Tennis Australia "is in discussions with Channel Seven and Nine to stage a week-long Fast 4 tournament in Sydney to lure the likes of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer to the harbour city on a regular basis," according to Michael Chammas of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Plans "are already in place at tennis headquarters in Melbourne to transform the Fast 4 concept into a team-based tournament that would be similar to the Hopman Cup and likely be held in Sydney in October or November every second year -- potentially as early as 2017."
With the Sydney Int'l falling behind most of the pre-Australian Open tournaments in the country, Tennis Australia and Tennis NSW "believe the shortened format of the sport could reinvigorate interest in Sydney." A Tennis Australia official said, "We are in conversations with the major networks to be part of a major Fast 4 tournament with the biggest stars in the world. It's unlikely to fit into the January schedule but we are looking at other times of the year to stage the tournament."
Tennis Australia "gained the interest of major broadcast networks around the world with the idea, which could run after the WTA and ATP world tour finals in November, and also be extended to include top female players like Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova" (SMH, 1/10).
