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Events and Attractions

London Fighting To Keep ATP World Tour Finals With China, Gulf States Potential Successors

Men’s tennis "has a choice to make as the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals move towards the end of their lease," according to Simon Briggs of the London TELEGRAPH. On the one hand, "the established success of London; on the other, the cash-rich economies of China and the Middle-Eastern oil states." Although the O2 Arena’s hosting agreement runs out after next year, "it is not giving up the fight to win another lengthy extension." The level of interest in Britain "is immense, especially while Andy Murray is a regular member of the top 10." But China and the Gulf states "have deep pockets and could part-subsidise the tournament, which would be unlikely to fill a 17,800-capacity hall twice a day in many other venues around the world." The income "is critical, because this is the only event of the year that directly finances the Association of Tennis Professionals." Chris Kermode, a 49-year-old Englishman who played very briefly on the satellite tour, "turned the tournament into such a success that he was appointed as the ATP’s executive chairman and president a year ago." Kermode: "There are so many things to consider. We have to make a balanced decision." Shanghai -- which hosted the finals between '05-08 -- and Beijing "both have suitable indoor facilities that hold over 17,000 fans." One possible disadvantage for the Chinese bid "would be the travel, coming after the European indoor season." But the calendar "could potentially be reshaped, so that the Chinese swing began a month or so later, and the European one a month earlier." The Gulf "is more accessible and even richer than China, with Dubai currently hosting an ATP 500 event." Money "is no object in Qatar." But going to the oil-rich Middle East "would hardly come across as a praiseworthy attempt to grow the game." As Telegraph reporter Oliver Brown wrote in these pages a month ago, "too many events these days are bankrolled by 'autocratic regimes desperate to use sport as propaganda'" (TELEGRAPH, 11/10).

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