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Allaster: Women's tennis tour defies downturn

WTA chief executive Stacey Allaster has highlighted the strength of the property she heads up by pointing out it lost only one of 51 title sponsors during 2009, a year of recession for some of its biggest markets.

"Our players are delivering, the fans and sponsors, and what a time for it to come particularly during these tough economic times," said Allaster, speaking to the media at the US Open, as reported by Reuters.

Allaster added that the tour would see three new tournaments in 2010, in Copenhagen, Kuala Lumpur, and an event San Diego switched from Los Angeles.

The tour has cut player withdrawals from tournaments - one of its major problems in recent years - by 36-per-cent this year under a programme named "Roadmap".

"The Roadmap was about changing the culture and being committed to play," Allaster said. "If you enter, you're committed to play.

"The bottom line is we want to be a credible product, consistently delivering to fans and sponsors and in 2009 our athletes have done that."

Allaster said that fan growth in China, Russia, Brazil, India, Europe and the US were priorities for the future.

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