Wagga Leisure manager Marc Geppert, Wagga Deputy Mayor Georgie Davies, professional tennis player Gabriella Da Silva-Fick and Tennis NSW’s Shaun Mulraney will all be attending the Wagga Wagga Tennis International starting next week. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Wagga’s new Jim Elphick Tennis Centre is about to have its 15 courts and $9 million redevelopment put to the test, as it’s set to host its first pro tennis tournament next week.
Some of the top female players from across the world are set to arrive in the Riverina within the next few days to take part in the Wagga Wagga Tennis International, which consists of two week-long tournaments running back-to-back from 7 to 21 September.
The Wagga Wagga Tennis International will play a vital role in many of the entrants’ chances of securing a spot in qualifying for the Australian Open next year.
Head of Tennis Operations & Pathways at Tennis NSW, Shaun Mulraney, said the new tennis courts in Wagga Wagga were among only three others of international quality in the state, and that players ranked as high as 200 in the world were coming to the Riverina to take part.
“We’ve got about a thousand venues in NSW, but only four of them would have courts at the calibre of the Australian Open, those being Tamworth, Wollongong, Sydney Olympic Park and Wagga Wagga,” he said.
“It’s facilities like these that will bring talent and competition, and with the Wagga Wagga Tennis International next week, we will have that elite level of talent playing.
“We’re really grateful for the partnership we’ve got with Wagga City Council. There’s been some significant investment put into this site: $2.9 million from council, $1.25 million through the ATP Cup Legacy Fund and all the support that we got from the State Government.
“By having the Wagga Wagga International here, it’s not just about having top-end talent come and play, it’s about building and growing the tennis community in Wagga Wagga and the Riverina.”
One of the players who will take to the court next week is the 486th-ranked player in the world, Gabriella Da Silva-Fick.
Da Silva-Fick said she was blown away by the quality of the Wagga courts and that having such high-calibre facilities helped develop local players.
“It’s an amazing venue. I think it’s actually quite spectacular. Rarely do we see this amount of high-quality courts, and especially near the city centre,” she said.
“It’s really nice to have two tournaments in Wagga, back to back. It’s a great opportunity to get some points on our ranking, leading to the Australian summer, where there will be a bunch of WTA events.
“These are really important, and all the players will be very locked in and wanting to make their mark. It will be a really highly competitive two weeks.”
