Scanning the stands at London's O2 Arena last November, Novak Djokovic had an epiphany: Maybe it's time to move the ATP Finals.
Alexander Zverev defeated Roger Federer and world No. 1 Djokovic in succession to capture the ATP Finals championship as the tournament celebrated its 10th anniversary at the O2 Arena.
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The year-end finale is committed to another two years at the famed East London venue. The tournament has been successful in London, routinely selling out the 17,500-seat O2, however Djokovic said shifting attendance at the 2018 event suggests maybe it's time to move on from London.
"I think that actually last year, several months ago, actually, the last World Tour Finals, wasn't as good attendance-wise as most of the other years," Djokovic told the media in Indian Wells after his opening win. "So that was also an indicator that maybe people... maybe it's time to change, maybe not. I don't know. We'll see end of this year how is it going to be. "
Given a decade-long run of success, six-time champion Federer favors keeping the ATP Finals in London.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion says the fact fans embrace the event in London and logistics—London is an easy commute from Paris where players wrap the regular-season at the Paris Masters—makes the O2 the ideal destination.
"If the O2 is happy and the crowds keep flocking and coming to this venue and the Tour has a good deal, obviously why not stay here?" Federer told the media in London last November. "I don't see a reason to change, unless there is somebody else, a city that really wants it badly and is willing to come in and really support the Tour in a major for many years to come. It's been a winning formula here."
Djokovic concurs London has shown passionate support for the sport.
"It has been a super-successful event," Djokovic said. "London is one of the biggest, most popular cities in the world in general but also for tennis, the city that has Wimbledon.
"And obviously because of Wimbledon you have tradition and history and you have the culture of tennis. So people do nurture their culture of tennis, and that's why we have experienced some super-star events in the O2 over the years."
Last December the ATP announced five finalists to host its crown jewel from 2021 to 2025: London, Manchester, Singapore, Tokyo, and Turin.
ATP Player Council president Djokovic advocates moving the tournament to showcase the sport gloabally.
"I guess it comes down to whether we want to stay somewhere where it's very successful, which is a fair argument," Djokovic said. "Or you want to take chances, in a way, and travel the tournament that is supposed to be if not the greatest event for promotion of tennis, then definitely one of the greatest.
"I guess that's what it comes down to. Of course, there are various factors: economics, the city, culture of sport, various things. I think that's probably the most important question."
Photo credit: Nitto ATP Finals