World tennis stars will head to Adelaide’s south for Tennis Professionals Challenger event
SOME of the world’s top-100 tennis players will take to the court in Adelaide’s south after the region won a bid to host a major international tournament.
SOME of the world’s top-100 players will converge on Happy Valley Tennis Club in January after its successful bid to host a major international tournament.
The club announced yesterday it will stage one of only five Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Challenger events held in Australia this season.
The City of Onkaparinga ATP Challenger, from January 3-11, 2015, will join the more than 420 tournaments on the national tennis calendar.
Tennis Australia tournament operations co-ordinator Jason Simmons said the event would attract a “world class field of players” in the lead up to the Australian Open.
“ATP Challengers are very important because they provide players a springboard into a professional career,” Mr Simmons said.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for the area to host and see players in the top 100 in the world compete in a premier tennis event.
“We also hope it will attract players that want to use it as a vital warm-up for Melbourne.”
Players will compete for a slice of the USD$50,000 in prize money, as well as up to 80 ranking points.
Tennis SA chief executive Steven Baldas said it would be one of the highest profile tennis events the state had hosted.
“It will bring the south and the Happy Valley Tennis Club to the front of the world stage,” Mr Baldas said.
“It gives young players the chance to gain valuable ranking points and it also gets young kids involved in tennis, which is a win-win.”
The tournament will be the biggest staged in SA since the Australian Men’s Hardcourt Championships, which folded in 2006.
Tennis SA figures showed the event could attract more than 800 international visitors and 2000 visitors from across Australia.
Happy Valley Tennis Club has received $50,000 from Onkaparinga Council and $50,000 from Tennis SA and the Ken McGregor Foundation towards the cost of hosting the event.