TENNIS Australia (TA) has not ruled out a return of Pro Tour events such as the Mildura Grand Tennis International this year.
While plans for the annual Mildura tournament have been shelved for now, a statement to Sunraysia Daily from TA said work was still being done to get events back in Australia.
“We continue to work with the international tours on the return of Australian Pro Tour events … in 2021,” a Tennis Victoria spokesperson said on behalf of TA.
“While the international border remains closed, we continue to discuss what hosting possibilities could open up later in the year.”
Yesterday, Sunraysia Daily reported Tennis Australia Pro Tour manager Fiona Luscombe had told the Mildura Lawn Tennis Club there would not be a Pro Tour event in Mildura this year due to the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Mildura Grand Tennis International over the years has had world No.1 women’s player Ash Barty and other high-profile names grace the courts early in their careers.
A hindrance to staging the tournament is the amount of international players the tournament typically attracts.
Last year, no Australians advanced past the semi-finals with the winners being Brydan Klein (who is British but Australia-born) and Marianna Zakarlyuk (Ukraine).
Meanwhile, preparations for the Australian Open have been thrown into disarray with former world No.1 Andy Murray testing positive for the coronavirus and in doubt to play, while women’s world No.16
Madison Keys also pulling out after a positive coronavirus test.
