A budding quartet of rising Australian tennis talents will have their chance to shine at the Hobart International this weekend after receiving wildcards into qualifying.
The tournament has proven a springboard in launching careers for a host of Grand Slam champions – recently retired Australian star Ash Barty made her WTA main draw debut at the Domain Tennis Centre in 2011 – and four locals will be hoping to follow in similar footsteps.
Gold Coaster Emerson Jones, who at just 14 is one of the youngest players to ever feature at the event, Brisbane’s Lily Taylor (16), and 17-year-old pair Lily Fairclough (WA) and Zara Larke (Vic) will all grace the courts when qualifying kicks off Saturday morning.
Photo: Emerson Jones, Australia’s second highest ranked ITF junior (35)
Jones, the daughter of former Olympic triathlon silver medallist Loretta Jones (Harrop), is the country’s second highest ranked ITF junior (35) and the highest ranked 2008-born player in the world. She was a member of the Australian Junior Billie Jean King Cup team which featured in the finals in Turkey last November, won back-to-back B2 and J2 ITF events in Sydney and was a finalist in the female junior athlete of the year at the annual Australian Tennis Awards.
“It’s pretty exciting to get this opportunity, we’ll see how it goes,” Jones said. “There’s not really any expectations, just to compete hard.”
Photo: Lily Taylor, currently the junior ITF world No. 51 (third highest Australian).
Taylor, who joined Jones in the Junior Billie Jean King Cup team, is currently the junior ITF world No. 51 (third highest Australian). She qualified for the Australian Open Junior Championships 12 months ago and also won two J4 ITF events in Brisbane and Darwin in 2022.
“I think the main purpose of this is just to give it a crack and have some match play to prepare for the J1 Traralgon and the AO [Australian Open] and just have some fun and experience the higher level,” she said.
Photo: A J2 ITF runner up in Thailand and semi-finalist at the J2 Sydney event last year, Lily Fairclough is the fourth highest Aussie ITF junior (ranked 80)
A J2 ITF runner up in Thailand and semi-finalist at the J2 Sydney event last year, Fairclough is the fourth highest Aussie ITF junior (ranked 80) while Larke, who won the Mornington J3 and was also a semi-finalist at the J2 Sydney in 2022, is the 96th ranked ITF female junior (fifth highest Australian).
Photo: Zara Larke, who won the Mornington J3 and was also a semi-finalist at the J2 Sydney in 2022, is the 96th ranked ITF female junior (fifth highest Australian).
“I’m not really trying to put much pressure on myself, just whoever I play, giving my best effort and try not to play the person too much,” Fairclough said. Larke is equally as excited about the opportunity which has presented itself. “I’m just going to go out there and give it my best shot.”
For all four girls, it is their first time in Hobart.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing some of the country’s most exciting prospects in action when our qualifying gets underway this weekend,” Hobart International Tournament Director Darren Sturgess said.
“The Hobart crowds always get behind our locals, the talent within the junior ranks is exceptional and I’m sure all four of the girls will provide stern opposition as they chase a spot in the main draw.”
The draw for qualifying will be announced tomorrow, Friday 6 January.
The Qualifying Weekend on Saturday and Sunday is open and free to the general public and gives the entire community a taste of what they can expect during the week. Kids go free for the entire week of the tournament with any paying adult.
While the tennis will light up the courts at Domain Tennis Centre, the event will also feature a range of activities, performances and initiatives. These include:
- Free Qualifying Weekend – Saturday and Sunday January 7 and 8
- Opening Round – Monday January 9
- A celebration of Women – Wednesday January 11
- Inspired Women’s Event hosted at Government House featuring Daria Saville (Australian Tennis star) and Libby Minogue (Chief Marketing Officer, Virgin Australia Airlines)
- Putting Women and Girls front and centre in key roles such as the on court officials and ballkids
- A celebration of First Nations – Thursday January 12
- A celebration of Pride – Friday January 13
- Hobart Out Tennis Tournament starts and runs through to Sunday January 15
- Maddy Jane performances (local Tasmanian musician out of Bruny Island) – Friday January 13 and Saturday January 14
- Maggie and Sophie Cunningham to present the Angie Cunningham Trophy to the winner in honour of their late mother – Saturday January 14.
Tickets for the Hobart International are on sale via Ticketmaster.
Prices start from $25 for adults and general admission is free for children with a paying adult during the entire event, including finals.
Hobart International 2023 by the numbers
- Three former Hobart International singles champions: Alize Cornet (2016), Elise Mertens (2017, 2018), Sofia Kenin (2019)
- Eight current top-50 players: Marie Bouzkova (No. 24), Elise Mertens (No.29), Alize Cornet (No. 36), Sloane Stephens (No. 37), Bernarda Pera (No.43), Anhelina Kalinina (No. 47), Magda Linette (No. 48), Wang Xiyu (No. 50)
- Ten players who achieved career-high rankings in 2022: Marie Bouzkova, Bernarda Pera, Anhelina Kalinina, Wang Xiyu, Mayar Sherif, Lucia Bronzetti, Claire Liu, Jasmine Paolini, Zhu Lin, Elisabetta Cocciaretto
- Five players who won WTA singles titles in 2022: Marie Bouzkova, Elise Mertens, Bernarda Pera, Mayar Sherif, Sloane Stephens
- Three players who made Grand Slam singles quarterfinals in 2022: Alize Cornet (Australian Open), Marie Bouzkova (Wimbledon), Sloane Stephens (Roland Garros)
- Seven returning players from last event in 2020: Marie Bouzkova, Alize Cornet, Elise Mertens, Magda Linette, Alison Van Uytvanck, Zhu Lin, Madison Brengle
The Hobart International 2023 will take place at the Domain Tennis Centre from 9-14 January 2023.
Hobart International is supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania.