Matt Brown: Don't write off the ASB Classic just yet

Juan Martin Del Potro in action during the ASB Classic,. Photosport

Don't write off Auckland's ASB Classic just yet.

News the ATP is re-launching the World Team Cup in January 2020 has sparked fears the existing ATP tournaments before the Australian Open will be adversely affected in terms of attracting leading players.

The tournament will involve 24 two players teams reportedly playing all around Australia in the first week of January with a staggering $US15 million in prize money and ranking points available.

The World Team Cup was played in Düsseldorf from 1978 to 2012 before the French Open.

Auckland's ASB Classic is run over the first two weeks of the season with the WTA women's event held first before the ATP tournament for the men in the week before the Australian Open.

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The women's event won't be affected by the ATP's move as there are no plans to stage a similar World Team Cup type format on the women's tour.

The ATP World Team Cup will be staged during the week of the Brisbane International, Doha International and Pune ATP tournaments and there will certainly be some impact on their fields. But how much remains to be seen.

Doha for example has deep pockets and I expect them to continue to secure big names.

The ASB Classic could potentially partner up with a tournament like Doha to secure players. Some countries at the World Team Cup won't have two top players.

Take the example of Grigor Dimitrov from Bulgaria. It's likely he could be knocked out early in the week and will want more match play in the second week. On the other hand countries like the US, Spain and France have more than two players ranked in the top 50 and not all will be able or willing to play the ATP World Team Cup.

Auckland and Sydney are the only ATP sanctioned tournaments the week before the Australian Open. Over the past decade fewer than half of the top 20 players have played those tour events the week before the Australian Open and Auckland has generally fared better than Sydney in attracting leading players.

The other point in favour of events like the ASB Classic is its format is the same as Grand Slams, albeit the best of three sets. The final format of the World Team Cup isn't known but initial reports have players travelling all around Australia. It's hardly the best preparation for the Australian Open.

It's simply too soon to suggest the ASB Classic is on shaky ground, and given the reputation the ASB Classic has built up among the wider tennis community it's likely it will remain a strong part of the global tennis landscape.