Australian tennis star Casey Dellacqua and ACT Sports Minister Yvette Berry with ANZ Tennis Hotshots from Forrest Primary School at today’s announcement. Photo by Glynis Quinlan.
Canberra will host Australia’s best female tennis players in a 2018 Fed Cup tie against Ukraine at the Canberra Tennis Centre on the 10th and 11th February next year.
This opportunity was made possible after the ACT Government committed $7.15 million towards the redevelopment of the Canberra Tennis Centre at Lyneham. The facility now includes a variety of surfaces, an indoor facility, central show court and broadcast lighting.
Canberra tennis officials will re-lay the hardcourt centre court to grass in line with the request of Australian captain Alicia Molik.
John Newcombe Medal winner Ashleigh Barty, Daria Gavrilova, Casey Dellacqua and Grand Slam champ Samantha Stosur are expected to headline the Australian team to play in Canberra.
The Ukraine team will feature their top players too, led by world No.6 Elina Svitolina.
Casey Dellacqua speaks at today’s announcement, while video footage shows John Newcombe Medal winner Ashleigh Barty. Photo by Glynis Quinlan.
“It’s a fantastic advantage to play a Fed Cup tie on home soil and we hope to see a very loud and patriotic crowd at the Canberra Tennis Centre in February,” Molik said.
Speaking at the announcement of the Fed Cup tie in Canberra today, Casey Dellacqua said that the entire team was really looking forward to the opportunity of facing Ukraine in Canberra.
“It is my utmost priority to make sure I am ready for Fed Cup ties and I know I speak on behalf of all the girls, it is a major priority for us. It is an extremely important tie for us because if we win, we get an opportunity to play against the top eight teams in the world.”
Casey Dellacqua plays tennis with some of the ANZ Tennis Hotshots from Forrest Primary School. Photo by Glynis Quinlan.
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Sport and Recreation Yvette Berry was proud to bring Australia’s top women to Canberra for this major international event.
“Having such wonderful female athletes in the city has the potential to inspire the next generation. For young girls, the value of such role models cannot be underestimated.”
ACT Sports Minister Yvette Berry has a hit with some of the ANZ Tennis Hotshots from Forrest Primary School. Photo by Glynis Quinlan.
Tennis ACT CEO Kim Kachel said local tennis fans would be thrilled to see Australia’s top women compete in Canberra.
“We have a fantastic tennis community in Canberra and it is a real coup to secure the Fed Cup tie. I’ve no doubt the public will come out in droves to support our elite Australian athletes at our world-class facility,” Kachel said.
The Fed Cup tie will be held just two weeks after the end of the Australian Open and is a massive coup for Tennis ACT.
The venue announcement caps off a busy few months of tennis in the ACT, which recently hosted the Apis Canberra International with emerging men and women from around the world competing for valuable ranking points.
Two-day ticket packages will go on sale via Ticketek on Wednesday 13 December at 9 am.
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