Why isn't there an ATP 250 in South Africa?

Break To Win

Break To Win

Semi-Pro
I remember there was a Johannesburg tournament. I don't remember why he left the Tour.

But I think it would be a good option for a place to prepare for the US Open.

I think having a 250 tournament on outdoor hard courts could be an option for European tennis players who didn't want to cross the Atlantic right after Wimbledon.
 
Do they have the money? They're big on cricket esp. White South Africans with access to privileged coaching. I don't think tennis is big over there.
 
Break To Win said:
I remember there was a Johannesburg tournament. I don't remember why he left the Tour.

But I think it would be a good option for a place to prepare for the US Open.

I think having a 250 tournament on outdoor hard courts could be an option for European tennis players who didn't want to cross the Atlantic right after Wimbledon.
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You need to research a little bit about South Africa in last few years.
 
Someone in South Africa just finished building a real grass court. Maybe do an ATP grass there.

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tex123 said:
Do they have the money? They're big on cricket esp. White South Africans with access to privileged coaching. I don't think tennis is big over there.
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There used to be a good number of South African players on the tour (eg. Drysdale, Macmillan, Hewitt (Bob), Curren, Coetzer, Ferreira and currently Anderson) so tennis was certainly pretty big there once.
 
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Blacks in South Africa may have embraced rugby, football, and even cricket, but I doubt tennis will ever be a part of this list.
 
vokazu said:
Someone in South Africa just finished building a real grass court. Maybe do an ATP grass there.

FB-IMG-1699131591433.jpg


FB-IMG-1699131584975.jpg


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Frankly, it would be better than the Mallorca tournament, where it is hot, humid and the grass can be slower than Wimbledon.
In fact, there was an idea of creating a grass ATP 250 in Sweden. But it seems like it didn't go ahead, but they still held a tournament for former players. I think the place is called Svaneholm.
 
They just won a 4th Rugby World Cup, the most any country has, surpassing the Kiwis who have only three, beating GOAT Lomu in 1995, and winning this year finals with an only one point score difference, and scoring no tries.
They are the Djokovic of rugby.
Why would they want an ATP 250?
 
South Africa has massive problems in areas of currency value, long term infrastructure stability, public safety.

ATP and WTA would be very unlikely to hand out long term tournament licences with the above issues in mind.

More likely to see one-off and exhibition events there.

You’re right about South Africa’s history in the game. In the past there were good tournaments and many great players from South Africa.

Robbie Koenig was a handy player but is most famous as one of the best commentators in tennis now.
 
Raven Klassen and Lloyd Harris. 25 yrs ago Wesley Whitehouse was Wimby junior champ. Lack of tour level facilities at the coast (not high altutude), politics and no money the main reasons. Think there was a Challenger back in Durban around 2007, I was playing next to the guys in the National Club Champs. Currently, Cape Town only real option and my home club the only reasonable venue. 4 years ago we had a ITF junior grade A hosted.. more people came to see Leo Borg's dad than the youngster himself!
 
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insideguy said:
I always think its funny, that people ask why there isnt a tournament here or there, without having the slightest clue in what is going on in a particular place.
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Yup.

Although politics does have a hand in a lot of the lower tier either existing or not.

For example Vancouver could easily host a 250, Moscow or Petersburg could have easily been upgraded to 500 level, more Asian tournaments at higher level in general, etc.

But to the OP, South Africa is headed for oblivion as much of their infrastructure is still from the 90s when the economy was propped up by foreign aid. The nation is in very bad shape.
 
tex123 said:
Do they have the money? They're big on cricket esp. White South Africans with access to privileged coaching. I don't think tennis is big over there.
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It's not that big in NZ either, and we have a tournament. Mind you, we probably benefit from the proximity to the Australian Open.
 
Sudacafan said:
They just won a 4th Rugby World Cup, the most any country has, surpassing the Kiwis who have only three, beating GOAT Lomu in 1995, and winning this year finals with an only one point score difference, and scoring no tries.
They are the Djokovic of rugby.
Why would they want an ATP 250?
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So, what do you think of a Finals in Cape Town?
 
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