28 March 2011 | Tennis Queensland

Queensland’s no.2 ranked female Sophie Letcher is set to lead a host of rising stars at the City of Ipswich Tennis International, to be held at George Alder Tennis Centre from Monday 28 March.
 
Letcher, who was runner up in last year’s event, will be joined in the women’s draw by the tournament’s 2010 winner and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sally Peers (Glen Waverley, Vic), Olivia Rogowska (St. Kilda, Vic), Tammi Patterson (Brighton, Vic) and Optus 18s National champion Isabella Holland (St. Lucia, Qld).

Sophie is looking forward to competing on clay, and is keen to better last year’s result.

“I was runner up last year and I am extremely excited to play the tournament again. It would be wonderful to go one better this year,” said Letcher.

“I’m just going to take each match at a time and try to improve on things and enjoy playing. I wish australia had more clay courts because I really like playing on clay.”

The men’s draw will feature several young Australians including James Lemke (Camberwell, Vic), Michael Look (Scarbrough, Qld), James Duckworth (Gordon, NSW) and Benjamin Mitchell (Worongary, Qld), who claimed his maiden Pro Tour title after winning the Landmark Riverland Tennis International in South Australia earlier this month.

Residents in Ipswich will have the opportunity watch the emerging Australians take their next step onto the global tennis stage as they compete for $40,000 in prize money.

 “To have players from abroad play alongside our future tennis stars is fantastic for the tournament and the Australian Pro Tour,” Tournament Director Mark Handley said.

“The City of Ipswich Tennis International is a unique opportunity for national talent to gain valuable match experience on clay and test themselves against international players as they climb the world’s rankings.”

Established international players set to feature in Ipswich include New Zealand’s No.1 player Michael Venus, seasoned Australian Pro Tour players Erik Chvojka (CAN) and Yurika Sema (JPN), and top women’s seed and world No.126 Lesia Tsurenko (UKR), who is expected to play in the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Play-off tie between Australia and Ukraine in April.
 
Handley also praised the City of Ipswich and George Alder Tennis Centre for their ongoing support and encouraged the community to support the future of Australian tennis at the event.

“The City of Ipswich Tennis International will headline an exciting month of tennis which will also feature the Optus National Claycourt Championships, so we hope locals can support our national talent at these free community events.”

The City of Ipswich Tennis International is part of the 2010–2011 Australian Pro Tour, which is a series of international events that act as a springboard to the global tennis stage by providing vital ranking points and experience for the tennis stars of tomorrow.

For more information about the City of Ipswich Tennis International, the 2010 – 2011 Australian Pro Tour, Tennis Australia or the players, visit www.tennis.com.au.