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Premier Steven Marshall said $10 million in State Government funding announced today for a canopy over the Memorial Drive Tennis Centre was decisive in securing the men's ATP and women's WTA tournaments to replace the Sydney International.
The week-long tournament will be held in Adelaide from January 2020 and serve as a lead-in to the Australian Open in Melbourne.
The as-yet unnamed event will be the first international tennis tournament to take place in Adelaide since 2008
Tennis Australia chief executive officer Craig Tiley said the event would bring 120 of the top players in the world to Adelaide, playing across at least three courts.
"On the women's side you'll see the best — we're estimating 28 or 29 of the top 30 [players]," Mr Tiley said.
"There will be no other women's event in the world that will have that strength other than the grand slams."
Male players have tended to skip the Sydney International because of its close proximity on the calendar to the Australian Open.
"I think we'll see more [in Adelaide] now that we've got the roof," Mr Tiley said.
He said he was not bothered by the fact that with around 5,000 seats, Memorial Drive had half the capacity of the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre.
"This is a perfect-sized venue [in] a perfect location, we couldn't be happier, and for the city of Adelaide and the state I think it's a coup," he said.
Tennis Australia said the initial contract for the event was for five years, but it hoped for the fixture to become a long-term arrangement.
Lleyton Hewitt — one of Adelaide's most famous tennis stars — said the competition would be a motivator for young players.
"For those young kids coming up, it gives them a great opportunity to go out there and soak up the atmosphere," Hewitt said.
"I was able to come to the Australian men's hardcourt for all those years growing up and have that dream that I'd actually be able to play on my home court in an ATP event."
The State Government said agreeing to fund the new canopy was critical in convincing Tennis Australia to bring the event to Adelaide.
"We know that this is a great investment for South Australia because it's going to inspire the next generation of tennis champion here from South Australia," Mr Marshall said.
