Michael Burgess: Earlier start would net best players

John Isner competing in the Hopman Cup in Perth. Phtoo / Getty

There's only one way to avoid a repeat of the lamentable withdrawal by John Isner from the Heineken Open but it will take some lateral thinking by the ATP.

The calendar has to be changed.

Tournaments staged the week before - or even two weeks before - grand slam events need to start a couple of days earlier with the final played on a Wednesday. It's especially important before the Australian Open, as it's so early in the year, but more on that later.

The late, late sorry-I-can't-be-bothered effort from Isner was a shocker. It's also disappointing that Gael Monfils couldn't make the trip, but the Frenchman apparently has an injury picked up during his participation in the Asia's International Premier Tennis League.

Isner, as defending champion, had no such reason. He promised Heineken Open organisers this was the only event he would play before the Australian Open, then accepted a big cheque to play at the Hopman Cup in Perth.

His badly-worded statement added insult to injury. "As much as I would like to be competing in Auckland to defend my title, I feel at this time it is best for me to hit the practice courts in advance of the Australian Open. Best of luck to the organisers for another successful event".

It would have been better to say nothing.

It was also bad that Isner's decision was probably sanctioned by coach Justin Gimelstob, who also happens to be an ATP board member. Gimelstob, who has earned extra cash in the past here as a TV commentator, should have encouraged his charge to set a better example.

But it's part of a wider issue and will keep happening unless the calendar is tweaked. Players are becoming more and more reluctant to play tournaments in the week, or fortnight, before grand slams.

It started with Roger Federer, who set the trend of preparation and training phases in the week before majors. Soon many others followed and, for the past few years, all the top 10 (with the notable exception of David Ferrer) have sat out the preceding week.

This year, that has extended to some of those ranked between 10 and 20, with Auckland securing the only five players who play tournaments next week.

A midweek start and finish would allow everyone to arrive in Melbourne with plenty of time for preparation - and open the doors for big guns to play in the first two weeks of the year.

It would also probably be welcomed by the grand slams, who have to cope with the influx of players late in the piece. And it would also take some of the emphasis off the growing number of exhibitions, which can't be a bad thing.