Sport
6 October, 2024
Get a taste of the world tour
EPIC battles are brewing for the glory at this Cairns International Pro Tour, where the best tennis players from across Australia and the world are fighting for the trophy and international ranking.
Qualifying kicked off last Sunday as the Cairns International Pro Tour made its awaited return to Far North Queensland until October 13.
Centre court saw Townsville’s Lizette Cabrera (seventh seed) ready to embrace the North Queensland heat and kick off the main draw on Tuesday with a clean sweep 6-2, 6-3, against Japan’s Nanari Katsumi, showing she is ready to regain her 2022 title at the event after having to withdraw from the 2023 final due to injury.
“I’m just really happy to be back in Cairns. I love playing this tournament and am excited for the next two weeks,” Ms Cabrera said after her win.
Tuesday also saw Tai Leonard Sach, who grew up in Cairns, making the main draw in a centre court session against fellow Aussie, Roger Rogowski taking the win 6-1, 6-4.
Wednesday’s on court action started with world No. 1 junior Emerson Jones in her debut at this event, against Belle Thompson taking the match 6-3, 6-4 for an exciting debut.
The Cairns International Pro Tour event consists of two consecutive ITF men’s and women’s singles and doubles events, providing players with the opportunity to compete for a combined prize pool of $100,000 USD, in addition to valuable world ranking points.
“The Australian Pro Tour is an integral part of the high-performance pathway for our emerging athletes and also those we have seen for many years plying their trade,” said the tournament director Andrew Reynolds.
“Being able to host international events such as the ITF Pro Tour right here in Cairns is important for providing athletes the opportunity to experience competing at an international level. It has been fantastic to see players from the local area and greater area of North Queensland taking part.”
This Australian Pro Tour event also presents a unique opportunity for Cairns spectators to witness international tennis up close, featuring top players from around the globe.
Notable athletes to watch include Emerson Jones, the current World No. 1 junior who has started with a win, Lizette Cabrera, from Townsville, who’s eager to take the throne back, Omar Jasika, the 2023 Champion, and rising star Talia Gibson.
The general public can visit the Cairns International Tennis Centre to watch world-class tennis matches for free.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/47RrK1x
