David Goffin and Sara Errani are among the big names at the Canberra Tennis Centre in Lyneham. Photo: Tennis ACT.
With $470,000 in prize money on offer, coupled with an increase in ATP and WTA rankings, the Workday Canberra International 2024 has attracted a stellar field.
It’s a field that includes some of the best emerging talent in tennis, as well as a number of impressive world-ranked players.
They will all be part of the Workday Canberra International beginning 31 December at the Canberra Tennis Centre.
Men’s entries include five players currently in the top 100, while in the women’s competition the field includes six top 100 players.
Among the big names is former world number seven David Goffin, of Belgium, who has made the semi-finals in both the Australian and US Opens.
The top seed in this ATP 125 event is Germany’s world number 77-ranked player Dominik Koepfer, followed by Frenchman Alexandre Muller, currently ranked 81 and with a career high of 76.
The wildcards include Australians Adam Walton and Tristan Schoolkate, with the qualifying draw featuring Luke Saville and Alex Bolt.
Workday Canberra International tournament director Lawrence Robertson (left) and Tennis ACT CEO Mark La Brooy (right) at the announcement of the field for the 2024 event. Photo: Tim Gavel.
The women’s competition features Italy’s former world number five Sara Errani, who has six singles titles to her name.
Errani is just one of the formidable field of players that can be seen at the Canberra Tennis Centre as part of the WTA 125 tournament between 1-6 January 2024.
Denmark’s Clara Tauson, ranked 82 in the world, is the top seed followed by Swiss player Viktoria Golubic.
Australia’s Astra Sharma is in the main draw with Taylah Preston, Emerson Jones, Melisa Ercan and Maya Joint granted wildcards.
Tournament Director Lawrence Robertson said talks took place with Canberra junior star Charlie Camus but he has opted to play in a tournament in Noumea.
Fellow Canberra player Nick Kyrgios won’t be playing but Robertson said there was the possibility he would be in attendance to promote his charity work.
“I think at the moment Nick’s recuperating from a pretty serious injury, so it was always clear that he wasn’t going to make the summer,” Robertson said.
“We’ve been talking to his representatives, hopefully he can find time in his schedule to come down and be part of the event and we’ll continue to talk to Nick and his team about what that might look like.
“He’s clearly not going to participate as a tennis player but we’d certainly be willing to work with Nick and his foundation in some shape or form to continue to showcase the great work he and his family do in the local area.”
Organisers are hoping Nick Kyrios may be able to attend to promote his charity work. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
It would appear organisers have gone all out to encompass the entire Canberra community as part of the tournament, beginning on 31 December and going through to 6 January.
There is a Pride Day, Women’s and Girls’ Day, a First Nations’ Day, local produce offerings, kids’ entertainment, a DJ, and night sessions from 5 pm.
The introduction of evening sessions is seen as a major development in a bid to entice Canberrans to the event, creating a festival-style atmosphere under lights.
With 130 players from over 40 countries, it promises to be a community celebration alongside the biggest tennis tournament Canberra has hosted.
“We have real ambitions to grow this event,” Robertson said.
He said this was just the start and Canberra was working to take its place with other events.
“We know where we sit in the wider Australian summer of tennis,” he said.
“In the same week we’ve got the United Cup in Sydney and Perth, and the Brisbane International. There are also events going on in Noumea and Hong Kong. I think it’s really pleasing that so many of the world’s top players have chosen to start their season in Canberra.”
And the best place to spread the news of the Canberra International is through the players.
“The locker room is a small place,” Robertson said. “We’ll do a great job of looking after them in the coming weeks, the players talk and tell each other what a great event it is and hopefully we’ll grow our ambitions.”
The signing of a three-year title partnership with global workforce and finance software platform Workday is further evidence of the long-term strategy to make the tournament the pre-eminent summer sporting event in Canberra.
The tournament provides the ideal opportunity to showcase Canberra to the world.
For tickets and more information visit Workday Canberra International
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