"A lot of guys go and chase some money" - Pat Cash on players choosing exhibition events over ATP tournaments

After Novak Djokovic confirmed his participation at the 2025 Brisbane International, former tennis pro Pat Cash voiced his pleasure at more players opting to play at ATP events as opposed to exhibition matches.

Djokovic, who announced his intention to shift his focus to Grand Slam events, will use the Brisbane International as a warm-up for the Australian Open in Melbourne. The 37-year old has not played at Brisbane since 2020, and will be competing for the first time with former World No.1 Andy Murray in his coaching box.

Players competing in exhibition events has become more common over the years. Reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and American star Ben Shelton are due to play an exhibition at Madison Square Garden in New York, while Casper Ruud and Holger Rune competed in Norway and Denmark.

Cash expressed his pleasure at seeing Djokovic and other top stars participate in Brisbane, as they finalize their preparations for the Australian Open.

"This is not just preparation for the Australian Open – this is a fair dinkum tournament," said Cash. "You want to be making sure you’re playing your best tennis here. To be here and preparing is what you should be doing.
"A lot of guys go and chase some money, go to the Middle East or something like that, to play but for me, that’s not the best lead-in for the Australian Open. It’s about winning, preparing, playing the best matches, and as many matches as you can. That’s all part of your journey to the Aussie Open."