Craigieburn Tennis, January 2019
Many of the world’s greatest wheelchair tennis players will this week touchdown in Hume to play in the Stockland Melbourne Wheelchair Tennis Open.
The international event is scheduled to take place between 15 and 19 January 2019, at the Hume Tennis and Community Centre in Craigieburn. Play each day will start at 1.30pm and include a twilight session, that starts at 5.00pm.
Also for the first year, Hume Tennis are having a Live Site where patrons can enjoy the Australian Open on a Outdoor LED Screen.
Everyone is excited about the NEW big outdoor screen at Hume Tennis that will show the Australian Open live each day from 11am-11pm.
This year’s event has increased significance, as it is the first year an Asia Pacific Junior Camp and Tournament will be staged featuring 12 junior players from across Australia and throughout Asia. It also signifies the first junior girl’s event to be staged in Australia.
Tennis Australia’s, Talent Development Manager for Inclusion, Holly Tawse said, “to have the best junior wheelchair players in Australia able to play alongside the best players in the world will be an amazing learning experience for the juniors.”
Also joining the junior camp and tournament are three Japanese players and former Hume Tennis Coach, who is now coaching back in Japan, Keitaro Yamada.
The junior players will participate in a two-day camp conducted by some of Australia and Japan’s finest wheelchair tennis coaches. Consul-General of Japan in Melbourne, Kazuyoshi Matsunaga said, “This event provides a wonderful prelude to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and great opportunities for wheelchair tennis players.”
The senior event will feature two of the best Japanese wheelchair players in the world, the number one wheelchair tennis player in the world, Shingo Kunida and the number two female tennis player, Yui Kamiji. While the quad event will see Australian Gold Medallist and World Number 5, Heath Davidson take to the court.
Hume Director, Tim Connelly said, “It is a privilege to have such world class athletes here at Hume Tennis Centre. At this stage we have 12 of the top 14 men in the world and 8 of the top 10 women, meaning we have one of the strongest fields ever to play an event in Australia.”
“Shingo has won two Paralympic gold medals and 20 grand slam titles, including the US Open, French Open, and Australian Open. The rivalry will be fierce as the world’s best descend on Craigieburn from countries like Belgium, Japan, France, Great Britain, The Netherlands, South Africa, South Korea, Argentina, and China.”
After Hume the players move to Melbourne Park to play the Australian Open.
The Hume Tournament is free to enter and to compliment the wheelchair event Hume Tennis has the Live Site. Everyone was welcome to come to the tennis centre and watch the stars and future stars play.
The event will also feature a Tennis Victoria Community Night on Wednesday January 16th where the community is welcome to come and have a hit on the courts and try playing tennis in a wheelchair.