THE official with the job of securing the operational rights of the Hopman Cup for Tennis Australia yesterday guaranteed the tournament's future remained in Perth. Tennis Australia's commercial director Steve Ayles dismissed fears the national body, which has submitted a detailed proposal to the International Tennis Federation amid a review of the tournament, had any desire to downgrade or delete the event should it win the managerial rights.
He said Tennis Australia would happily accept any contractual requirements that would require the Hopman Cup, which will move from the Burswood Dome to the new Perth Arena next year, to be played in Western Australia under its current format.
"We have no interest in moving the week. We have no interest in moving the location," Ayles said.
"From our perspective it is an event that Perth really supports, really gets behind.
"We only have an interest in growing it, making it bigger and integrating it in with the Western Australian tennis community more than it currently is."
He questioned suggestions the field would be weakened if Tennis Australia, which runs the Brisbane International in the same week, were successful in its bidding.
Ayles said the Hopman Cup's history of hosting future winners of the Australian Open ensured quality players would always consider it an option.
Tournament director and founder Paul McNamee has lured 24 top-ranked players to Perth in its 24-year history.
"First of all, the players choose where they go for their preparation. Some players like the more relaxed nature of the Hopman Cup and some players prefer the more intense tour competition," Ayles said.
"The players will choose the best pathway to give them the best opportunity to win the Australian Open. That is what the Hopman Cup is about. That is what Brisbane is about . . . that is what those events do.
"Just look at the fields this year for both of the events. They have both attracted great fields and there is no reason why we can't grow that."
The Tennis Australia guarantee comes as McNamee yesterday said he feared for the future of the long-running event if the ITF chose to change management.
McNamee transferred ownership rights to the ITF, which is expected to decide on the rights to the tournament at a meeting in March, in 2002 in the belief it would secure its long-term future.
"I've been heavily involved since the beginning. I love the tournament," McNamee he said.
"There always needs to be transition and succession and everything else. That's normal. But I feel like I've earned the right to have a say in that transition."
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