The Hopman Cup is in a Battle to Survive

Written by: Staff on 2nd January 2012

Caroline Wozniacki vs Bethanie Mattek-Sands

The Hopman Cup is in a Battle to Survive

Bethanie Mattek-Sands returns a ball during the women's singles match between Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) and Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) in the session 4 women's singles match of the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia, 02 January 2012. Denmark won the match 7-6, 6-2. EPA/TONY MCDONOUGH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

The Hopman Cup is involved in a bureaucratic battle for survival as the 24th edition begins in Perth, in a struggle for control between the International Tennis Federation and the Western Australia government.

From a business point of view, $500 million is on the line, with a new Perth venue due for completion in the second half of 2012 whose expensive moveable roof was predicated on keeping the eight-nation mixed team in the city.

Lurking in the background is Tennis Australia, the local federation which would reportedly love nothing more than to gain control of the Hopman event before burying it quickly to provide more audience for it’s rival ATP-WTA Brisbane International, also staged during the first week of the year.

Local observers believe that a deal is being done behind closed doors between the government and the ITF to keep the event in Western Australia as its quarter-century of life begins in a year, using the long-delayed stadium completion as a bargaining chip.

Tennis Australia struck the tournament from its promotional calendar in 2007 and is said to be after the job of its own former tournament directors Paul McNamee, the one-time Wimbledon doubles finalist who has run the Hopman since he helped to found it in the 1980s.

McNamee expressed the hope that he will be able to lead the mixed team event into its 25th edition next year at a purpose-built venue which duplicates exactly the conditions at the Australian Open with a moveable roof and identical playing surface.

“I’m determined to be part of the future of the event,” said the 57-year-old one-time Wimbledon doubles finalist and ex-tournament director of the Open.

“I have an absolute passion for this tournament which has been a huge part of my life. We gave it – not sold it – to the International Tennis Federation (several seasons ago).

“I really hope to remain involved and complete the job of transitioning to a new venue. The tournament was a catalyst for the new arena.”

The tournament honors the late Australian coach Harry Hopman, with his widow Lucy still attending from her home in Florida at age 91.

West Australian tourism officials are keen to make sure the big tennis event stays on their patch. “We are aware that the ITF (which owns the Hopman) is reviewing the management structure and that tennis Australia wants to manage it,” Tourism WA head Stephanie Buckland told the WA Sunday Times.

“As a major sponsor of the event, we want to see the best outcome for Perth, We have concerns, as Tennis Australia also runs the Brisbane International.”

The Hopman Cup consistently produces a better field than Brisbane, with the top two women in the world on hand at this edition in Caroline Wozniacki Grand Slam champions Petra Kvitova (Wimbledon) and China’s Li Na, the Roland Garros winner.

Brisbane features former Hopman regular Andy Murray in its draw along with fading American Serena Williams.