Hong Kong Tennis Open postponed as protest disruption claims another sporting event

City’s blue riband tennis tournament falls victim to the ongoing protests in Hong Kong
Organisers attempting to identify an alternative slot on the WTA schedule to hold the event

Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open

Paul Ryding

Published: 10:19am, 13 Sep 2019

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The 2019 Hong Kong Tennis Open (HKTO) has been postponed after organisers claimed they were unable to guarantee “a smooth running of the tournament” at this time.

The city’s blue riband tennis tournament, which was set to go ahead between October 5-13, is the second high-profile sporting event to be called off this month due to ongoing civil unrest in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong ASTC Sprint Triathlon Asian Cup and the Asian Aquathlon Championships were cancelled on September 3 with organisers citing safety concerns relating to the anti-government protest that have gripped Hong Kong since July.

A brief statement from the HKTO read that “in light of the current situation” and after discussions with “key stakeholders” the decision was taken to call off the tournament. The statement made no mention of the ongoing protests.

“We strive to maintain a high standard of the event for all participants, players and the fans in particular,” read the statement.

“However, after extensive discussions ... we conclude that a smooth running of the tournament can be better assured at a later time.”

Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska claimed last year’s Hong Kong Tennis Open title. Photo: Andy Cheung/Hong Kong Tennis Open/ArcK Photography

Organisers said they are in discussions with governing body, the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association), to identify an alternative time to hold the tournament, and a spokesperson for the HKTO said there had been a very positive reaction from the WTA in discussions about finding suitable dates to reschedule the Victoria Park championship.

There had been reports that the event would fall victim to ongoing uncertainty surrounding the logistics of holding a major international event in the city currently. Earlier this month, a UFC MMA event in Shenzhen, on Hong Kong’s northern border, was affected when the civil unrest spread to Hong Kong’s airport, and several music concerts in the city have been cancelled at short notice in recent weeks.

After extensive discussions with our key stakeholders, we conclude that a smooth running of the tournament can be better assured at a later time

Hong Kong Tennis Open statement

The Hong Kong Tennis Open, which last year beat out 32 other events to win a players’ vote to be named “International Tournament of the Year” at the 2018 WTA Tournament of the Year Awards, has been a mainstay of the Hong Kong sporting calendar since it was rekindled in 2014 after an almost 10-year hiatus.

In 2017, the WTA’s chief executive Steve Simon said the Victoria Park tournament was a “tremendous” destination on the WTA calendar and intimated that it could eventually be raised in status.

“It’s got tremendous potential, and I’m very excited with what I’ve seen,” said Simon back in 2017.

“It’s not about the size of the tournament or the stadium, it’s about how it’s set up, what’s the environment and feeling when you come in.”

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: HK Open falls victim to unrest

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