Kooyong Classic to return to Australia’s summer of tennis in 2023 ahead of Australian Open

One of the longest-running events on the Australian tennis calendar is set to return in 2023 after a two-year absence because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Australian superstar Nick Kyrgios and Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov competed at the last Kooyong Classic in 2020. Picture: AAP

One of the Australian Open’s most popular lead-in events is back, with the Kooyong Classic returning to the tennis calendar after a two-year absence.

News Corp can reveal the Melbourne-based exhibition tournament will be held from January 10 to 12, after the likes of Nick Kyrgios, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Maria Sharapova and Marin Cilic competed there in 2020.

All-time greats Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have also tuned up for past Australian Opens at Kooyong, while Australian legend Lleyton Hewitt won the event in 2011 and 2013.

The Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc with the Australian tennis summer the past two years but is set to return to something closer to pre-virus normality.

Retired champion Maria Sharapova used the Kooyong Classic as her final Australian Open preparation in years gone by. Picture: AAP

Next year’s 33rd edition of Kooyong Classic will be the first tournament held at the revamped Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, which has undergone an $18 million facelift to return it to its 1930s form.

The redevelopment includes significant upgrades to the clubhouse and around the Kooyong site.

The Kooyong Classic has also locked in a new title sponsor, leading Australian health and wellness company CareA2+, that secures the event’s future for the next five years.

Tournament director Peter Johnston is looking forward to again welcoming some of the world’s best players to Kooyong, the former home of Australia’s grand slam.

Australia’s No.1 women’s player, Ajla Tomljanovic, will be a likely target for Kooyong Classic organisers. Picture: AAP

“With the Australian Summer of Tennis reverting to its original, decentralised, pre-Covid 2020 schedule, the Kooyong Classic is perfectly positioned to provide the all-important final tune-up for players competing at the Australian Open the following week,” Johnston said.

More than 4000 tennis fans are set to pack into the stadium for each of the event’s three days, with Kooyong club president Adam Cassar delighted to be part of the Australian tennis summer.

“Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club is the spiritual home of tennis in Australia,” Cossar said.

“It is extremely important to the club to retain an event featuring the world’s best male and female players competing and experiencing the club.”

Johnston will make announcements in the coming months about which tennis stars are competing at the Kooyong Classic ahead of the 2023 Australian Open.