Horsham Lawn Tennis Club vice-president Brett Thompson said the club’s ‘unique’ facilities, which included 24 lawn tennis courts, continued to be a drawcard for organisers.
“Horsham Lawn has been lucky to host quite a few major tournaments in the past few years,” he said.
“This is testament to the facilities we have here and the volunteer numbers at the club.
“We have a couple of members with a sound knowledge of lawn. Gradually, the quality of the surfaces has improved out of sight.”
Mr Thompson said the club had also been working hard to prepare for a ‘massive job’ catering, with at least 500 people expected to visit Horsham as a result of the tournament.
He said the tournament was impressive from both a sporting perspective and the community surrounding it.
“Last year, we had lots of positive feedback – we are having a dinner on Saturday night and that is already booked out,” he said.
“It’s a good social event. The kids play against each other at other tournaments and create friendships.
“It’s an exceptional standard of tennis. If anyone visits Horsham Lawn during the tournament, they will see some of the top talent in the state.”
Mr Thompson said 13 tennis regions would be competing at the tournament, involving seven metropolitan and six country regions, including a Wimmera team.
“The main difference with this one is a lot of the tournaments are just country regions, this one is all of Victoria,” he said.
Horsham Rural City Council entered a three-year agreement with Tennis Victoria to bring the competition to the Wimmera, which is expected to inject up to $240,000 into the region’s economy this year.
Mayor Robyn Gulline extended her congratulations to Horsham Lawn Tennis Club and wished good luck to all competitors.
“We welcome all players, their families, and supporters to our regional city,” she said.
“Events like the Pat Cash Cup are a great way to showcase the unique surrounds of the region. Well done to members of Horsham Lawn Tennis Club, who have a long-standing reputation for successfully hosting previous tournaments.”
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