The 2019 Hong Kong Tennis Open, scheduled to take
place 5-13 October, has been postponed until further notice.
The event, one of the most popular annual
sporting events in the region, attracts thousands of locals as
well as tennis fans from overseas.
Last year, the Hong Kong Tennis Open was named
'International Tournament of the Year' by the WTA.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Hong Kong
Tennis Association said, "We strive to maintain a high standard of the event for all
participants, players and the fans in particular. However, after
extensive discussions with our key stakeholders, we conclude that
a smooth running of the tournament can be better assured at a
later time ... We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused
to our players, fans, partners and supporters."
Protests in Hong Kong have become increasingly
violent in recent weeks, and protestors even managed to close the
airport, one of the busiest in the world, for almost two days.
They have also caused damage to property and disrupted public
transport and roads, not only within the city, but also to and
from the airport. Hotels have been badly affected with
RevPAR down by over 44.5% and arrivals to the city down by
nearly 40% in August.
The event organisers and WTA are now trying to
identify an alternate week to host the event.
Ticket refund procedures will be announced via
the event
website on 16 September
2019.
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