ATP Bangalore event cancelled due to security concerns

Monday morning as the first balls were struck at the 2008 US Open in New York, halfway around the world in Bangalore, India, the Bangalore Open tennis promoter announced that he was canceling this year’s event due to security concerns, according to the ATP Tour’s official website.

“The ATP Board can confirm that it has regrettably accepted a petition from the Bangalore Open to suspend the 2008 event due to the local promoter’s security concerns. The total event prize money of $400,000 will now be paid into the ATP player pension fund.”

Since its debut in Bangalore in 2006 after being moved from its original location of Mumbai, two players have claimed titles. Dmitry Tursunov winning his first career title in 2006 by defeating Tomas Berdych and most recently Richard Gasquet of France in 2007 with a convincing straight sets victory over Olivier Rochus.