The perpetuated saga between the ATP Tour and the Monte Carlo tennis tournament finally halted today after the clay-court tournament's directors decided to drop their federal lawsuit against the tennis association, and also agreed to participate in new laws regarding compulsory player commitments.

These plans included the downgrading of the Monte Carlo and Hamburg events as part of a calendar overhaul which attracted criticism from the players themselves. Etienne De Villiers (chief executive of the ATP) plans to discontinue the Masters Series events in 2009 and Monte Carlo would therfore have been directly affected by this.

However, this recent settlement between the two parties will allow Monte Carlo to remain in the calendar at its usual April date, as part of a new group of eight 'top-tier' tournaments.

Yes, but it's going to become a part of the new 'top-tier' tournament series in 2009

The ATP should have lengthened the grass court season before changing this.

It isn't. The Masters Series is being dropped and replaced by the new 'top-tier' tournaments once the changes take place.