2020 ATP Cup: Brisbane handed key pool matches for new concept but miss out on sudden-death rounds

Brisbane has a guarantee to host four of the top 12 men in the new ATP Cup competition next summer as Tennis Australia’s planning for the $22 million tournament takes shape.

Pat Rafter Arena will host some great men’s and women’s tennis next year.

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Brisbane has a guarantee of hosting four of the top-12 men in the new ATP Cup men’s teams competition next summer despite all the sudden-death rounds going to Sydney.

Pat Rafter Arena will stage six days of group matches involving eight national teams from January 3-8 in Tennis Australia’s planning for the $22 million men’s tournament, TA head of major events Cameron Pearson revealed.

The Courier-Mail reported on Friday Brisbane had missed out to Sydney on staging the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals of the 24-nation competition.

The ATP Cup will run from January 3-12 in Sydney, Brisbane and one other city, tipped to be Perth.

“The host cities will each get (for pool matches) one of the top three men, two of six and four of the top 12,’’ Pearson said.

Pat Rafter Arena will host some great men’s and women’s tennis next year.

Each No.1 player of the eight teams of five men who are based in Brisbane would play up to three singles matches as part of the round-robin group format.

“We’ve not had four of the top-12 men play at the Brisbane International,’’ Pearson said.

“It will be six days and nights (of ATP Cup matches) in Brisbane, Friday to Wednesday. Brisbane is going to be a festival of tennis for 10 days, with increased content and we will see high-ranking men and women in Brisbane.’’

TA’s Brisbane International women’s tournament will conclude on January 12, giving the Queensland Tennis Centre 10 days of international tennis per summer from 2020, up from seven this year.

World No.1 Novak Djokovic, who played the Brisbane International only once, is committed to starting the year at the ATP Cup, TA CEO Craig Tiley said.

Roger Federer, the biggest drawcard in tennis, has ruled out finishing 2019 at the rival Davis Cup finals, but said Australia’s love of tennis made it the place to “kick off’’ a new season.

Djokovic said in a statement that the ATP Cup was “going to be a great success’’.

“It will bring a lot of nations together and it will be a proud moment for me to represent my country,’’ he said.

Craig Tiley says both high-ranking men and women will be playing in Brisbane.

After the US Open in September, players will be invited to form national teams of up to five men for the ATP Cup according to the ranking of the country’s top ranked player.

Tiley said Brisbane will have at least the No.2 player in the world, whoever he may be.

ATP Cup ties will comprise two singles matches and one doubles match.

“We are going to have guarantees (from the ATP and the players) on participation,’’ Tiley said.

ATP players voted in favour of Australia hosting the event and Pearson said the $22 million purse was the biggest in the sport other than the four majors.

“The top players are all saying they see it as an important event because it’s offering up to 750 rankings points (per player) and the prizemoney,’’ Pearson said.