Adelaide to host major ATP & WTA tournament from 2020 leading up to Australian Open

South Australia will host the world’s best tennis players from 2020 in a new tournament leading up to the Australian Open — with the ATP event to have a multimillion-dollar prize purse.

Artist impressions of the $10 million upgrade to the Memorial Drive sports facility. Picture: Supplied

• Memorial Drive to receive $10 million upgrade
• Lleyton Hewitt on why Adelaide needs a new stadium
• Memorial Drive show court redevelopment plan goes to cabinet

South Australia will host the world’s best tennis players from 2020 in a new tournament leading up to the Australian Open — with the ATP event to have a multimillion-dollar prize purse.

The new, 10-day international tournament will be held in January ahead of the Australian Open and will play host to top 120 male and female players.

It will effectively replace the Sydney International.

The South Australian event will have a total prize purse of $2 million, Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley said.

“We have been working on this for a couple of years. It is a complete shake-up of tennis in Australia,” he said.

Australian tennis legend John Fitzgerald called Saturday’s announcement the “most impactful … I can remember for tennis in South Australia.”

The tournament will run in Adelaide for at least the next five years.

Some of the world’s biggest tennis stars will be heading to #Adelaide next year thanks to our commitment to upgrade Memorial Drive. We’ll host the week-long ATP and WTA tournament, attract more tourists and create #SAJobs. pic.twitter.com/mDyruqBvRU

— Steven Marshall, MP (@marshall_steven) February 1, 2019

On Saturday, The Advertiser revealed the Memorial Drive Tennis Centre will be covered with a new roof as part of a $10 million upgrade.

The 5000-capacity venue — which is hosting the Davis Cup tie between Australia and Bosnia/Herzegovina this week — will be covered by a canopy by the end of the year, according to the State Government.

The upgrade will allow year-round use of Memorial Drive, including for concerts, community events and other sports, such as netball and basketball

The canopy will be fully funded by taxpayers.

MORE TO COME