Tennis: WTA cancels Hong Kong Open over protests

HONG KONG: One of Hong Kong's most prestigious sporting tournaments on Friday (Sep 13) became the latest victim of the huge protests convulsing the city as a growing roster of events and entertainment acts pull out of the financial hub.

Organisers of the WTA Hong Kong Open women's tennis tournament said they were postponing next month's competition because of the "present situation" after months of sometimes violent pro-democracy protests.

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"After extensive discussions with our key stakeholders, we conclude that a smooth running of the tournament can be better assured at a later time," the Hong Kong Tennis Association said in a statement.

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Hong Kong's protests were triggered by alarm over a controversial Bill, since scrapped, to allow extraditions to mainland China.

Millions of people have taken part in demonstrations over the last three months which have morphed into calls for democracy and complaints against the erosion of freedoms under Beijing's rule.

Street battles between riot police and small groups of hardcore protesters have become a weekly occurrence, hammering the already struggling economy and undermining the city's reputation for stability.

Commentary: All this fury but Hong Kongs symbols of wealth have been untouched

READ: From Singapore to Melbourne, Hong Kongers eye exits as unrest deepens

In recent weeks, a growing number of stars have cancelled or postponed events, from prominent K-Pop acts such as Daniel Kang and GOT7 to the popular US-based comedian Trevor Noah.

A large global wellness summit also moved its location to Singapore because of the unrest.

On Thursday, producers behind the award-winning musical Matilda – based on the children's novel by Roald Dahl – announced they were scrapping a planned month-long run in the city that was supposed to kick off next week.

The theatre where the production was meant to take place is near the city's police headquarters which has become a frequent flashpoint between protesters and the authorities.

"Sadly the 14 weeks of civil unrest in Hong Kong have decimated ticket sales, and more importantly we cannot guarantee the safety and wellbeing of our international company, which comprises a large number of young children," said James Cundall, the CEO of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, which was bringing the show to Hong Kong.

TROUBLED ECONOMY

The cancellations are compounding misery for the city's tourism sector which has been battered by the protests.

On-year tourist arrivals fell by 40 per cent in August, the city's financial secretary Paul Chan revealed this month, with hotel occupancy rates down by around half, causing knock-on impacts on the retail and dining sectors.

Earlier this week Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific reported an 11 per cent yearly drop in passengers for August, during which two occupations of the airport caused hundreds of flight cancellations.

READ: Cathay Pacific freezes new hiring, to focus on cost cuts – memo

The city's economy was already struggling through weak global demand and the year-long trade war between Washington and Beijing.

Seasonally adjusted economic growth dropped by 0.4 per cent in the second quarter, most of which fell before the pro-democracy rallies began.

The protest movement – which is leaderless and largely organises on