Kuala Lumpur Tickets Now On Sale

© AFP/Getty ImagesFernando Verdaso and champion Nikolay Davydenko after the 2009 final.

After the success of the inaugural Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur, the ATP World Tour 250 tennis tournament returns to Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur from 25 September to 3 October 2010.

The Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2010, one of only five ATP World Tour events to be staged in continental Asia, carries total prize money of USD 947,750 and features a 28 player singles main draw and 16 teams in doubles. The 2009 tournament was won by Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko who beat Spain’s Fernando Verdasco in the Final.  The singles qualifying draw will be open to 32 players.

Two qualifying singles wild-card slots will be allocated to local players and there will once again be an opportunity for a local player to join forces with an international ATP World Tour star, to play in the doubles main-draw, courtesy of a main draw doubles wild-card.  The tournament is sanctioned by the Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia.

"Building on the success of what was achieved last September and with the support of the Event Patron, Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, together with the Ministries of Tourism and Sport and other Supporting Organisations, we have been hard at work building on the foundations laid last year.  Our objective is to make this one of the finest ATP 250 tournaments on the Tour, a firm favorite amongst the players, fans, sponsors and the media”, said Tournament Director, Nick Freyer.

The 2010 tournament website, www.MalaysianOpenTennis.com has been launched and this features detailed event information, such as the tournament schedule, ticket prices, team bios as well as an entertaining six-minute highlights video from the 2009 tournament.  The site is linked to the tournament Facebook page which already has over 1,800 fans. Ticket sales also went live today and are now available for purchase through Ticketpro www.Ticketpro.com.my. 2010 sees a host of new ticket related initiatives:-

These initiatives include cheaper priced afternoon sessions, a new “Early Bird” discount ranging from 10% to 33% valid on all tickets purchased until August 31, an additional discount of 5% for combined afternoon and evening session purchases, attractive student discounts and newly priced season tickets.  Saturday’s semi-finals are now one session (instead of two) and a new "Kids Day" on Monday, September 27th will allow all children under the age of 16 free entry into the tournament (subject to available seating).  Entry to the weekend qualifying rounds will remain free.  Full details of ticket prices can be found at www.MalaysianOpenTennis.com/2010/tickets.php

With the launch of the website, applications have also opened for the "Malaysia's Best Job" program, a continuation of the successful tournament initiative founded last year. The program allows one lucky Malaysian to work for the tournament across all departments, gaining valuable industry related experience with organizers IMG, for a six-week period leading up to and including the event. The successful candidate receives a USD 2,500 personal development grant.  Further details are available and applications can be made by interested persons on-line via the official website at www.MalaysianOpenTennis.com/2010/best_job.php

The Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2010 will again feature "Malaysia Truly Asia Review” Hawkeye electronic line calling technology, twice daily “Player Autograph Sessions” for the public, the highly popular "Catch The Signed Ball" promotions with hundreds of high value prizes which will again include a new car, and promotional opportunities for fans to win participation in the “On-Court Coin Toss” and “Dinner In The Players Lounge” experiences. 

The tournament will once again offer the "Best Media Coverage" and "Best Photo Coverage" contests for the local media. The two winners will receive an all expense paid trip to China in October to mix with some of the greats of tennis at Asia’s only ATP Champions Tour tournament.

The singles player entry deadline for the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2010 is on August 16 after which the full singles entry field will be announced.   Details of the marquee players that have been contracted together with an announcement on new tournament sponsors are expected to be made at a formal media conference, scheduled for shortly after the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup.