The organizers of the WTA Taiwan Open called for more financial support from Taiwanese corporations and the government as the event ran at a loss, despite improved ticket sales, as well as attention on the city in international media.
“It was good to see bigger crowds at the Taipei Arena for the matches, especially in the latter parts of the competition. Ticket sales this year brought in about NT$5 million [US$160,627], about a 20 percent increase from last year,” WTA Taiwan Open organizing committee executive director Yang Hui-ju said at a media briefing on Monday.
The increased ticket sales will mean we are running a smaller deficit, because the expenses for the tournament are about NT$80 million, Yang said.
Photo courtesy of WTA Taiwan Open
The organizing committee has to find ways to pay the shortfall, she said, adding that corporations and the government would need to step up if the tournament is to be staged next year.
IS Media Co signed a five-year contract with the WTA to bring top-level tennis to Taiwan, Yang said.
The event was in Kaohsiung last year, when US superstar Venus Williams won the singles and Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan won the doubles.
The Chan sisters defended their title this year, while Elina Svitolina of Ukraine took the singles title in Taipei.
With three more years left on the WTA contract, Yang said she is willing to pass on the rights if a bidder with sufficient financial clout and the right organizational nous can make the event a success.
“In terms of finances and ability to undertake such a big event, I am at my limit,” Yang said. “I hope that capable people and corporations can join in this endeavor to bring international tennis to Taiwan next year. We believe the tournament is sustainable, because all the connections and resources have been brought together, while Taipei’s indoor courts can be used again.”
“Holding the event has helped to develop tennis at the grassroots level and boosted Taiwan’s international profile with TV and online broadcasting of the matches for a worldwide audience,” Yang said.
She said it is important for the event to succeed, “because we are advancing tennis in Taiwan to a higher level and we are selling tickets, which must be established as the norm to watch top stars play,” an apparent reference to the OEC WTA Challenger tournaments, which are underwritten by Taiwanese shipping firm OEC Group and have free admission for fans.
The two tournaments are seen as rivals chasing the same spectator market, media exposure, sponsorships and government support.
HEATED RIVALRY: The pair had met 14 times previously, with Sabalenka winning eight of the encounters and entering the final as the favorite to take the title Elena Rybakina took revenge over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to win a nail-biting Australian Open final yesterday and clinch her second Grand Slam title. The big-serving Kazakh fifth seed held her nerve to pull through 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne in 2 hours, 18 minutes. It was payback after the Belarusian Sabalenka won the 2023 final between two of the hardest hitters in women’s tennis. The ice-cool Rybakina, 26, who was born in Moscow, adds her Melbourne triumph to her Wimbledon win in 2022. It was more disappointment in a major final for Sabalenka, who won the US Open
GUNNING FOR A WIN: The victory sending Arsenal to the final for the first time in six years was cathartic for a team who had lost their previous four semi-finals Arsenal on Tuesday reached the League Cup final for the first time in eight years as Kai Havertz sealed a 1-0 win against Chelsea in the semi-final second leg. Mikel Arteta’s side had put themselves in pole position in the first leg and Havertz came off the bench to finish the 4-2 aggregate victory in the closing moments at the Emirates Stadium. It was a cathartic triumph for the Gunners, who had lost their previous four semi-finals in last year’s UEFA Champions League and League Cup, the 2022 League Cup and the 2021 UEFA Europa League. In their first final for six years,
Denver superstar Nikola Jokic returned from a 16-game injury absence to post a 31-point, 12-rebound double-double on Friday and propel the Nuggets to a 122-109 NBA victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic had not played since suffering a bone bruise in the left knee he hyperextended in a game against Miami on Dec. 29 last year. The Serbian big man did not miss a beat. He led all scorers, connecting on eight of 11 shots from the field, and also handed out five assists with three steals while playing just 24 minutes, 32 seconds as the
DEADLINE DAY: Rennes’ Jacquet had been linked with a transfer to Chelsea earlier this month, but was reportedly put off the move due to the Blues’ bloated squad Liverpool on Monday won the race to sign Stade Rennais defender Jeremy Jacquet on the quiet final day of the English Premier League transfer window, while Crystal Palace swooped for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Jorgen Strand Larsen despite the collapse of Jean-Philippe Mateta’s move to AC Milan. The Reds agreed a reported fee of up to ￡60 million (US$82 million) for the highly rated Jacquet. However, the 20-year-old will not join the Premier League champions until the summer despite Liverpool’s need for defensive reinforcements. Jacquet had been linked with a transfer to Chelsea earlier this month, but was reportedly put off
RSS