Geraldton Easter tournament returns as club hopes to attract more than 100 players to historic weekend

Easter is often when families gather but for the Geraldton Tennis Club it will be a gathering of some of the best tennis players in the State as their Easter tournament returns for 2023.

The Geraldton Easter open is one of the oldest tournaments in WA and has been running for the past 85 years but had to be cancelled last year because of COVID.

The tournament itself has a prestigious history hosting many of the State’s top players including recent Australian Open Doubles champion Jason Kubler in 2018 and Casey Dellacqua in 2005 and the Patten brothers.

However, the event is also open to amateurs with all standards of players welcome with brackets graded on playing ability and age.

Organiser Danny Bowen said the club had used the forced break to help rejuvenate the tournament with organisers hoping to attract more than 100 players across the 12 events.

“We’re putting more of an emphasis on the socially competitive aspect, a lot of local players don’t join because they’re a bit intimidated by it,” he said.

“But it should be a fun weekend where matches are scheduled to allow players time to relax and enjoy each other’s company.”

“We’re also rebuilding after COVID as interrupted the last edition and we want as many players a possible.”

The tournament starts on Friday, April 7 at the Geraldton Tennis Club on 8th street at 1pm with the mixed doubles events.

Junior events and the men’s and women’s singles and doubles events will be run on Saturday, April 8 and Sunday, April 9.

There are also events to cater for the 40 and over players and entries are coming in slowly.

Anyone interested in entering should contact the club or go online at tournaments.tennis.com.au.