Brave-faced HKTA makes the best of star-studded withdrawals from Prudential Hong Kong Open
Organisers scrambled to ensure a decent line-up to keep the fans happy despite falling foul of end-of-season injury toll
That feeling of "oh, no, not again" was impossible for organisers to ignore in the build-up to the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open. No sooner had Tropical Depression Mujigae (she bristled at being called a "typhoon") finally wound her merry way past Hong Kong than another storm was brewing for the returning tennis showpiece.
The tournament, which has enjoyed an encouragingly successful sophomore outing at Victoria Park, was blighted by player withdrawals right up until the night before the curtain-raiser.
Organisers' efforts in ensuring a competitive field - in which all the seeded players made it through to the last eight - should be commended
As a result of Garbine Muguruza's no-show declaration shortly after a gutsy win at the China Open in Beijing - possibly with half an eye on the upcoming Singapore showpiece - the week started with only half of the stellar names on the original billing.
A resignation just a matter of hours before the opening match was too much even for the beleaguered steering committee to deal with, and the show went on with a lucky loser dragged off her plane and given another crack at Hong Kong in place of the 22-year-old Spaniard, who many see as the game's next superstar after her lightning rise in the world rankings.
It can easily be imagined that tournament director Chris Lai relayed his late-night message of disappointment and well wishes for a quick recovery through gritted teeth. But organisers' efforts in ensuring a competitive field - in which all the seeded players made it through to the last eight - should be commended.
The first gleeful announcement of a star-studded line-up this year landed in our inbox in early September. It boasted "former world number one and two-time grand slam champion Victoria Azarenka, Canadian superstar Eugenie Bouchard and fast-rising Spanish sensation Garbine Muguruza". All had cried off barely a month later.
