20 September 2024 | Tennis Queensland
International tennis is making its way back to Cairns next Sunday, as the Australian Pro Tour begins at the Cairns International Tennis Centre.
Two consecutive ITF men’s and women’s singles and doubles events will run from 29 September –6 October and 6-16 October, providing players with the opportunity to compete for a combined prize pool of $100,000 USD, in addition to valuable world ranking points.
This year’s Cairns International Pro Tour will see an exciting shift for the women’s event, as it moves to a W35 category, offering increased world ranking points for the winners. With extra points up for grabs, it has attracted many strong competitors to the draw, with world class tennis players descending upon Far North Queensland.
Making her debut at the tournament is Queensland’s rising star Emerson Jones, who has recently climbed to World No.1 Junior and is the first Australian junior girl to hold the world ranking in more than 25 years since Jelena Dokic in 1998.
At just 16, Jones has had a stellar year, becoming the first Australian in 16 years to reach an Australian Open girls’ singles final and the first Australian in 13 years to make a Wimbledon girls’ singles quarterfinal since Ash Barty. Emerson’s debut at the tournament carries extra significance, thanks to her family ties to Far North Queensland town Tully which is just a short drive from Cairns.
Fan favourite Lizette Cabrera will return to Far North Queensland for her third year at the tournament, with the hopes to repeat her previous success as 2022 Champion and 2023 Finalist. Townsville born Cabrera is no stranger to international tennis having advanced to the Australian Open Mixed Doubles last year and being a consistent player on the circuit.
Fresh off her victory in the women’s singles at the ITF Perth International #1 tournament, Talia Gibson will be among the top players in the women’s draw. With a current Australian Ranking of 10, Gibson has been in incredible form after her successful run to the final qualifying round at the US Open and having more than 12 career singles final appearances this year.
On the men’s side, 2023 Champions Omar Jasika and Rai Ajeet will be returning as they gear up to defend their respective singles titles at the Cairns event. With a current World Ranking of 226, Jasika has had an impressive year and has recently secured his third consecutive ITF title and extends his current winning streak to 17 matches, the
longest winning streak of his career. Rai Ajeet is also no stranger to international tennis having played at many ITF and Challenger tournaments.
Tennis Australia Head of Competitive Play & Professional Events Francis Soyer said, “It is great to see the Australian Pro Tour return to Cairns for another year and we are thrilled to welcome a strong calibre of players.”
“This year’s tournament promises to have one of the strongest draws we’ve seen, with the returning champions Raj Ajeet and Omar Jasika and World No.1 Junior Emerson Jones in the main draw.”
“The change to a W35 category is a milestone for the women’s event, offering players not only extra ranking points but also the experience of competing at a high international standard.”
The Australian Pro Tour is a collaboration of International Tennis Federation (ITF) women’s and men’s circuit and is a platform used to introduce tennis players to professional tennis and provide a pathway to the WTA and ATP tours.
The general public can head along to the Cairns events for free. It’s a fantastic opportunity for families, fans and aspiring players from across the region to get down and watch some of Australia and the world’s best up-and-coming talent.
The Cairns Tennis International #1 and #2 Pro Tour events run between 29 September -6 October and 6-16 October 2024 and offers a prize money pool of $100,000 US dollars.
2024 Cairns Tennis International #1 Acceptance List:
For more information about the Australian Pro Tour, Tennis Australia or the players visit www.tennis.com.au/protour. For more information on the ATP Challenger Tour go to www.atptour.com or for more information on the ITF World Tennis Tour visit www.itftennis.com.
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