Monte-Carlo Masters boss addresses hopes of bringing WTA stars to men-only event

The tournament director of the Monte-Carlo Masters has responded to players and fans who want to see the head to Monaco. The Masters 1000 event currently hosts male players over eight days, and there has not been a women's singles competition at the Country Club since 1982.

The Queen's Club in London has already taken action, in addition to the annual ATP 500. And Monte-Carlo Masters boss David Massey is open to bringing the women back to Monaco - though it won't be on the cards any time soon.

The Monte-Carlo Masters is almost over for another year. The tournament is often the first stop for most players during the clay swing and is something of a home competition for the many players who live in Monaco and train at the club throughout the season.

WTA world No. 20 Donna Vekic even turned up to watch the action during the week, but the tournament remains limited to the , with 56 men battling it out in the main singles draw.

The venue was once home to a women's event, which ended 43 years ago, but there would be an appetite for the WTA to head to Monaco for their own clay tournament.

While there are no active discussions in the works, Massey remains open to the idea. "I think at this stage right now there are no concrete plans to change our format," he said ahead of Sunday's final.

"We obviously remain open to introducing the WTA into our competition into the tournament. I believe that would require us to have more days for the event and a shift in date by at least one week to accommodate that.

"Nothing planned at this stage but not to be ruled out in the future either. The best product I believe would be a combined event and not back to back. So we are really, if it does happen in the future, it will be combined.

"Having said that, I think that the format we have right now works extremely well with a men's competition."

The tournament director also confirmed that the WTA hadn't tried to force their hand to get their own competition.

"I wouldn't say pressure, no. I wouldn't use the word 'pressure'," he added.

"But again, we are not in active discussion to integrate a WTA tournament at this stage. There is no pressure; nor are we saying that we would never do that either. It's just not an action item at this point."

The Monte-Carlo Country Club is a relatively small venue. Four courts are often used for match play in singles and doubles, and other practice courts are on site. So it would be difficult to stage a conjoined event.

It's one of the few Masters 1000 events still played over just one week, with most of the premier ATP contests now staged across 12 days with extended 96-player draws.

But another prestigious club has recently welcomed the women's circuit back after more than 50 years. The Queen's Club in London will stage a WTA 500 event in the first week of the grass season this summer - the week before the ATP 500 contest.

Plenty of top players have already signed up, including Australian Open champion Madison Keys, world No. 3 Jessica Pegula, and Grand Slam winners Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu.