Mauresmo welcomes the changes on the WTA Tour

London: Bangalore has lost out to Doha in its bid to host the season-ending WTA Tour Championships from 2008-2010.

Doha outbid Bangalore, Istanbul and Monterrey with a record prize money offer of $4.45 million a year.

The winner’s purse of $1.485 million would be the richest pay cheque in the women’s game, including the four Grand Slams, the WTA Tour announced on Friday.

The overall annual prize money would also be equal to that offered by the men’s corresponding tournament, the ATP Masters Cup, and the three-year agreement would fetch the WTA $42 million.

The Championships will also be part of the provisional streamlined roadmap calendar for 2009 that will feature 56 tournaments in 32 countries.

The mandatory events will feature equal prize money bumping the projected annual prize fund to $77 million, an increase of $10 million from 2008.

Many players have said their fitness has suffered because of the pressure of an 11-month season. World No. 2 Maria Sharapova has suffered constant shoulder injuries this season, five-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams has had wrist problems and former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters retired in May, aged only 23, after a series of injury breakdowns.

Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo has welcomed the change. “We’ve all said we play too much and the season is too long. I’m happy we have finally been heard by the tour. It’s a big step forward,” she said.

The calendar will also bring new events to Bangkok, Singapore and Brisbane. The European autumn indoor season that will stop off this year in Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland and Austria is to be scrapped. (AGENCIES)