Teams are readying themselves for the third season of the Asia Pacific Tennis League and the big names keep rolling in as the league’s popularity continues to rise.
Australia’s top players have already signed up to play in the Victorian Conference so we are sure to see plenty of world class tennis when it gets underway on the 28th of November in Frankston for the women and Dingley for the men.
The Kooyong teams will be underdogs in the coming season with some outstanding teams being entered so far.
On the women’s side of things, the Bayside Thunder look to be the early favourites with Storm Sanders, Daria Gavrilova, Arina Rodionova and Tammi Patterson in their line up while MCC have also recruited strongly with the addition of Zuzana Zlocohova, Katherine Westbury and Masa Jovanovic all added to an already strong Premier League team.
Kooyong’s girls won’t be without a chance with the addition of former US Open Junior finalist Anett Kontaveit together with the likes of long time member Sally Peers, rising star Destanee Aiava, College star Belinda Woolcock, Club Champion Kate Antosik as well as Alana Parnaby, Annabelle Andrinopoulos, Molly Polak, Brigitte Beck and Laura McNamara.
The men’s competition looks extremely close across the entire competition but Royal South Yarra’s renaissance at the top level has continued with a very strong side named for this year’s event.
A side containing Luke Saville, Alex Bolt, Dane Propoggia and Adam Hubble look to have all bases covered but there’s also a Dingley side containing Sam Groth, James Lemke and Joe Sirianni to contend with while Tennis World’s young team comprising of Junior US Open champion Omar Jasika, Blake Mott and Daniel Guccione along with older cousin Chris Guccione are also a dangerous proposition.
Kooyong’s men will be hoping to overcome all of these hurdles to again head to the finals at Melbourne Park with last year’s unbeaten star Rubin Statham headlining a talented side that includes Andrew Whittington, John Peers, Daniel Byrnes, Andrew Coelho, Marc Polmans, David Bidmeade and Mitch Burman.
The competition will head to Yarrawonga in Round 2 for a tennis showpiece in country Victoria while the men will also travel to Tasmania in Round 4 as the league has expanded to now include the Tasmanian Devils.
Get down to Kooyong on the 12th of December at 6.30pm to see all of the women’s teams battle it out in the final round of conference play before the final is played on the 14th of December at 1.00pm at the National Tennis Centre.
Rubin Statham in action at Melbourne Park last year
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2014/2015 Asia Pacific Tennis League
