Yes, Josh, I recall there was the Aberdeen Cup, featuring men and women, a sort of slightly more compact version if I recall correctly of what is being discussed here. Certainly it had top men and women singles and doubles players in a Scotland vs England clash and started off with much enthusiasm. For whatever reasons it didn't last beyond two or three years.
Been doing it for years. It's called Vets Tennis or Seniors as it's now politely known. Teams from all the home nations compete against one another in age group sections. Not that anyone outside the cognoscenti would know about it.
I doubt any of the upper echelon WTA or ATP players would pay the slightest interest in an open version.
Bedene isn't English and would have no national standing as a tennis player (other than British).
-- Edited by EddietheEagle on Thursday 14th of May 2015 01:43:37 PM
I'm sure Andy Murray posted on twitter within recent months asking if there would be any interest in a British based tournament. I'm sure he'd be up for a home nations style tournament so thats definitely a key thing the idea has going for it.
They did it a few years ago with Andy and Greg leading the teams, called the Aberdeen Cup. Only lasted a couple of years, don't think the second edition was as popular as the first run so cancelled due to relative lack of interest I believe.
You're right. Nobody went to watch it. What earthly reason exists to go to Aberdeen, lovely town that it surely is, to watch meaningless tennis competition? If meaningless tennis is your fare, head for the relative comfort of the Albert Hall.
I think that a revamped Aberdeen Cup (renamed perhaps) would be an entirely different proposition.
Back then, Andy was 18-19, had achieved not much in tennis; and it was apparently snubbed by the big UK tennis star of the day, which was then Henman. Andy and Greg were surely No2 and No3?
Andy is now a global superstar; arguably the greatest sporting Scot of all time (another thread's worth of debate there perhaps). If Sky Sports were interested in broadcasting something similar a decade ago, it would definitely be of interest to them now.
The commercial and marketing success would be entirely dependent on Andy's participation; but it's basically designed entirely with him in mind. Great chance for him to play in front of an adoring public, to wave his saltire to his heart's content in a way that couldn't offend even the most demented of the ukippers, and to do something to boost the profiles and the fortunes of British tennis in general, to take one for the (his Mum's) team, to see the women compete on the same stage (he seems equal ops enough to have hired Amelie), to leave a more lasting legacy by leaving this "Aberdeen Cup" behind him as an annual competition when he goes, and so on.
Better name might be the "Baltacha Cup" - in which case they (Sky Sports) would need to pay "Rally for Bally" for some of the rights.
You could certainly sell out the Albert Hall these days - more likely, Earl's Court, which is bigger. There probably isn't a hall big enough in Glasgow; so just pick the biggest.
It's a dream and it won't be happening I'm afraid.
Even back in the Aberdeen Cup days Andy was attracting a lot of attention as he was breaking through, particularly in Scotland. And the Cup was largely piggybacking on his growing profile and successes. And it inly lasted a couple ( maybe 3? ) years, even with Andy's profile continuing to grow quite rapidly.
I am extremely dubious re the interest levels from media and public that wimdledon't suggests even if you get ( and there certainly is another matter ) all /almost all the best seniors and juniors participating.
I am a proud Scot ( if no independance supporter as some will have gathered ) and love my football ( hooligan problem, what century are we in ?? - what little may still sometimes arise is easily avoided ) and rugby internationals, but this one to me is not really a goer.