Delhi to host inaugural Asian Hopman Cup

NEW DELHI: India will host the inaugural Asian Hopman Cup mixed team tennis championships to start from November 13.

The $70,000 prize money event has been allotted to the All India Tennis Association by the Asian Tennis Federation for a period of three years and the winner will be given an entry into the main draw of the Hyundai Hopman Cup.

The Asian Tennis Federation and the Hopman Cup are entering into an agreement for having the event every year before the annual Hyundai Hopman Cup, which is held in Perth, Australia in December-January.

The International Tennis Federation recognises it as first official mixed team competition.

The winner will take home a purse of $20,000 and the runner-up will be richer by $12,000 as top Asian nations Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Uzbekistan and China, besides India, have been invited to participate in the prestigious event.

Philippines will be the first reserve side in the event which is tipped to be the biggest team competition in the continent, Asian Tennis Federation said in a statement.

Asian ace Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand, Ai Sugiyama of Japan, Na Li of China, besides local challenges in the form of Leander Paes and Sania Mirza are likely to make appearances at the Asian Hopman Cup.