South Australia’s standing on the global tennis stage has received a significant boost with the announcement that the City of Playford Tennis International will join the Australian Pro Tour calendar in 2018.
Tennis SA and Tennis Australia, in conjunction with the City of Playford, TennisGear and The Grove Tennis Club, will host South Australia’s newest addition to the ATP and ITF calendars from Saturday 30 December 2017 to Sunday 7 January 2018.
In a major coup for its organisers, the tournament will be the first Australian Pro Tour event held at the brand new international-standard Playford City Tennis Centre.
The centre will play host to a combined USD$75,000 Men’s Challenger and USD$25,000 Women’s ITF Futures tournament, giving players the opportunity to compete for a slice of the USD$100,000 total prize pool, as well as collect valuable world ranking points.
The announcement of the new event was made on social media by 22-time Grand Slam champion Todd Woodbridge who turned the sod for the Playford City Tennis Centre in May 2016.
“We are thrilled to announce that the City of Playford Tennis International will join the Australian Pro Tour calendar in 2018,” said Woodbridge.
“We are delighted to stage the City of Playford Tennis International at the Playford City Tennis Centre, a superb new venue which the players will really enjoy competing at,” said Tennis Australia’s Director of Events and Facilities, Tom Larner.
“The tournament is a very welcome addition to the Australian summer of tennis, and will provide an ideal lead-in event for players vying for a coveted position in the Australian Open Series events and the first grand slam of the year, Australian Open 2018.”
Mayor Glenn Docherty says the tournament in the heart of Playford’s Sports Precinct will be one of the highlights of the city’s sporting calendar.
“It’s the perfect way to showcase our new state-of-the-art tennis centre and our residents and businesses will play an important role in this event – from ballkids and volunteers to sponsors, courtesy car drivers and trophy makers,” he said.
“This tournament is a win for our community, a win for the local economy and a great staging ground for some of the world’s most exciting players.”
The City of Playford Tennis International will form a major part of South Australia’s World Tennis Challenge (WTC) Be Active Challenge events, set to take place throughout January.
“Tennis SA is excited to welcome the City of Playford Tennis International to South Australia’s summer of tennis and the WTC Be Active Challenge for 2018,” said Tennis SA CEO Steven Baldas.
“A sincere thank you goes to the City of Playford for their unwavering support of this opportunity. The Playford City Tennis Centre is a state-of-the-art, world-class venue and Tennis SA is excited to be a part of its first international level event.”
The field for the City of Playford Tennis International will be announced later this year.
Background
The City of Playford Tennis International will take place at the Playford City Tennis Centre, Elizabeth, South Australia from 30 December 2017 to 7 January 2018.
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For more information on the Australian Pro Tour or Tennis Australia, please visit tennis.com.au. For more information on the ATP Challenger Tour, go to atpchallengertour.com or for more information on the ITF Futures Tour, visit itftennis.com.
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