Just because I’m not No 1 at the moment isn’t something I worry about on a daily basis.”Andy Murray has arrived here in a better frame of mind, and slightly improved physical shape, than when he left California. The British No 1’s chiropractor, Jean-Pierre Bruyere, has also arrived in Florida. Now comes the test of playing against Paul Goldstein, who is a regular practice partner, in the second round tomorrow, having received a bye.
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