Hong Kong Tennis Open can be Asia's answer to Wimbledon or the Australian Open, say organisers
Organisers hope to make Hong Kong Open an important stopover on the WTA tour and develop reputation for attracting elite players
Organisers aim to transform the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open into the premier stopover on the WTA Tour's International Series and develop an identity similar to the grand slams, says a HKTA executive.
Michael Cheng, chairman of the Hong Kong Tennis Association's executive committee, said organisers were ahead of schedule with a long-term target of making the Hong Kong event an important stop on the WTA tour.
"People know that Wimbledon is in July, and that the Australian Open is at the beginning of the year," said Cheng. "We want people to anticipate the start of the Hong Kong Tennis Open in that way."
We want to attract players who are looking to secure valuable points to make the WTA Finals in Singapore
After the success of last week's event, partly publicly financed through the government's Mega Events Fund, Cheng said he hoped the tournament would develop a reputation as a place where the sport's elites look forward to playing.
