The retirements of tennis legends Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams have made it harder to promote tournaments, but organizers should seize the opportunity to showcase new talent in the spotlight, says the director of the upcoming United Cup mixed team tournament in Australia.
The popular 10-million-dollar tournament aims to do just that when it kicks off the new season on Friday, and tournament boss Stephen Farrow is confident tennis is in good hands.
“It’s true that from a promotional point of view it’s very easy if Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal come out”, said Stephen Farrow after the draw for the 18-team event in Sydney. “You’re talking about people who are absolute superstars in the sporting arena. With the guys moving on, it really makes it a little bit harder to promote and present the story of the athletes who are participating in the event. But I always see that as a positive thing because all of us in tennis have to tell the story of new talent”, commented he.
Grand Slam contenders Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff will represent their countries in the tournament, which runs from December 27 to January 5. The tournament is being held in Perth and Sydney.
Stephen Farrow said the United Cup is still building its brand and raising awareness among fans and players.
“We took a really big step forward last year when we moved to a new format. It was incredibly competitive. The players want to play in the tournament”, added he.
Spain faces Kazakhstan while China takes on Brazil on the opening day in Perth.
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