THE Hongkong-based organisers of the first Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour event in Beijing in October are hoping to entice the world's leading two players, Pete Sampras and Jim Courier, back to Asia.
World number one Sampras and his fellow American Courier, the number two, both played in last week's ATP Tour Hongkong Salem Open at Victoria Park, where Sampras beat Courier in a memorable three-set final.
The same two organisations - Spectrum and the sponsors - are also behind the US$300,000 tournament in Beijing from October 18-24 - the first senior ranking tournament to be held on the mainland since the 1980 Canton Grand Prix, in Guangzhou, won by Jimmy Connors.
And having signed up American Michael Chang to play in Beijing, they are attempting to lure Sampras and Courier back to Asia to increase the pulling power of the event.
Marcus Stapleton, the tournament director in Hongkong, said last night: ''We have approached them tentatively and they both seemed very interested, although nothing can be cast in stone just yet.
''Michael Chang's decision was taken very early because he wanted to make an announcement with all the media interest in Hongkong.
