The WTA has "begun to explore options" for the next contract for the WTA Finals, and it is "believed Manchester is a strong contender" to host in '19, according to PA SPORT. The season-ending tournament "featuring the best eight female players of the year is four years into a five-year deal" with Singapore. With the "success of the men's equivalent tournament at London's O2 Arena over the past eight years, it is no surprise Britain is seen as a desirable destination." The tournament was held in the U.S. until '00 before "moving to the likes of Munich, Madrid, Doha and Istanbul." There has "not been a European host for a decade and, with seven of the current top eight being European, there is a strong case to bring it back" (PA SPORT, 4/9). In Singapore, Low Lin Fhoong reported several other cities in China and Europe have also "expressed interest in hosting the tournament" beginning in '19. WTA CEO Steve Simon "confirmed Manchester’s interest." Simon in a statement said, "We’re in the early stages of this process. Manchester is one of the several destinations that have reflected an initial interest in learning more about the opportunity." The Singapore Tourism Board and Sport Singapore said that they are in "preliminary discussions with WTA on hosting the WTA Finals" beyond '18. The inaugural edition of the WTA Finals Singapore in '14 attracted some 93,000 fans to Singapore Indoor Stadium. However, attendance "took a dip" in '15 and last year after Serena Williams "skipped both editions" (TODAYONLINE.com, 4/10).
