When the Swiss duo of Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic triumphed at the Perth Arena earlier this year, many knew it was the start of the end for the Hopman Cup.
The mixed team tournament has been fixture in the calendar since 1989. Over the years it has welcomed some of the biggest names in the sport. Including Serena Williams, Goran Ivanisevic, Steffi Graf, Petr Korda, Monica Seles, John McEnroe, Novak Djokovic and many more. The event had been a huge hit with both players and fans due to their unique format, where one man and one woman team up to represent their country. The teams will then participate in the group stages with the top two progressing to the final.
“I want to see international tennis here in Perth. If it’s the Hopman Cup, that’s great. If it’s not, then it’s a pity. We had an unbelievable event here for so many years.” 20-time grand slam champion Federer told reporters in January.
“These events like the Laver Cup and other team competitions back in the day, they get the players closer together – men and women.
“We share a lot of tournaments together, but it’s not the same as when you play together or share the same court.
“The players have always enjoyed this event, and let’s hope it continues in some way shape or form.”
Throwback to 2002 when @rogerfederer played the @hopmancup with his now-wife Mirka Vavrinec. Wonder what they would have said then if you predicted 19 Grand Slams and two sets of twins were in their future?!?! pic.twitter.com/LhzKpLNpwC
— Mike McIntyre (@McIntyreTennis) January 5, 2018
Unfortunately for the Hopman Cup, it will not be continuing in the future due to a brand new team event coming to Australia. From 2020 the ATP Cup will be the top attraction for the men in January. 24 teams will take place in the round-robin event across three cities in the area. Held over 10 days, the ties will consist of two singles and one doubles matches. On offer will be a maximum of 750 ranking points for the winner as well as a mouthwatering prize money pool of $15 million.
“The ATP Cup will launch the global tennis season for the men – this is their event, it means a lot to them and they’ve thrown their support behind it 100 percent,” Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said in a statement.
The Hopman Cup had been set to continue until 2022 under a deal struck with the local government. However, negotiations between the ATP, International Tennis Federation (ITF) and government officials have agreed an early exit.
The only consolation for Perth, which has been the home of the Hopman Cup, is that the city has been named as one of the venues for the ATP Cup. Alongside Perth and Brisbane. However, women’s tennis will not longer take place in Perth. Mark McGowan, who is the Premier of Western Australia, has said he will work with Tennis Australia to try and create and new women’s event in the region.
“Tennis holds a special place in the hearts of many WA people, myself included, and the ATP Cup will ensure we build on that tradition and provide fans with more opportunities to experience world-class tennis in Perth.” Said Paul Papalia, Western Australia Minister for Tourism.
“This new tournament is expected to attract even more media interest, which will provide a valuable opportunity to promote Perth and our State to a global audience,” he added.
Hopman Cup 2.0?
Whilst it is the end of an era for the Hopman Cup, the ITF is hopeful that they can bring to life a similar competition. David Haggerty, who is the president of the governing body, has indicated that there has been strong interest in another mixed event.
“The ITF is committed to upholding the core values of the Hopman Cup in the future and is encouraged by the interest that has already been expressed,” Haggerty told The Associated Press. “We will keep the Hopman Cup alive and look forward to successful future editions of this unique event.”
It has been no secret that another organisation is already working on these plans. Kosmos gained notoriety for their involvement in the transformation of the Davis Cup. Pledging to invest $3 billion in the event over a 25-year period. From this year, the finals will take place over a week with 18 teams participating.
Beyond the Davis Cup, Kosmos has also outlined their desire to embark upon other tennis competitions. Including the possibility of creating a mixed team event during April. The event could potentially take place during the same weekend as the Davis Cup ties would have taken place under the old format.
“We are working on different projects but with a basis: to improve the lives of tennis players who complain about the denseness of their calendar, we have two (spare) weeks to release and improve it,” Kosmos CEO Javier Alonso told Marca is February.
It is unclear as to when or if a new event will come to life. If it does, it will not be an easy task filling the void left behind by the prestigious Hopman Cup.
