Government decision on Memorial Drive redevelopment will shape future of tennis in South Australia

Plans for the redevelopment of the Memorial Drive showcourt are set to go before Cabinet as the State Government decides on whether to commit financially to a revamp that will allow it to bring a world class tennis tournament back to Adelaide.

• Woodforde urges Memorial Drive upgrade

Plans for the redevelopment of the Memorial Drive showcourt are set to go before Cabinet as the State Government decides on whether to commit financially to a revamp that will allow it to bring a world class tennis tournament back to Adelaide.

From January 2020 the new multi-nation, ATP World Cup will be played in Australia annually, shaking the domestic tennis calendar to the core. An announcement on which city — or cities — will host the pending World Cup is due shortly.

The pressure on SA to make a prompt decision was upped on Friday when Sydney announced a $50 million update of its flagship Ken Rosewall Arena which includes a canopy roof and is scheduled to be completed by November this year.

South Australian tennis great John Fitzgerald serves up the start of stage one of the Memorial Drive redevelopment in April, 2018. Picture: AAP Image/Brenton Edwards

The SA proposal — a joint submission by the Minister for Sport, Corey Wingard and the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, David Ridgway — is believed to want to ensure any tournament brought to Adelaide comes with a sizeable tenure

Adelaide’s World Tennis Challenge co-founder, Roger Rasheed, is upbeat.

“The (forthcoming) World Cup is exciting and exactly what we need, sport needs to evolve and needs to be looking at new opportunities here and globally,” he said.

“I do feel Adelaide is a place that needs tennis. I’m looking forward to seeing what takes place.”