• ATP World Tour Finals

If it ain't broke...

London's O2 Arena has proved to be a superb venue for the ATP World Tour Finals © Getty Images

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Hell would freeze over before Wimbledon leaves the All England Club, and we're unlikely to see the US Open leave New York anytime soon, so it's only fair that the ATP World Tour Finals gets shared around.

Some would argue that Britain, which has just two male players in the top 200, already boasts a grand slam and having the year-end championships is just downright greedy. Surely Spain, which has 13 players in the top 100 - and is the only nation with two players in the year-end championships, deserves the chance to host the event?

British tennis chief Roger Draper has made it clear that the LTA has no intention of letting the event leave London at the end of its current contract next year. With UK tax laws a major sticking point in any negotiations with the ATP, Draper has revealed the LTA is lobbying the government to introduce a tax exemption for players. Should the Chancellor George Osborne agree to the changes, the news would be a huge boost for London's chances of keeping hold of the prestigious event.

The O2 may be just a few miles across London from SW19, but with players entering the court swathed in smoke, accompanied by dramatic lighting effects and blaring music, the event could really not be any further removed from the tradition and conservatism of Wimbledon.

Wimbledon may be the pinnacle of the season for many players, but most would be happy to see the season finale stay in London. Other than the desire to take tennis to new territories, the London Finals tick all the boxes. With the week between the Paris Masters and the Finals removed from the ATP calendar in 2012, avoiding a lengthy journey and jetlag seems like a key factor to consider.

The players enjoy plenty of support in London © Getty Images

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Unless the 2013 calendar is set for a major overhaul, keeping the finals in Europe seems like the only logical option. Given that nine of the world's current top ten players are European, it would seem the fan base is here in Europe.

The USA has a proud tennis history, but while the likes of John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras were once leading lights in the sport, Mardy Fish is flying the flag solo, not just for the Americans, but for the non-Europeans.

In its previous incarnation as the Masters Grand Prix, New York's Madison Square Garden hosted the event between 1977 and 1989. A return to the US has been mooted, last held Stateside in Houston in 2003 and 2004, but even Fish, the sole American in the singles, has no desire to see the event return to his home country.

The Americans have one grand slam, three Masters events and countless smaller tournaments on the ATP Tour, and Fish believes London is the ideal location for the season finale.

"I think it's in a really good place right now," Fish said. "There has been an American in this event [every year for] the past 25 years. But the past 10 years or so, there's usually only been one.

"The rest of the players are European, except for me. They love tennis here. I love playing in this country because they know so much about tennis. They're very respectful obviously. You enjoy playing in that atmosphere. So I think it's in a pretty good spot right now."

With near-capacity crowds and a buzzing atmosphere in the O2, it seems the ATP World Tour Finals have found a spiritual home in London. The crowds love it, the players love it, and the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" certainly rings true here.

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