Dubai: A top official from the ATP Tour has praised Dubai for leading the way in the promotion of men's tennis in the region.
"We think the growth of our tournaments in Asia and specifically in the Middle East in the last ten years has been terrific, starting with this tournament that has been so dominant in the world of tennis," Brad Drewett, the ATP CEO told Gulf News in a chat along the sidelines of the Dubai Duty Free Men's Open.
"This event continues to be highly thought of by the players and the tennis family. It is a great event that is very well organized and we are very happy with the presence of this tournament in the Middle East [along with Doha at the start of the season].
He added: "To have these two great, strong events here is good for men's tennis. And in terms of Asia, China has been a great success for the ATP. We've had our main tournament there and then we have the Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai, a 500 in Beijing — both played in great venues. Then there is Tokyo 500, same as Dubai and that has been very successful in the last three or four years. So I think the strength of the game in this area is very clear."
Drewett, himself a one-time top player on the tour with two singles and seven doubles titles, felt that there is still a lot of scope for bettering things for the sport.
"Of course it can get better by driving an interest in the region. Take China as an example. Tennis is a growing sport in China and I think we are just about getting started there.
Growth potential
"And once we become more and more established in these places then the events can become better known against the broader section of China and the potential for growth is incredible," Drewett said.
Earlier this week, Dubai was adjudged as the best ATP 500 tournament for a record seventh time in eight years by the players. "It's not just one thing responsible for this success. It's a combination of everything. It's about the playing conditions, the courts, the warm and friendly hospitality, the organisation is top-class and the hotels are the best. You have all these elements coming together and that is why Dubai has had such great success over a long period," Drewitt said
He insisted that things can get better in the Dubai tournament.
"Salah [Tahlak] and his team are always looking for ways to innovate and improve here. When you are one of the best it gets harder to find ways to do things better. The facilities have improved. This adds to the overall environment and when they come here they see something new," he said.
