After plans for a new Asian tennis tour were mooted by Anil Khanna in 2007, the president of the Asian Tennis Federation announced the final outline of the venture on Sunday.

The tour will feature 12 tournaments in different Asian countries, the minimum prize money being $50,000. There will be an Asian Championship in New Delhi this year to kickstart events.

The tour will end with a Masters tournament, featuring the top eight Asian players and prize money of $30,000.

‘No rebellion’

Khanna also said the tour was not intended to be rebellious. Having long insisted the current ranking system of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) did not allow players from Asia to make it to the top ranking level, he said this was an attempt to ensure equal opportunities.

“Players who are 100-plus or 150-plus, many among them being Asians, are not making money. This is an opportunity for them to compete in easily accessible places and earn handsome money, which they can use to travel and earn points,” he said.

Asia will be divided into five zones: East, South East, South Asia, Central and West Asia and there would be regional representation in our Tour events. The winner of the Asian Championships will be given wild cards for the ATP Qatar Open.

Players would be given free hospitality and a subsidy of $ 500 for their travel expenses, if they appear in a Tour event. Asian rankings would be issued every week, taking into account players’ ATP rankings and their ranking on the Asian Tour.