NEW DELHI: In a significant announcement on Monday, the ATP Tour revealed that international men's tennis will be making a comeback to Hong Kong in January, marking the first time in over 20 years.
The tournament, scheduled from December 31 to January 7, will be held on outdoor hard courts and will serve as a build-up event to the Australian Open.
Hong Kong will be taking over from Pune, India, which hosted the tournament during the same dates this year. This revival is an exciting development for tennis enthusiasts in the region.
The last ATP Tour event in Hong Kong took place in 2002 and featured renowned players such as Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, and Michael Chang, all of whom are Grand Slam champions.
The upcoming tournament in Hong Kong will offer a substantial prize money pool exceeding $650,000.
Its timing, just before the 2024 Australian Open, adds to its significance, providing players with an opportunity to fine-tune their skills before the first Grand Slam of the year.
The Australian Open is scheduled to commence on January 15, making the Hong Kong tournament an ideal platform for players to prepare for the prestigious event.
Philip Mok, president of Hong Kong's tennis association, said: "Our goal has been to bring an ATP Tour level event back to Hong Kong for several years and we are thrilled to make it a reality."
Hong Kong will this October host a women's WTA event for the first time since 2018.
International men's and women's tennis is returning to China after a prolonged absence because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
(With AFP inputs)
