MADRID (AFP) -- Madrid faces competition with Rome and Monte Carlo in the fight to stage a joint ATP-WTA men's and women's spring event to be held in the week's before the French Open.

Masters Series organizers have begun presenting their cases for a tournament which would be modeled after the successful American showpieces in Indian Wells and Miami each March.

ATP boss Etienne de Villiers has said there is room for only one of the three European contenders, with another joint event tilting heavily towards China as soon as 2009.

"As much as I would like to give that to Madrid, I can't," de Villiers said at the Madrid Masters Series. It is a process that will be subject to several very, very worthy other cities and tournaments. "Rome has staged an Italian Open for 100 years. It has great tradition in its favor, and they would be very interested in staging a combined event. As would Monte Carlo."

De Villiers said that plans would be firmed up within a few months, with a final decision expected in early spring, 2007.

"We wish to see one go into the period just leading into the French Open, two weeks before the French Open. We think that's a great time. It's supported positively by the French Tennis Federation. "We will look to a number of criteria. Those criteria will include, but won't be limited to the facility, the ability to put on a great tournament, the attractiveness of tennis in that market, the ability to finance successfully and viably a growing tournament over a period of years."

Madrid, backed by the city administration, has made a huge push for tennis status in recent years, hosting the men's Masters and also staging the women's WTA Championships for the third time later this month.

De Villiers appears to be cooling on China, once hailed as the financial sugar-daddy of the game when Shanghai was awarded a three-year contract to stage the season-ending Masters Cup.

Last year's opening edition was marred by late pullouts from Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt and Andre Agassi among others, with Chinese officials quick to voice their displeasure.

The November tournament in China's commercial capital runs through 2008 after a contract extension.

But the ATP boss has been keen to bring the Masters Cup back to Europe and is instead working to get the Chinese comfortable with a regular Masters Series of their own.

"We would ideally like to have one in China, in Shanghai or in Beijing. It's a great market, (with a) great appetite for the sport.

"We are thrilled and delighted with how the Masters Cup has been run by our partners in China and Shanghai but we feel they can step up to the next level and have a combined event, which will be a bigger showcase. "At the same time we will be able to bring the Masters Cup back to Europe which we feel is very important."

De Villiers said that tournament candidates are also lining up to stage an experimental round-robin format. Adelaide in January will be the first test-bed for the fan and television-friendly innovation.