MOSCOW, June 19 (R-Sport) – In an attempt to stock its draws with big-name tennis stars, the St. Petersburg Open is planning to double its prize fund to $1 million, organizers said on Wednesday.
Since 2008, when then-world No. 4 Andy Murray won the title, only one top-10 player – Russian Mikhail Youzhny, who was ranked ninth at the time – has appeared at the hard-court September tournament, which has been an annual ATP event since 1995.
Last year, Youzhny was the top-ranked player at 29. Frenchman Gilles Simon was the top player in 2011 as the world No. 11.
Tournament director Mikhail Rydnik said in an online statement that a provisional agreement had been struck with the Association of Tennis Professionals to boost the prize fund "to strengthen the participant list and make the St. Petersburg Open a more important tennis event."
With the beefed-up cash pool, the tournament will surpass the 22-year-old Kremlin Cup, which offers nearly $750,000. The Moscow tournament, held in October, has also struggled to attract premier talent in recent years.
The St. Petersburg Open runs from September 14th to the 22nd.
