It is just a couple of days now until the start of the EVES Open – the biggest international tennis event likely ever held in Tauranga, with professional players from around the world set to take on New Zealand’s best over seven days in the lead up to Christmas.

A notable feature of this ITF World Tennis Tour event is the prize pool split, with the men competing for US$15,000 and the women US$25,000. It will be one of the first professional tennis events in New Zealand to offer more prize money to women. Circuit rules do not allow events with prize money above US$15,000 for men in December, however there is no such rule for women. Tennis New Zealand saw this as a great opportunity to be able to offer additional prize money and ranking points for female athletes at this event.

That extra cash, and crucially the extra WTA ranking points on offer, has attracted players from all over Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia. The likes of Katherine Sebov from Canada and Ulrikke Eikeri from Norway are in the main draw alongside top Kiwi players Paige Hourigan, Valentina Ivanov, Erin Routliffe, Vivian Yang, and Monique Barry. There are also players from India and Japan, Germany, Kazakhstan, Czech Republic, and more.

The EVES Open – ITF World Tennis Tour: Tauranga will run from December 18-24 at Venture Developments WBOP Tennis Centre in Gordon Spratt Reserve, Pāpāmoa. Official WTA and ATP world ranking points are up for grabs for women and men. The ITF World Tennis Tour is part of the professional tennis circuit and features hundreds of tournaments each year across dozens of countries. The tour aims to attract the stars of the future, with some of the game’s biggest names making their start at this level.

There are two ITF World Tennis Tour events in New Zealand this December, in Wellington and Tauranga, which will provide emerging professional tennis players in New Zealand with a rare opportunity to earn ranking points and progress their careers while enjoying a summer at home.

A perfect example of that is Corban Crowther, who will be a fan favourite in Tauranga next week. Crowther picked up his first ATP ranking point earlier this week at the ITF World Tennis Tour event in Wellington. In Tauranga, he could be coming up against compatriots Ajeet Rai, Kiranpal Pannu, Isaac Becroft, Finn Reynolds, James Watt, George Stoupe, and Jack Loutit. All eight Kiwis picked up wins in the first round in Wellington. The top international seeds in Tauranga are Thomas Fancutt from Australia and Arthur Weber from France. There are also players from Japan and the United States in the draw.

“It’s incredible to have so many talented players from around the world coming to Tauranga. I think fans in the Bay will be blown away with the standard of tennis on show,” Crowther says.

Tennis New Zealand’s commercial and marketing manager Gareth Archer says he can’t wait for the event to start.

“It’s amazing how things have come together since our first conversations just a few short months ago,” Archer says.

“Everyone from the local Pāpāmoa Tennis Club, Western Bay of Plenty Tennis, TECT, Tauranga City Council, The Island brewery, and of course our naming rights partner EVES, have been incredibly supportive – it’s been a unique can-do attitude that you rarely experience as an event director. All we need now is a little sunshine and plenty of energy from the fans in attendance and I’m sure the players will put on a show.”

The EVES Open – ITF World Tennis Tour: Tauranga will run from December 18-24 at Venture Developments WBOP Tennis Centre, Gordon Spratt Reserve, Pāpāmoa. Play will begin from 11am each day, with entry free to spectators. Courtside hospitality is also available to book at www.tennis.kiwi/evesopen