Brisbane International to return after three year hiatus with Andy Murray set to be the tournament drawcard

The Brisbane International returns to Australia’s summer of tennis for the first time in three years with a crowd favourite and grand slam champion unveiled as a starter.

(left to right) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, Rafael Nadal of Spain, Andy Murray of Great Britain, Nick Kyrgios of Australia and Kei Nishikori of Japan pose for a photograph with the Brisbane International trophy on day one of the Brisbane International tennis tournament at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Brisbane, Monday, December 31, 2018. (AAP Image/Darren England) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Three-time grand slam champion Andy Murray has been unveiled as one of the headline acts of a revamped Brisbane International that will return following a three-year hiatus.

A host of big-name stars are expected to follow.

The Sunshine State will once again open the summer of tennis with a bang when the combined WTA 500 and ATP 250 event returns from December 31 to January 7.

A record $3.1 million purse will be up for grabs.

It marks the first time since 2020 that the popular tournament at the Queensland Tennis Centre will feature on the WTA and ATP Tours.

Andy Murray competed at the 2019 Brisbane International with Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

It has long been considered one of the premiere lead-in tournaments before the Australian Open and has an impressive list of former champions, including Murray, Roger Federer, Lleyton Hewitt, Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka.

Two-time champion Murray, 36, has packed his playing schedule in the lead-up to the Australian Open.

The No.42-ranked player in the world, who recently took Alex de Minaur to three sets at the China Open, will have his eyes on securing a seeding for the first grand slam of the year and the ATP 250 event in Brisbane looms as a brilliant opportunity to bank points.

“It’s great to see the Brisbane International back and I am really looking forward to returning to Queensland this summer,” Murray said.

“I have great memories of winning the title in 2012 and 2013 and would love to lift the trophy again for a third time in Brisbane.”

Tournament organisers are expected to reveal further big-name entries on Friday and there is hope that one of them could be former world No.1 and two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka.

There is hope that Naomi Osaka might play at the Brisbane International. Picture: Mike Frey/AFP

Osaka, 26, has not featured on the WTA Tour since September last year. She stepped away from the game in January this year to give birth to her daughter.

However, the Japanese star recently said she planned to kick off her comeback in Australia this summer and the WTA 500 Brisbane International would be the perfect launching pad.

Another high-profile player who could feature in Brisbane is Nick Kyrgios, who won the event in 2018.

The polarising Aussie superstar has played just one match – an opening-round defeat in Stuttgart in June – since his late withdrawal from the Australian Open due to a knee injury.

With Kyrgios not playing in the United Cup, his lead-in options for the Australian Open are Brisbane or the Adelaide International.

The 28-year-old was set to be one of the headline acts alongside Novak Djokovic in Adelaide last year before he withdrew with the knee injury that kept him out of the Open.

Tickets to the Brisbane International are now available via Ticketmaster.

Originally published as Brisbane International to return after three year hiatus with Andy Murray set to be the tournament drawcard