Hong Kong Tennis Association seeks HK$1m from next BNP Paribas Showdown

Unhappy Hong Kong Tennis Association officials have asked the organisers of last month's BNP Paribas Showdown for a million-dollar sanction fee if next year's event is to go ahead.

China's Li Na has been lined up to play against Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, while Argentine Juan Martin del Potro will take on Australian Lleyton Hewitt in the men's event, but their appearance is under a cloud after the governing body insisted the overseas organisers, Star Games, pay a fee instead of just parachuting in and spiriting away the profits.

"If they are going to march in and ask us to help them and co-ordinate everything as we did this year, and in return only give us HK$11,000 which was a percentage of gate receipts, there is no way we can justify helping them out again," said Herbert Chow Siu-lung, HKTA executive council member and chairman of player development committee.

"We have asked for a sanction fee of between HK$1 million and HK$1.5 million which will help Hong Kong professional tennis. If they are happy to donate that, then we can strike some sort of a working relationship."

Last month's event featured Caroline Wozniacki against Agnieszka Radwanska, and John McEnroe against Ivan Lendl. It drew 4,869 fans.

The HKTA will hold all the aces next year because the venue for last month's event, AsiaWorld-Expo, is unavailable on March 2-3. The dates coincide with the International Tennis Federation's World Tennis Day.