Barty And De Minaur To Light Up Sydney Tennis Classic

Ashleigh Barty (photo: Scott Barbour/Tennis Australia)

SYDNEY, December 18, 2021 (TA Press Release)

Sydney will host a cast of global tennis superstars when the new, one-off Sydney Tennis Classic, a WTA 500 and ATP 250 tournament is held at Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre from 9 to 15 January 2022.

Nineteen of the world’s top 24 women, including world No.1 Ash Barty, world No.3 Garbine Muguruza, former world No.1s Angelique Kerber and Simona Halep, Roland Garros 2020 champion Iga Swiatek and Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic, will all compete in the Harbour City the week before the Australian Open. 

All eyes will also be on reigning US Open women’s champion Emma Raducanu and finalist Leylah Fernandez, along with Australian Open 2020 champion Sofia Kenin. 

The women’s field boasts nine Grand Slam champions who hold 14 singles titles between them. 

On the men’s side, four of the world’s top 20 including 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem will contest the ATP 250 tournament, as will Australia’s top male Alex de Minaur, who won a title in Sydney in 2019, along with David Goffin and Kei Nishikori, both former top 10 players. 

NSW Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres said this was another exciting event to kick off the summer of sport for the new year and help reinvigorate the NSW visitor economy.

“It is fantastic to see such an incredible world-class line-up for the Sydney Tennis Classic, led by none other than our world No.1, Ash Barty.  Events like these are essential as we help the tourism and major events sectors recover from the pandemic, driving overnight visitation and showcasing Sydney and NSW to a global television audience,” Ayres said.

“Every year Sydney sets up Australia’s annual sporting calendar. Along with the SCG Pink Test and the ATP Cup, the Sydney Tennis Classic will set the national standard.”

NSW Minister for Sport Natalie Ward said it will be terrific to see international tennis stars take centre court in our own backyard.

“I’m thrilled NSW will play host to the Sydney Tennis Classic straight off the back of the ATP Cup,” Ward said.

“As an avid sports fan, I can’t wait to see the world’s top women and men battle it out on the court right here in Sydney, inspiring our future generation of tennis stars.”

Sydney Tennis Classic Tournament Director Paul Daly said the tournament offers tennis fans an extra dose of high quality, world class tennis in Sydney before the first Grand Slam of the year. 

“To see 19 of the world’s top 24 women and four of the world’s top 20 men compete at the Sydney Tennis Classic the week before the Australian Open is fantastic news for Sydney tennis fans,” Daly said.

“We’re also delighted to see Ash Barty and Alex de Minaur return to Sydney Olympic Park, they’ve both played great tennis here and will have special memories of the venue. It will be a special week of competition.”

Sydney Tennis Classic 

WTA 500

Q: 9 Jan, MD: 10-15 Jan

Rank

Player

Country

1

Ashleigh Barty

AUS

3

Garbine Muguruza

ESP

5

Barbora Krejcikova

CZE

6

Maria Sakkari

GRE

7

Anett Kontaveit

EST

8

Paula Badosa

ESP

9

Iga Swiatek

POL

10

Ons Jabeur

TUN

11

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

RUS

12

Sofia Kenin

USA

14

Elena Rybakina 

KAZ

16

Angelique Kerber

GER

17

Petra Kvitova

CZE

18

Jessica Pegula

USA

19

Emma Raducanu

GBR

20

Simona Halep

ROU

21

Elise Mertens

BEL

23

Belinda Bencic

SUI

24

Leylah Fernandez

CAN

 

 

 

ATP 250

Q: 9 Jan, MD: 10-15 Jan

Rank

Player

Country

15

Dominic Thiem

AUT

17

Cristian Garin

CHI

18

Aslan Karatsev

RUS

19

Roberto Bautista Agut

ESP

22

Nikoloz Basilashvili

GEO

23

Taylor Fritz

USA

25

Daniel Evans

GBR

26

Reilly Opelka

USA

27

Lorenzo Sonego

ITA

33

Dusan Lajovic

SRB

34

Alex de Minaur

AUS

37

Fabio Fognini

ITA

39

David Goffin

BEL

42

Filip Krajinovic

SRB

44

Federico Delbonis

ARG

45

Albert Ramos-Vinolas

ESP

47

Kei Nishikori

JPN

48

Ilya Ivashka

BLR

50

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

ESP

Tickets to the Sydney Tennis Classic are now on sale via australiansummeroftennis.com/Sydney.

Fans can sit in the shade at Ken Rosewall Arena after its new canopy roof was introduced in late 2019.