Here we go again, its time to take a look at how things will be next year on the ATP tour.  This is the initial schedule of ATP events for 2004.  The first thing to notice is the January 5th start.  The calendar is always 1 day earlier every year (2 after a leap year) so every so often, they have to readjust it.  Because of that, the dreaded scheduling stagger will be in effect until May!  Then the Olympics sets things back a week until the end of the year!!  So very few events will be taking place 52 weeks from when they were held this year. {sigh}

Lots of movement among the tournaments.  First off, the big news is that Indian Wells will follow the Miami format of a 96 draw over 10 days.  That means both will have the men's and women's events together.  Indian Wells has been like that for the last few years but the men had a one week schedule.  Due to the loss of one week, some condensing was done: the first round of Davis Cup is back to the week immediately following the Australian Open.  San Jose is moved with Milan on Feb 9.  Joining them is the start of a 4 week Latin American sweep.  The Brazil Open (presumably in Costa do Sauipe again) is moved back to the Spring slot on Feb 23 from its current slot in September.  Scottsdale will be held with Acapulco and Dubai on March 1.  Delray Beach gets squeezed out and moves to the week immediately following the US Open.  Casablanca, traditionally held after Miami (remember when it was held during the second week of Miami?) has now been moved to the week before the French Open, accompanying St. Polten.  One week of the clay season is squeezed out.  TMS Canada and Cincinnati are moved back up a week to accommodate the Olympics while Sopot and Washington are the unfortunate ones to be held during the Olympics (man, they really have it out for the DC tournament!).  From all the talk, I thought the gold medal match of the Olympics was going to be held the day before the start of the US Open but not so...Long Island gets that slot and the US Open will be held a week later this year starting on Aug 30.  This is really not a late start for the US Open which always starts the weekend of the Labor Day holiday here in the US, anyway.  In September, the Asian circuit is back in full swing with a 4 week stretch interrupted by Davis Cup.  Beijing, added and then cancelled this year, is back (for now) on Sep 13 joined by Bucharest and Delray Beach.  Bangkok and Shanghai will share the 27th followed by Tokyo on October 4.  Other than that, its the normal shuffling around.  The main thing when looking at ranking schedules is that most of this year will be held one week later than 2003.  So many of the tournaments will be dropping off the ranks a week before being held in 2004.  Oh joy!!  Here is a summary of that.