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World number one tennis player Ash Barty has been locked in to headline the 2020 Adelaide International this January, joining an already-impressive list of female players to feature at the event.
Key points:
- Ash Barty became world number one after winning the Birmingham Classic in June
- She will play in Adelaide alongside world number five Simona Halep
- The event will be held at the revamped Memorial Drive Tennis Centre
Barty, 23, will play at the revamped Memorial Drive tennis centre at the event, alongside world number five Simona Halep, who was also locked in for the event earlier this year.
The Queensland talent became the first Australian woman to reach the number one ranking since Evonne Goolagong Cawley when she won the Birmingham Classic in June this year.
She was also crowned French Open champion in the same month.
Barty and Halep, a former number one player and current Wimbledon champion, will headline a strong list of female players competing for $2 million in prizemoney.
Tournament director Alistair McDonald said Barty was one of the players on top of the list that organisers had hoped to attract to the event in Adelaide.
"She's a humble champion, which I think Australians love," he said.
"[We are] really excited that Ash has chosen to play here in Adelaide, now we've got the world number five in Simona Halep and the world number one in Ash Barty, we've got some really exciting names over the coming months to name as well.
"I think it's a testament to the city and the proximity of the centre court and the venue to the city and the preparation for the players for the Australian Open.
"We're really thrilled that she has chosen Adelaide as part of her preparation."
The event will be held ahead of the 2020 Australian Open in Melbourne, with organisers hoping it will give Barty a boost ahead of the grand slam.
South Australian tennis legend John Fitzgerald said fans should not underestimate how big a coup it was to get Barty to Adelaide.
"This is really exciting to have a venue like this expand and become better and this will make a massive difference to the tournament," Fitzgerald said.
"To have both a WTA [women's] and ATP [men's] event here is super exciting.
"To be number one in the world is a special, special thing and to have a role model like Ash Barty here brings a smile to my face and it will bring a smile to everyone in South Australia."
'Great role model for future tennis stars'
Premier Steven Marshall said the redevelopment of the Memorial Drive tennis centre was on track for delivery soon.
He said having 120 of the top players in the world competing at the event in January would be a "massive boost" for South Australia.
"The new-look Memorial Drive will take centre stage globally, and give South Australians a chance to see their tennis heroes right here in Adelaide," he said.
Sports Minister Corey Wingard said he hoped the big names locked in for the tournament would help inspire young South Australian players.
"The great thing about Ash [Barty] is not only is she a wonderful tennis player but she's just a great role model for our future tennis stars," he said.
"I think the female side of this draw is truly amazing, it's going to be wonderful to see and it really is an inspiration for the young players."
The combined WTA and ATP tournament will take place from January 12-18, 2020.
Topics: sport, tennis, events, women, adelaide-5000, qld, melbourne-3000, vic, sa, australia