Tennis fans across South Australia have plenty to look forward to as the 2025 City of Playford Tennis International gets ready to serve up another top-tier tournament. Now in its seventh year, the event returns to the Playford Tennis Centre in Elizabeth East from Sunday, 23 November, offering over $240,000 in prize money and valuable world ranking points.
Men's Field Brings Back Familiar Faces
The men's draw is absolutely loaded this year. Rinky Hijikata from New South Wales is back to defend his 2024 title, but he's going to have his work cut out for him. James Duckworth, also from NSW, is a two-time champion here; he won it in 2019 and again in 2023. That kind of experience at this venue? You can't buy it. He's definitely one to watch.
The local crowd's going to be loud this week, and for good reason. South Australians Li Tu and Alex Bolt are both playing, and there's just something about seeing your own compete on home courts. The energy when either of them walks out there is incredible. You can bet they'll be feeding off that support and using every bit of home court advantage they can get.
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Women's Draw Showcases Homegrown Strength
The women's side of the draw is just as strong, if not stronger. Madison Inglis from Western Australia is coming back to defend her title, but she won't have an easy run. Top seed Kimberly Birrell from Queensland has won this tournament before and will be hungry to add another trophy to her collection. The battle between these two experienced competitors could be one of the storylines of the week.
Keep an eye on Queensland’s Emerson Jones, Western Australia’s Talia Gibson, and Victoria’s Destanee Aiava, all capable of shaking up the draw. These rising stars are the future of Australian tennis, and events like this are where they make their mark. With no clear favorite, the field looks wide open for some great matches ahead.
Final Stop Before the Australian Open
There's more riding on this tournament than usual. It's the last chance for players to earn points toward the Australian Open Main Draw Singles Wildcard Race. That means the competition will be absolutely fierce for some players. A good result here could be the difference between watching the Australian Open from the couch or competing in the main draw at Melbourne Park. You can bet everyone will be leaving it all out on the court.
Strong Partnerships Behind the Event
The tournament continues to grow each year, thanks to the strong partnership between Tennis SA, Tennis Australia, the City of Playford, TennisGear, and the Playford Tennis Club. Together, they’ve built one of the standout events on the Australian tennis calendar.
Running from 23 to 30 November, the City of Playford Tennis International gives local fans a rare chance to watch top-level professional tennis close to home. South Australia is serving up a can’t-miss week of action.