The unique mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth has been axed after 31 years and replaced by the ATP World Team Cup, officials said on Thursday in a revamp of the season-opening tennis calendar.
Two of the three cities to host the new men-only tournament — Sydney and Brisbane — had already been announced with Perth now confirmed as the third.
It means the popular Hopman Cup, won this year by Swiss pair Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic, has had to make way.
“While many may be looking at this change and saying we’ve lost something, we’ve actually gained something,” said Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley.
“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%,” he added.
Hopman Cup founder and former tennis great Paul McNamee told broadcaster ABC it was a sad day, but left the door open for the tournament to possibly continue in a different location.
“Nothing could’ve been embraced by the people of the city more than the Hopman Cup in Perth, so my immediate feeling is sadness that it’s not going to be there anymore, and concern about where the Hopman Cup may be in the future,” he said.
The ATP, which runs the men’s game, voted in London earlier this year to award the new ATP Cup tournament, which carries 750 ranking points, to Australia. It will be played from January 3 over 10 days, starting next year.
