Origin floated to kickstart tennis

Past legends, current players and rising stars could combine to bring tennis back early from the coronavirus crisis.

Players such as John Millman will need match practice before returning to the international circuit Picture: Getty Images

Dual-grand slam champion Pat Rafter taking on Mark Philippousis in a reprisal of their 1998 US Open final?

World No 1 Ash Barty facing her fellow grand slam champion Sam Stosur, who is now an adopted Victorian, in a state-of-origin battle?

John Millman tackling his Davis and ATP Cup teammate Nick Kyrgios in an all Aussie battle? Or either of the pair pitted against their captain Lleyton Hewitt in a super set?

These are the types of matches that could feature in a radical concept proposed by Millman as a way for Australian tennis to get back on court when the coronavirus crisis subsides.

With the Canadian Open in August the latest tournament to fall by the wayside, the world’s best tennis players are stranded in isolation with no idea as to when the regular tour will resume again.

“If Australia recovers before the ATP Tour is ready to kick off again, I think we have a unique opportunity in our sport to create domestic interest in tennis again,” Millman said on Wednesday.

“Instead of having your run of the mill money tournaments, imagine something completely different. How about an interstate teams competition?”

Peter Johnston, a former ATP and WTA Tour executive who is now a tournament director for events around the world, believes there is merit in Millman’s idea.

The mixed-teams concept could see sides consist of two legends, six current players and two juniors, with Millman suggesting a different format of scoring as a possibility.

Johnston, a past tour player who now runs ATP tournaments in St Petersburg and Shenzhen as well as the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne, says it could succeed in the current climate.

While the lack of crowds would prove problematic in terms of raising revenue, Johnston is confident broadcast rights for the competition would appeal to international audiences based on his own experience running the Kooyong Classic.

With local borders likely to open before international travel becomes possible, a local circuit would also enable players such as Barty and Alex de Minaur an opportunity to become match-hardened for when the professional circuit resumes.

“Invariably there will be some form of domestic competition prior to the international circuit, because players are going to be desperate for matche,” Johnston told The Australian.

“Secondly, there is such an appetite for live content that there would be a form of market and international interest in the concept.”

Johnston said Australia had all the ingredients to sell an interim regional circuit work given the international renown of legends such as Rafter and Hewitt and the current global profile of Barty, Kyrgios and Millman, among others.

Formerly the WTA managing director of the Asia-Pacific region, Johnston has been in contact with Spaniard Tomas Carbonell, who is the agent for Wimbledon semi-finalist Roberto Bautista-Agut.

He said Carbonell had plans to introduce a similar regional concept in Spain, which could draw the likes of world No 2 Rafael Nadal and Bautista-Agut, who is currently ranked 12.

De Minaur would be a drawcard in Australia but is currently residing with his family in Alicante and could also feature in Spanish regional tournaments.

Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley said the national federation is exploring several options and is heartened by the interest of participants including Millman.

“John and all of the other players are very keen to get back on court and play again, once it is safe to do so,” he said. “When the time is right, we want to actively encourage that as well as provide the opportunity and we know there’s an appetite for tennis from the sports loving public.”