Men’s field confirmed for City of Playford Tennis International

A RUSSIAN young gun who knocked Stan Wawrinka out of Wimbledon will headline the men’s draw at the $100,000 City of Playford Tennis International.

Russian young gun Daniil Medvedev will headline the men’s field at the City of Playford Tennis International. Picture: Alex Pantling/Getty Images

A RUSSIAN young gun who knocked Stan Wawrinka out of Wimbledon will headline the men’s draw at the $100,000 City of Playford Tennis International.

World No.65 Daniil Medvedev was confirmed as top seed for the ATP Challenger event, which will be held at the new Playford Tennis Centre from December 30-January 7.

Tennis SA revealed the inaugural tournament would also feature a further 19 players ranked inside the world’s top 200.

Medvedev, 21, shot to prominence in July when he beat fifth seed Wawrinka at the All England Club to claim his maiden Grand Slam singles victory.

The 198cm right-hander also reached the quarter-finals at Queens Club, as well as the semi-finals at the Eastbourne International and Chennai Open.

He would be joined in the draw by American Bjorn Fratangelo (No.111), Brazilian Thomaz

Bellucci (113), Swiss player Henri Laaksonen (121) and Ukranian Sergiy Stakhovsky (122).

SA’s Alex Bolt would lead the local charge at the tournament, which replaced the City of Onkaparinga ATP Challenger as the state’s highest-ranking men’s event.

SA’s Alex Bolt will lead the local charge at the City of Playford Tennis International. Picture: Michael Klein

SA’s Alex Bolt will headline the local challenge at the City of Playford Tennis International. Picture: Michael Klein

The Murray Bridge player this year moved into world’s top 200 for the first time, having previously twice made the Australian Open doubles quarter-finals.

Playford Mayor Glenn Docherty welcomed the draw announcement.

“We are obviously thrilled to have such a strong field of players planning on competing in the inaugural City of Playford Tennis International,” Docherty said.

“In its first year and with a field of this calibre, the tournament is set to offer the local community with a fantastic opportunity to watch world class tennis right in their backyard.”

The 24 confirmed players would be joined by four wildcards and four qualifiers.

The tournament also included a women’s ITF Futures event. Spectator entry was free.

Originally published as Men’s field confirmed for City of Playford Tennis International