World Tennis Challenge

Last updated

World Tennis Challenge
World Tennis Challenge Logo.jpg
Defunct tennis tournament
Founded2009
Abolished2019
Location Adelaide
Australia
Venue Memorial Drive Park (2009–2019)
CategoryExhibition
Surface Hard court
DrawRR 4 teams
Website WorldTennisChallenge.com

The World Tennis Challenge was a three-night professional exhibition tennis tournament held in the week before the Australian Open in Adelaide, South Australia, as part of the Australian Open Series. The tournament was created by a consortium of past players including Jim Courier, Darren Cahill, Mark Woodforde, Roger Rasheed, and Alistair Macdonald. It featured four teams of two players, pairing a 'legend' with a current player, generally aligned by region or country. The current players competed in best-of-three matches with a match tiebreak for the third set. The legends played a pro set, and doubles (if required) was a single set with a super tiebreak decider. [1]

Contents

History

The event was first held in 2009 for an initial period of three years. [2] Independent reporting described it as a mix of competition and entertainment, featuring both current and former players. [3]

In 2012, Stanislas Wawrinka defeated Tommy Haas in one of the headline matches, reported internationally as a showcase of form ahead of the Australian Open. [4]

The 2017 edition of the tournament ran from 10 to 12 January, with the team names (Red, Blue and Gold) based on the state colours of South Australia. [5]

After 11 editions, the World Tennis Challenge was discontinued in 2019. It was replaced on the calendar by the Adelaide International, a combined ATP and WTA event that coincided with redevelopment of Memorial Drive Tennis Centre. [6] [7]

Tournament history

2009

Players and teams

TeamPro PlayerLegend
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Mark Philippoussis / Mark Verryth Pat Cash
Flag of France.svg  France Gaël Monfils / Fabrice Santoro Henri Leconte
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Joachim Johansson Mats Wilander / Mansour Bahrami
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Taylor Dent Jim Courier

[8] [9]

2010

Played between 12 and 14 January.

Players and teams

TeamPro PlayerLegend
Flag of Australasian team for Olympic games.svg Australasia Bernard Tomic Pat Cash
Flag of Europe.svg Europe Gilles Simon Henri Leconte
Flag of the United Nations.svg Internationals Radek Štěpánek Pat Rafter / Mansour Bahrami
Flag of the United States.svg Americas Robby Ginepri John McEnroe

Schedule and results

Tuesday 12 January

MatchResult
Australia v Americas – Men's Singles (Current) Bernard Tomic def. Robby Ginepri 7–6(4), 6–4
Internationals v Europe – Men's Singles (Current) Radek Štěpánek def. Gilles Simon 7–6(4), 6–0
Europe v Internationals – Men's Singles (Legends) Henri Leconte def. Mansour Bahrami 8–5
Australia v Americas – Men's Singles (Legends) Pat Cash def. John McEnroe 8–6
Internationals v Europe – Men's DoublesŠtěpánek/Bahrami def. Simon/Leconte 7–5
Australia v Americas – Men's DoublesGinepri/McEnroe def. Tomic/Cash 7–6(5)

Thursday 14 January

MatchResult
Australia v Europe – Men's Singles (Current) Bernard Tomic (291) def. Gilles Simon (15) 6–0, 6–7(4–7), [10–6]
Internationals v Americas – Men's Singles (Current) Radek Štěpánek (13) def. Robby Ginepri (96) 6–4, 6–0
Australia v Europe – Men's Singles (Legends) Pat Cash def. Henri Leconte 8–4
Internationals v Americas – Men's Singles (Legends) Pat Rafter def. John McEnroe 8–6
Australia v Europe – DoublesTomic/Cash def. Simon/Leconte 7–6(7–5)
Internationals v Americas – DoublesMcEnroe/Ginepri def. Štěpánek/Rafter 6–3

[10] [11] [12]

2011

Played between 11 and 13 January.

Players and teams

TeamPro PlayerLegend
Flag of Australasian team for Olympic games.svg Australasia Kei Nishikori Pat Cash
Flag of Europe.svg Europe Michaël Llodra Henri Leconte
Flag of the United Nations.svg Internationals Ivan Ljubičić Ivan Lendl
Flag of the United States.svg Americas James Blake (replaced by Ryan Harrison) [13] John McEnroe

[9]

Schedule

2012

Played between 10 and 12 January.

Players and teams

TeamPro PlayerLegend
Flag of Australasian team for Olympic games.svg Australasia Alexandr Dolgopolov Patrick Rafter
Flag of Europe.svg Europe Michaël Llodra Henri Leconte
Flag of the United Nations.svg Internationals Stanislas Wawrinka Brad Gilbert / Mansour Bahrami
Flag of the United States.svg Americas Tommy Haas John McEnroe

2017

The 2017 World Tennis Challenge ran from the 10th until the 12th of January 2017 as part of the Australian Open Series. The team names (Red, Blue and Gold) are based on the state colours of South Australia. [15]

Players and teams

TeamMen's DoublesMen's SinglesLegend's Singles
Team Red Flag of the United States.svg Bob Bryan / Flag of the United States.svg Mike Bryan Flag of the United States.svg Sam Querrey Flag of France.svg Fabrice Santoro
Team Blue Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Daniel Nestor / Flag of France.svg Edouard Roger-Vasselin Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Tomas Berdych Flag of Croatia.svg Goran Ivanisevic
Team Gold Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Peers / Flag of Finland.svg Henri Kontinen Flag of Ukraine.svg Alexandr Dolgopolov Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Philippoussis

Champions

YearTeam
2009 Flag of the United States.svg Americas
2010Flag of Australasian team for Olympic games.svg Australasia
2011 Flag of the United States.svg Americas
2012 Flag of the United States.svg Americas

References

  1. ↑ WTC World Tennis Challenge
  2. ↑ World Tennis Challenge appoints IEC in Sports
  3. ↑ "Martina Hingis and Martina Navratilova back in Adelaide for World Tennis Challenge". The Advertiser. 5 January 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  4. ↑ "Wawrinka beats Haas in Adelaide exhibition". Tennis World USA. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  5. ↑ World Tennis Challenge order of play
  6. ↑ "The World Tennis Challenge is set to end after 11 years as Adelaide's premier tennis event". The Advertiser. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  7. ↑ "Adelaide steals tennis tournament off Sydney as new roof funded". ABC News. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  8. ↑ "Adelaide International Tennis Tournament | 12–17 January 2026". Adelaide International Tennis. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  9. 1 2 "Adelaide International Tennis Tournament | 12–17 January 2026". Adelaide International Tennis. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  10. ↑ WTC World Tennis Challenge
  11. ↑ WTC Australia Win WTC 2010
  12. ↑ WTC Opening Night
  13. ↑ WTC Harrison replaces Blake
  14. ↑ WTC 2011 Draw
  15. ↑ World Tennis Challenge order of play
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