The Drive have pulled off a major recruiting coup after naming rising star Thanasi Kokkinakis in their successfully nominated Asia Pacific Tennis League (ATL) team. Kokkinakis who has risen up the rankings throughout 2014 after his Australian Open appearance in January to currently sit at world number 184 will play for The Drive in the 2014 South West ATL which is to be made up of men’s and women’s teams from South Australia and Western Australia to make up the first South West Conference in ATL history. “This is a great pick up for the team and the profile of the ATL, and we are really excited to have Thanasi on board” said team coach and former US College Tennis Champion Luke Smith. Kokkinakis will use the ATL as preparation for a big Australian summer and will be joined in the Drive team by fellow Aussie professional Ryan Agar and Japanese young gun Yuya Ito.
2013 SA ATL Conference Men’s Champion, Trinity Titans, have again been accepted in to the ATL and have submitted a strong line-up of local players with Colin Ebelthite and Darren Polkinghorne leading the team which won fifth place at the ATL playoff in Melbourne last year after competing against teams from Japan and New Zealand.
The North East Tennis Association (NETA) are set to make their first appearance in ATL/NTL history with the association based team full of top ranked local players. Former touring player Josh Crowe will headline the team which will also include US College player Corey Decandia and Port Pirie youngster Kurtis Wilson.
2013 SA ATL Conference Women’s Champion, Flagstaff Freighters, are again headlining the women’s line up. The Freighters have retained Jess Moore and Viktorija Rajicic, and have been bolstered by Western Australia’s Bojana Bobusic. “I am really looking forward to again being part of this great team and hopefully we can again progress to the finals in Melbourne” said top level women’s player, Jess Moore. As strong as the Freighters are, they will not have it all their own way with The Drive submitting the strongest women’s team they have ever put together. The Drive have recruited South African Chanel Simmonds, who has a career high ranking of 158, and will also bring in Simmonds’ country woman Michelle Sammonds to build some genuine top level strength. The South African pair will be well supported by touring South Australian players Leah Daw and Alex Cannizzaro. The third women’s team will be the Trinity Titans, who are made up of some of South Australia’s leading junior players in Olivia Ley, Nicole Kraemer and Brooke Milner.
The ATL is played using a modified format and is played at venues across Adelaide and Perth from November 22 with the finals held on December 5. The ATL provides top level professionals and rising stars from across Australia and the world the opportunity to play team tennis while also providing a valuable income opportunity.
Western Australian teams will be confirmed shortly.
Teams have now been confirmed however they are able to add to their list until the October 17 deadline. For all current team lists and more information on the ATL please click here
Asia Pacific Tennis League – South West Conference fixture (SA only)
- Round one – Saturday 22 November, venue and match time TBC for all matches
- Round two – Sunday 23 November
- Round three – Monday 24 November
- Round four – Friday 28 November
- Round five – Saturday 29 November
- Round six – Sunday 30 November
For further media information please contact:
Ty Allen, Tennis SA, 0411 762 404 / [email protected]
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