31 May 2019 | Tennis Queensland

Brisbane’s first LGBTIQ+ singles and doubles tournament has attracted players from the across the country to the Queensland Tennis Centre.

71 players are competing in the expanded Brisvegas Open during a three day tournament of graded players at Pat Rafter Arena.

Interest in the tournament exceeded expectations of the organisers who are hoping to impress Brisbane’s bid representative to host the 2026 World Gay Games.

Tournament Director, Mark Thornton says the tournament has a theme of “Healthy, fun and inclusive”.

“We don’t test if people are gay before they enter, anybody is allowed to enter as long as they respect the other people who are present. The beauty of our tournaments, which are internationally sanctioned through the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance, is it is completely graded based. It not based on whether you are a man or a woman. You don’t have to be a top professional to play, it’s completely graded based.”

Brisvegas Open culminates in a Sunday final and trophy presentation inside Pat Rafter Arena.