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ATP president de Villiers to step down

Andy Roddick of the US stands in front of the screen of the new Hawkeye system, as his opponent Justin Gimelstob appeals a point, during their Men's Singles, first round match on the Number One Court at Wimbledon, Monday June 25, 2007. (KEYSTONE/AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

LONDON (AP) ATP president Etienne de Villiers, who introduced video replay and increased prize money on the men's tour, will step down when his contract expires in December.

De Villiers will leave the post after instigating a series of changes since taking over in June 2005, the ATP announced Thursday. He reshuffled the tour calendar, allowed byes for seeded players at Masters tournaments and introduced the Hawkeye system of judging line calls.

"I believe we have delivered the biggest modernization of the ATP Tour since its inception, have attracted unprecedented levels of investment into men's tennis and have begun to feed the growing appetite for men's tennis globally, both in established and emerging markets," said De Villiers, the ATP executive chairman. "I am honored to have played a part in taking our great sport to the next level."

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