Rafael Nadal has joined Andy Roddick in calling for a longer off season.

Nadal denounced the current schedule as “impossible” for the players and his point was illustrated yesterday when Andy Roddick had to pull out with a knee injury.

Nadal’s season will be even longer than for most players as he will be competing in the Davis Cup final. This has been moved even later this year to December 5th so Nadal will have just a month off before the 2010 season kicks into gear.

"It's (now) impossible to be playing like I did the last five years, playing a lot of matches and being all the time 100 percent without problems. I've been number one or two on the number of matches played. I was OK but sooner or later, it will be impossible," he said.

It’s a punishing timeframe and allows very little space for rest and relaxation. Nadal has been on the treadmill, right at the top of the game, for many years now and it’s starting to take its toll. Nadal’s high intensity game has led to several major injuries and serious fears for his longevity as a player.      

Actually making any major changes won’t be easy for the ATP. To properly shorten the calendar, many tournaments will have to be scrapped and given the amount of revenue they generate, this move would be met with serious opposition. Even downgrading the Hamburg Masters to a normal main tour event left the ATP facing a lawsuit.

However with the Shanghai field bereft of some of its top stars and Andy Roddick threatening a player strike unless things change, the ATP may be forced to find a way.