ATP Tour world doubles tourney in jeopardy

ATP Tour world doubles tourney in jeopardy

JAKARTA (JP): The ATP Tour will pull out of the World Doubles
Championship of Indonesia after losing their local TV sponsor,
dealing a heavy blow to the country's tennis professionals.

ATP's consultant for the season-ending tournament Russell
Barlow said yesterday that local station TPI (Televisi Pendidikan
Indonesia) would not televise the event due to financial reasons,
shattering its two-year contract with the governing body for
men's tennis professionals.

"This is indeed very unfortunate as the announcement came at
literally the eleventh hour in preparing for the championship,"
Barlow complained. ATP Tour was informed about TPI's decision to
break the contract at the end of July, according to Barlow.

ATP Tour and TPI signed a two-year broadcasting deal worth
US$1.75 million per annum in February last year for the year-end
tournament which pits eight top teams. Jakarta was named the host
for the event in place of Johannesburg due to political changes
in South Africa.

The championship this year is slated for Nov. 21 to 26 at the
Senayan tennis indoor stadium, with the organizers planning to
broadcast live coverage to the U.S., Europe, Australia and much
of Asia.

TPI officials could not be reached for confirmation.

The case was the first to hit the ATP Tour since the
establishment of the tournament in 1970, then known as the
Masters.

Barlow said ATP will have to find another local television
partner by Sept. 5, otherwise "we will be forced to move to
another country, perhaps in Southeast Asia."

Barlow said he would call a special meeting with the ATP Tour
during the U.S. Open championships to find a solution to the
case. "I will also talk to the players about what has happened
here," he added.

He made it clear, however, that he would prefer holding the
tournament in this country, noting that the ATP has spent half a
year of preparations.

"The ATP Tour certainly wishes to avoid any embarrassment from
the cancellation of such an important tennis tournament," Barlow
said.

Barlow admitted earlier that the organizers suffered a bad
year when they brought the tournament here last year. Only few
people turned out to watch the five-day competition, which was
won by Swedish pair Jonas Bjorkman and Jan Apell.

TPI claimed last year that 700 million people from 80
countries would have watched the year-end tournament on 40 TV
stations overseas.

The Indonesian tennis association (Pelti) has kept its cool
over the issue. "There will be a way out. I won't think about
moving this tournament that fast," Eddy Katimansah of Pelti said.

Eddy, who was the tournament director of last year's edition
of the championship, said top-level talks might be necessary.

Eddy indicated that Pelti will consult with its chairman
Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and national tennis figure Moerdiono as
soon as possible. (amd)