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EXCLUSIVE
THE SCOOP: MONDAY, June 1
Shanghai nabs ATP Masters Cup for 3 years
LA still in the WTA mix for 2005;
London to make 2006 bid
By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net
FROM ROLAND
GARROS – Shanghai, China will be named as the new
site of the ATP Tennis Masters Cup on Thursday. A source told
tennisreporters.net that the ATP and Shanghai
have signed a three-year deal beginning in 2005 for around $10
million a year. Houston will again host this year’s Master
Cup, but did not put in a bid for future years. Shanghai hosted
the Masters Cup in 2002.
The deal, which will run thorough 2007, means that the much discussed
idea of combining the ATP and WTA Championships is now dead until
2008.
The WTA Championships will be held in Los Angeles for the third
straight year in November. Sources told tr.net
that Octagon, which owns the marketing rights to the championships,
is negotiating with AEG in attempt to extend the deal for another
year. AEG owns the Staples Center, where the event is currently
being played.
New York City is also interested in getting the WTA Championships
back. A delegation from China visited with the WTA last year.
Beijing, which will host the 2008 Olympics, is said to be preparing
a bid.
A source told tr.net
that a group from London is about to put in a serious bid for
2006. A delegation from China visited with the WTA last year.
Beijing, which will host the 2008 Olympics, is said to be preparing
a bid. |
