Abu Dhabi: The ATP World Tour Finals should be staged at different global locations such as the UAE rather than be held in one place, Australian tennis legend Pat Cash has asserted.
ATP executive chairman Chris Kermode said on Friday that a deal had been agreed for the season-ending annual event — which got underway on Sunday — to remain at its home since 2009, London’s 02 Arena, until 2018.
Speaking in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, where he presided over the draw for next month’s Mubadala World Tennis Championship in the capital, the 1987 Wimbledon champion said: “It’s such a success in London. You could say: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.
“But I’ve always believed that the event should move around the world. It should move around and give everyone a chance to look at it.
“It could come here. I don’t see any reason why that shouldn’t happen.”
One player who has advocated a venue change is world number five Rafael Nadal, who bemoans the fact that the 02 Arena’s indoor courts do not suit his game. Of the Spaniard’s complaint — Nadal has won only won title indoors, the 2005 Madrid Masters — Cash said: “I I think he’s right. It is a little unfair.
“Indoors is clearly his weakest surface and doesn’t suit his style. If it’s outdoors, then it needs to go to South America or Australia or South Africa.”
Meanwhile, the Australian believes either Roger Federer, the six-time winner, or world number one Novak Djokovic, who has won the last three finals and four in total, will prevail next Sunday. He said: “I think Roger and Novak are the two best indoor players in the world.”
Cash, however, felt that Stanislas Wawrinka could be the biggest threat to Djokovic’s tennis dominance next year and is eminently capable of adding to his two grand slam titles.
The Australian believes world number four Wawrinka can “overpower” the sensational Serb on the big stage, as he memorably did in his stunning four-set French Open final win over Djokovic in June.
Is he the only top player who can topple Djokovic at a grand slam?
Cash added: “Well, he’s the only one that’s beaten him recently. He has a good record against Novak, as he can hit so many winners as he did at the French Open. It was phenomenal stuff.
“Roger’s played well against him, although Novak sort of had him under control at Wimbledon. But the US Open final could have gone either way the whole way through. There’s not that much difference [between him and his rivals], but he’s just got that edge at the moment.
