23 November 2015 | Tennis West

The Asia Pacific Tennis League (ATL) returns to the State Tennis Centre this Sunday, with WA’s Western Wildlings set to take on teams from South Australia and Tasmania in a round of adrenalin-charged Fast4 team tennis, featuring some of the nation’s top players. The ATL will form part of the wider 2015 Festival of Tennis, featuring the 20yr birthday celebrations for the State Tennis Centre.

 

In 2015 the revamped ATL will comprise 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams competing across two conferences: North and South. Teams will compete for a share of $40,000 in the conference rounds, with winners and runners-up to battle it out alongside teams from throughout Asia-Pacific in the ATL Play-offs at Australian Open 2016, where a prize purse of $150,000 will be on the line.

 

Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania form Pool B of the South Conference, with all teams vying for a top two finish. These positions will ultimately be decided on Sunday at the ATL Perth Super Rounds, commencing at 9.00am.

 

WA’s Western Wildlings Men’s team have put forward one of the strongest WA fields in the event’s history, with world No.107, Matthew Ebden headlining the Men’s team. Ebden has made a strong comeback in recent months, since his win at the Traralgon Challenger in November, leaping 20 places to verge on the top 100.  Ebden will be joined by fellow WA compatriots Zach Itzstein, Alex Chijoff-Evans, Scott Jones, Joel Pleydell and Brenton Bacon who last weekend managed to fight off a formidable Tasmanian line-up in Round 1 of the South Australian Super Round.  In Round 2, the Wildlings Men fought hard but eventually went down by only 2 sets to South Australia’s NETA Knights, but made a comeback in Round 3 to take down South Australia’s The Drive. Home grown WA player, Scott Jones was a standout at last weekend’s event, going through all 3 rounds undefeated in singles. The Wildlings currently sit at number 2 on the ladder.

 

This weekend, the Western Wildlings Men will be looking to seize the number one spot on the ladder, and replicate last weekend’s form, which will only be enhanced by the inclusion of marquee player, Matthew Ebden. However, standing in their way will be some difficult competition from The Drive, who have been a constant figure in the ATL since the competition’s inception and have once again put together a strong line-up, including Japanese youngster Yuya Ito and Queenslander Ryan Agar. The number 1 placed NETA Knights also features some great depth with Brad Mousley, Darren Polkinghorne and Damian Farinola.

 

In the Women’s event, the Western Wildlings Ladies team are the favourites in Pool B, and are set to capitalise on their youth and depth, with world No. 132 Jessica Moore leading the charge. Moore was too good at number one singles last weekend, leading the Wildlings to victory in round one of the South Australian Super Round, with a straight sets win over Catherine Kruger (TAS) 4-0, 4-3.  Standing alongside Moore in the bid for hometown glory, is WA young gun Maddison Inglis and former top 200 player Bojana Bobusic.  Moore and Inglis combined to form a formidable duo in the doubles, taking down Tasmanian pair Sanyukta Singh and Gabriela Sprague 4-0, 4-0 in round one, and SA’s Prospect Flames partnership Jennifer Elie and Olivia Ley in Round two, 4-0, 4-1.

 

The Western Wildlings Women will be determined to rise from second place to top spot on the ladder after winning two out of the three rounds at the South Australian Super Round. The inclusion of local star, Bojana Bobusic will be a huge boost for the team, and is sure to be a crowd pleaser. However both South Australia and Tasmania will not go down without a fight. South Australia’s Prospect Flames currently sit at top spot. Despite being new entries to the ATL, the Flames have an impressive line-up headlined by American Jennifer Elie who has a career high singles ranking of 286.  The Tasmanian Devils and Kensington Wildcats are also new to the competition, but have both assembled imposing teams featuring both international and local players.

 

The final round of this conference is set to be hotly contested this weekend, with the most powerful team ever from the West ready to begin battle for the ATL throne.

 

Entry to the ATL Perth Super Round is FREE, and all spectators are encouraged to come along to the State Tennis Centre on Sunday 29 November to not only watch some of Australia’s best players in action, but also celebrate 20 years of tennis at the State Tennis Centre. There will be a large community festival at the venue with a DJ, food trucks, and plenty of kid’s activities, including bouncy castles, mini tennis, photobooths, face painting, animal farms and the Hopman Cup trophy. The best 10-and-under players in the State will also be battling it out at the Super 10s Final taking place between the ATL rounds.

 

Event Details:

Date:

Sunday 29 November 2015

 

Schedule:

9.00am – 12.00pm   ATL Perth Super Round – Round 5

9.00am – 3.00pm     Festival of Tennis – Community Festival

12.00pm                     State Tennis Centre 20 year Cake Cutting – Media photo op

12.00 – 2.00pm        Super 10s Final

2.00pm – 5.00pm     ATL Perth Super Round – Round 6

 

Venue:

State Tennis Centre

Victoria Park Drive, Burswood WA

 

Who:                 

Men’s Event:

• Western Wildlings Squad – Matt Ebden, Zach Itzstein, Alexei Chijoff-Evans, Scott Jones, Joel Pleydell, Brenton Bacon, Patrick Ganet, Brendan Malarkey, Jack Lyttle, Tristan Schoolkate
• Tasmanian Devils Squad– Harry Bourchier, Patrick Davidson, Edward Bourchier, Richard Fromberg, Jay Salter, Samuel Thompson, Daniel Groom, James Bolzonello
• South Australia The Drive Squad – Thanasi Kokkinakis, Ryan Agar, Yuya Ito, Daniel Hobart, Scott Robertson, Lawrence Bataljin, Paul Kramberger, Colin Ebelthite, Luke Smith
• South Australia NETA Knights Squad – Brad Mousley, Darren Polkinghorne, Damian Farinola, Joshua Crowe, Sam Longhurst, Tim Crichton, Corey Decandia, Curtis Wilson, Tyson Devine, Martin Richards, Oliver Taylor, Jason Todd

 

Women’s Event:

• Western Wildlings Squad – Casey Dellacqua (injured), Jessica Moore, Maddison Inglis, Bojana Bobusic, Shona Lee, Anja Dokic, Marisa Gianotti, Jelena Stojanovic, Katy O’Shea, Nina Catovic, Lexie Weir
• Tasmanian Devils Squad – Catherine Krueger, Sanyukta Singh, Jessica Zaviacic, gabriela Sprague, Larn McShane, Vanessa Dobson, Eliane Fader, Jessica Fowler
• South Australia Kensington Wildcats Squad – Dia Evtimova, Naomi Totka, Nicola Slater, Nicole Collie, Petra Hule, Nicole Kraemer, Chloe Hule, Olivia Lukaszewicz, Sophia Fry, Michelle Burdon
• South Australia Prospect Flames Squad – Jennifer Elie, Olivia Ley, Elyse Edwards, Madison Bishop, Brooke Milner, Amber Marshall, Tahlia Van der Eerden, Inid-Arna Morris, Isabella Ryles

 

For further information on the Asia Pacific Tennis League, please visit the ATL Website.

 

For Media Enquiries

Loretta Hughes, Tennis West, Tournaments & Competitions Manager (08) 6462 8308

Elle Mazza, Tennis West, Marketing & Community Engagement Manager, (08) 6462 8303