The inaugural 2015 Clare Valley Tennis International will roll into Clare Tennis Club from 21 February – 1 March. The event is set to attract a strong field of Australian and international players, including a crop of up-and-coming tennis stars to compete for $15,000 prize money and valuable world ranking points.
“In its first year the 2015 Clare Valley Tennis International forms part of the Australian Pro Tour and provides an opportunity for players to earn crucial world ranking points,” said Breanna Hassam, 2015 Clare Valley Tennis International Tournament Director.
“This event also provides the general public with a fantastic opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the world’s best and watch international quality tennis close to home.”
Mayor Allan Aughey said he was pleased to welcome athletes from around the world to the Clare and Gilbert Valleys region.
“We are very excited to be hosting an event of this level for the first time in the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council region. The tournament provides a great opportunity to showcase our region on an international stage and we look forward to welcoming the players and staff to the region. I strongly encourage everyone to come down and attend the event in its inaugural year,” he said.
While the on-court action will be the main event, organisers have worked hard to coordinate a range of off-court opportunities for the community to enjoy.
On Sunday 22 February The Valleys Lifestyle Centre will play host to the official 2015 Clare Valley Tennis International Cocktail Function. The event is open to the public and will feature the reveal of the main draw, as well as interviews with tournament players and staff. Tickets for the event are available for purchase from The Valleys Lifestyle Centre for $20 per person.
A pro-am event will be held on Tuesday 24 February, giving event sponsors and local businesses the chance to meet players and compete in a light-hearted evening of matches.
Local school children are also getting involved in the action, with a free Pro Tour Schools Experience being held on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 February. Children will experience a behind-the-scenes tour of the tournament and have the opportunity to play ANZ Tennis Hot Shots, meeting tournament players and staff along the way.
Qualifying will start on Saturday 21 February, with main draw matches commencing on Tuesday 24 February. Entry to the tournament is free, with matches commencing at 10:00am daily from Saturday – Friday.
Finals weekend will be an action-packed three days, with the doubles final scheduled to start at 5:00pm on Friday 27 February, singles semi-finals at 11:00am on Saturday 28 February and the singles final on Sunday 1 March at 11:00am.
The player field for the Clare Valley Tennis International will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Clare Valley Tennis International is part of the 2015 Australian Pro Tour, a series of professional tennis events that bridge junior tournaments and the WTA Tour, providing an opportunity for players to earn their first world ranking points.
For more information about the Australian Pro Tour, Tennis Australia or the players visit www.tennis.com.au. For more information on the ITF Pro Circuit visit www.itftennis.com.
For Australian Pro Tour score updates follow @oztennisresults on Twitter. For all tennis news follow @tennisaustralia or like us on Facebook.
For ITF Pro Circuit updates follow @ITFprocircuit on Twitter or like ITF Pro Circuit on Facebook.
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