Top tier China events could be merged, WTA chief says

BEIJING, Apr 25 (Reuters) The men's and women's professional tennis tours will decide next month whether to merge their new top-level tournaments in China into one event, WTA chief executive Larry Scott said today.

Beijing was last month awarded one of the WTA's four new ''Crown Jewel'' events for 2009, while economic centre Shanghai will host an ATP Masters series tournament from the same season.

The tours are discussing the possibility of bringing the events together for a mixed tournament held in alternate years in the two cities.

''We all go to the second phase to decide how to coordinate, we will decide it within the next month,'' Scott told a news conference. ''For grand slams and crown jewel events we want to see men and women play together.

Scott said merging the events was just one option being considered, while a Beijing sports bureau official said it would be ''difficult''.

''There are many difficulties in marketing, organising and sponsors,'' said Mu Dawei, deputy chief of Beijing Sports Bureau.

''If we fail to merge with Shanghai, we will apply for an ATP tournament instead.'' The upgraded WTA China Open in Beijing will have at least million prize money, will be mandatory for the top 50 players in the world and will be played in the first week of October.

Shanghai's new Masters Series event will the first and only ATP top-tier event in Asia.

REUTERS BJR BD1842