12 November 2015 | Tennis Victoria

Having spent 2015 abroad playing on the Tour, some of Australia’s biggest names will return to Victoria to compete in the 2015 Asia Pacific Tennis League (ATL) – South Conference.

Wimbledon and US Open doubles finalist John Peers, former Australian Open and Wimbledon Juniors Champion Luke Saville, Australian No.2 Daria Gavrilova, Fed Cup player Olivia Rogowska, rising star Alex Bolt and three-time Victorian junior athlete of the year Destanee Aiava are all expected to compete across the eight mens and womens teams.

Tennis Victoria Competitions Manager Jeff Downes said: “The quality of players assembled for this year’s league is amazing, and it promises to again be one of the real highlights of the year for Tennis Victoria.

“With the ATL just one tier below the Davis Cup and Fed Cup, it provides families with the opportunity to witness world class tennis free of charge at a grassroots local tennis club.”

Victoria will be represented in the South Conference with the men’s and women’s Kooyong Classics and Royal South Yarras teams, as well as the men’s Dingley Dingoes, and the women’s Mornington Missiles and MCC Stars.

The Royal South Yarras boast a formidable line up in Daria Gavrilova, Storm Sanders and Varatchaya Wongteanchai, who return to the competition after winning the ATL Playoffs last season, and with skipper Tammi Patterson back in the team, they will be tough to beat.

In its fourth year, the ATL continues to evolve with South Conference players competing for an increased prizemoney pool of $40,000 in 2015.

Winners and runners up of the South Conference will then earn the right to compete at the ATL Playoffs at Melbourne Park during the Australian Open 2016, against the Australian North Conference winners and runners up, as well as international teams from Korea, Pacific Islands and New Zealand. A total of $150,000 prizemoney is on offer for the overall ATL men’s and women’s champion teams.

This year’s league will commence next Friday, November 20, and will feature six rounds including a double header round at Yarrawonga Lawn Tennis Club on November 28 and 29. The South Conference final will be played at the National Tennis Centre on December 6.
Full fixture dates.

Pre-Season ATL South Conference Pool A Ratings:

Men’s

1. Royal South Yarras
2. Kooyong Classics
3. Dingley Dingoes
4. Dover Square (SA)

Women’s

1. Royal South Yarras
2. MCC Stars
3. Kooyong Classics
4. Mornington Missiles