News
Adelaide delivers smashing festival of tennis
South Australia was alive and buzzing with tennis activity throughout January with over 2100 amateur tennis players gathering for the inaugural WTC Be Active Challenge. The festive event engaged players of all ages and abilities across multiple venues and surfaces. Running in conjunction with Adelaide’s new international tennis exhibition event, the World Tennis Challenge, many players took the opportunity to add to their tennis action and witness past tennis legends and today’s stars battle it out at Memorial Drive over three entertaining nights.
The WTC Be Active Challenge was formed through combining a number of pre-existing participation events in South Australia as well as the introduction of a number of new tennis events. Outlined below is a quick overview of the age group and the approximate number of participants involved in each event:
| Event | Age Group | Participants |
|---|---|---|
| WTC Hot Shots Challenge | 5-10 years | 180 |
| WTC Les Tapp OAM Junior Inter-Association | 11-15 years | 400 |
| WTC Country Carnival | Junior + Senior | 380 |
| WTC Lord Mayors Cup | Open | 95 |
| WTC City of Salisbury AMT | Open | 140 |
| WTC Rising Star AMT | Open | 140 |
| WTC Corporate Challenge | Adult | 85 |
| WTC Australian Seniors Team Championship | 35+ | 740 |
The WTC Hot Shots Challenge was a roaring success with over 180 young guns (5 - 10 years of age) taking to the courts of Memorial Drive. Braving the elements, participants gave Hot Shots a go and the challenge involved the use of modified balls and nets allowing them to test their skills in a fun non-competitive environment. On hand were Australian tennis legends Phil Dent and Darren Cahill as well as WTC Director Roger Rasheed. The day was capped off with all participants having their photo taken with former Wimbledon Champion Pat Cash and his trademark headband went down a treat with all the players.
The WTC Les Tapp OAM Junior Inter-association is a long standing event with a proud history within South Australia. Association players from 11-15 years of age battled it out in teams of four with strong rivalries developing between each of the associations. The 2009 event was played at Millswood, Broadview/Collingrove, Colonel Light West, Holmesdale, Holdfast, Orion, Seaside and Trinity Gardens with players gathering at Memorial Drive at the conclusion of the event for presentations and a barbeque with special guests Mark Woodforde and Joachim Johansson of Sweden.
The WTC Country Carnival experienced a new lease of life with an increase in the number of teams and players, however more importantly there was greater representation of Country SA with widespread player participation. The event included individual and team categories in both junior and senior age groups across multiple divisions. A key highlight was the event returning to the grasscourts of Memorial Drive, with players enjoying the central location and the famous history of the iconic venue.
The introduction of new events gave players the opportunity to compete for prizemoney and Australian Ranking points through the WTC Lord Mayors Cup, WTC City of Salisbury AMT and the WTC Rising Star AMT. Each of the events attracted strong fields comprising local talent and a host of interstate visitors looking to secure a slice of the $23,000 prizemoney on offer.
Adelaide’s corporate community threw their support behind the WTC Corporate Challenge and despite soaring temperatures players competed in a round robin competition involving 16 teams consisting of World Tennis Challenge sponsors, corporate suite holders and associated stakeholders. Competitors had the opportunity to meet and mingle with former Australian tennis hero Pat Cash whilst watching crowd favourite Henri Leconte and the flamboyant Gael Monfils make their final preparations for the World Tennis Challenge.
The WTC Australian Seniors Teams Championship provided over 700 tennis enthusiasts with an enjoyable week of tennis and social activity. South Park provided the headquarters for this prestigious event with 18 courts in operation. The event also utilised the natural grass courts of Kensington Gardens, Reade Park, Tranmere and Woodville ensuring participants across all age divisions 35 and above received plenty of good spirited tennis matches.
Overall the WTC Be Active Challenge enjoyed a successful introduction with the South Australian tennis community embracing each of the events to create a festival of tennis unlike anything ever witnessed in Australia. We look forward to building on this for 2010 and hopefully seeing you in Adelaide for this celebration of tennis!
Stay tuned to www.worldtennischallenge.com for information and updates on World Tennis Challenge 2010.