The Australian cities of Sydney and Brisbane have been confirmed as two of the host destinations for the new ATP Cup tennis event.
Today’s (Monday’s) announcement comes after it was revealed last Friday that Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena is to undergo Aus$50m (£28m/€31m/$36m) worth of renovation in an effort to further its claims to host the new tournament.
The project will lead to the installation of a roof covering the arena, which has a capacity of 10,000 and was developed to host tennis at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. New flooring will also be added making the venue suitable for netball, with Sydney’s two Super Netball teams, the Giants and Swifts, set to call the arena their permanent home.
The new ATP Cup, organised by the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), is due to launch next year. It will be staged in three cities and will take place in January ahead of the Australian Open. A third Australian capital city will soon be confirmed as the final host destination alongside Sydney and Brisbane.
Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley confirmed that Ken Rosewall Arena would be one of the host venues for the event. Sydney has secured the finals matches until 2022.
New South Wales Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Adam Marshall, said: “This is another coup for our state, not only for athletes and sporting fans but the wider NSW community who are set to win from the estimated Aus$36.5m injection into our local economy.”
Tiley added: “We want to build on the great tennis we have in Australia. We have seen fans both here and overseas embrace the offerings. Our events have been brilliantly supported by players, broadcasters, commercial partners and governments alike.
“The timing is right for expansion. We want more players rewarded, more opportunities for them, more opportunities for fans to get to see them … more global exposure for the sport.
“A major step toward achieving that vision is to deliver world-class tennis to cities across Australia which is what the ATP Cup will do. It is the next piece in a vision that will ultimately grow tennis and provide inspiration for future generations.”
Image: ATP Tour
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