Australia’s summer time of tennis might be shaken up once more with the return of the Brisbane International to run alongside a streamlined United Cup in Sydney and Perth.
Pat Rafter and Ash Barty lauded the return of their hometown occasion on the Queensland Tennis Centre on Friday that may see an expanded 32-player discipline in males’s and girls’s singles compete for a share in $3.1 million of prize cash.
The Australian Open lead-up occasion had been a raging success between 2009-2019, large crowds on each Pat Rafter Arena and out of doors courts watching as Roger Federer, Lleyton Hewitt, Nick Kyrgios, Andy Murray, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova all lifted the trophy.
The males’s ATP Cup was then launched and the Brisbane International was contested as a girls’s occasion in 2020, earlier than final 12 months’s combined groups United Cup was debuted to combined critiques.
Former world No.1 Barty endorsed the transfer to reinstate Brisbane as a standalone occasion from December 31-January 7, however was adamant it might not lure her out of retirement.
“It’s the very first week of the calendar, the players love to come here, love the atmosphere,” she stated.
“But I’m absolutely loving every single second (of being a mother).”
Fellow former No.1 Rafter stated he wished the occasion existed when he performed.
“It really makes the whole centre work; there’s enough courts, it’s a great climate ahead of the Aussie Open, would have been a great stop if available when we played,” he stated.
The season will start on December 29 with the combined groups United Cup in Perth and Sydney in a streamlined occasion after Brisbane additionally hosted two group phases final 12 months.
The Adelaide International – like Brisbane a WTA 500 and ATP 250 match – will comply with from January 8-13 whereas the Hobart International (WTA 250) will once more be held.
Brisbane match director and Tennis Australia’s head of main occasions Cam Pearson was assured the celebs would commit to make sure deep fields at each Brisbane and the United Cup tournaments.
“The teams event was going to evolve and this is part of that,” he stated.
“Moving to a two-city event and optimising the calendar by bringing back the Brisbane International; it’s a win-win.”
AUSTRALIAN SUMMER OF TENNIS:
United Cup
* Group phases December 29 – January 5, Perth (RAC Arena), Sydney (Ken Rosewall Arena)
* Finals January 6-7 TBC
Brisbane International
* December 31 – January 7, Brisbane (Queensland Tennis Centre)
Adelaide International
* January 8-13, Adelaide (The Drive)
Hobart International
* January 8-13, Hobart (Domain Tennis Centre)
Australian Open qualifying
* January 8-12, Melbourne (Melbourne Park)
Australian Open
* January 15 -28, Melbourne (Melbourne Park).
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
