Pro Tour Green Light
From the Bendigo Advertiser
12th August, 2010
TANYA PAOLUCCI
TENNIS Australia has confirmed it wants Bendigo to host the final Pro Tour tournament of the season following the success of last year’s William Loud Tennis International held in Bendigo last November.
Both Tennis Australia and the Bendigo Tennis Association have thrown their support behind the event, which will go ahead on November 29, subject to council approval.
Tennis Australia tournament director Mark Handley said the Bendigo Bank Tennis Complex was the perfect location for the last tournament in the lead-up to the Australian Open.
“The Pro Tour event is confirmed to be played in Bendigo,” he said.
“We had every intention to go to Bendigo after the success of the first year and we want to build on that success this year.
“We think Bendigo is an ideal location to play a Pro Tour even in the lead-up to the Australian Open as Bendigo has the Australian Open surface.”
Last year’s tournament attracted the likes of former world number eight Alicia Molik (pictured) and Australian Open junior champion Brydan Klein.
Bendigo Tennis Association executive officer Leon Retallick said this year’s event could attract just as many big names, including top Australian women’s player Casey Dellacqua and young gun Bernard Tomic.
“I would think our drawcard player this year would be Casey Dellacqua and perhaps Bernard Tomic,” Retallick said.
“Last year’s men’s winner Matthew Ebden, who has cracked the Australian top 10, may be also interested in coming back. There is no other event on at the same time, so hopefully we can snag a few more in the lead-up to the Australian Open.”
Retallick added that a number of junior stars would also be likely to play in the Bendigo event.
“Other drawcards in the men’s will be top juniors, including Australia’s number one junior Jason Kubler, James Duckworth, who made the final of the French Open juniors, and Sean Burman, who made the final of the Junior Australian Open,” he said.
“We are also likely to attract Ben Mitchell, who made the junior Wimbledon final this year.”
Retallick said he was looking forward to the event returning to Bendigo and believed it was a major coup for the community.
“It’s a great free community event that allows spectators to come and go as they please,” he said.
“From the tennis club’s point of view we’re really excited to have it back again and it’s also exciting to have the event back in the Bendigo community.’’
“We’re in planning mode and are currently putting together our community involvement strategy.”