A top ATP tennis official who admits the men's World Pro Tour is experiencing "a tough time" amid the current economic crisis is grateful China has become a source for further marketing and sporting success.

"My expectation (on two tournaments in China) is very high," Brad Drewett, CEO of ATP's international group, said at the launch of its official Chinese website on Tuesday in Beijing.

China's two big metropolises, Beijing and Shanghai, will host the ATP 500, a top-notch tournament with a $2 million prize purse, and the ATP 1000, an event only subordinate to the Grand Slams, within two weeks of each other in October. This makes China just one of three countries to host both an ATP 500 and ATP 1000, along with the US and Spain.

"I am very fortunate here in China. I understand China has slowed down like the rest of the world but you still have growth," said Drewett, the figure behind ATP's campaign in China, including Shanghai's Masters Cup from 2005-2008 and Beijing's China Open since 2004.

"Most enterprises believe once they get through the economic crisis, China will remain the growth engine of the world economy. So companies will not stop investing, in particular, in China," he added.

Drewett said the ATP World Tour remains in good commercial shape despite the crisis. This is largely attributable to tennis' huge popularity worldwide and the tour's global campaign of 63 ATP tournaments in 32 countries.

He realizes that bringing China, which boasted the world's best 6.1 percent GDP growth rate in the first quarter, into the camp of world tennis is a significant strategic move.

"They (the sponsors) will be careful but we have two of the best franchises of sports (in the tournaments) in the whole of China," Drewett said.

Both tournaments have signed local and overseas sponsors and the association itself also inked a deal with big name sportwear frim Li-Ning recently.

Even for brands that stopped sponsoring ATP, such as Mercedes-Benz, which ended its backing of the ATP at the end of last year to focus on golf, equestrian and soccer, the appeal of the fast-growing Chinese tennis market remains irresistible.

In fact, Mercedes just turned its attention to the nation's tennis youth program.

(China Daily April 30, 2009)