Hobart International

The Hobart International is a women's professional tennis tournament held at the Hobart International Tennis Centre in Hobart, Australia. The tournament was founded in 1994 as the Tasmanian International Open,[1] it forms a part of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour and is classed as an International tournament (previously Tier IV). It is competed on outdoor hardcourts, and is held in the run-up to the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, the Australian Open as part of the Australian Open Series.

Hobart International
Tournament information
Founded1994 (1994)
LocationHobart
Australia
VenueHobart International Tennis Centre
CategoryWTA 250
SurfaceHard (Plexicushion) – outdoors
Draw32S / 24Q / 16D
Prize moneyUS$259,303 (2023)
WebsiteHobartInternational.com.au
Current champions (2023)
SinglesUnited States Lauren Davis
DoublesBelgium Kirsten Flipkens
Germany Laura Siegemund

The tournament is held at the Hobart International Tennis Centre. It was previously sponsored by Moorilla Wines, ANZ and Schweppes. The tournament has played host to a number of top players in the past, such as World #1's Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin and Serena Williams. Other top players who have participated in the event include Australian Open and Wimbledon semifinalist Zheng Jie, and current/former Top 10 players Jelena Dokić, Alicia Molik, Flavia Pennetta, Chanda Rubin, Patty Schnyder, Samantha Stosur and Vera Zvonareva.

History

In 1893 the Tasmanian Lawn Tennis Championships were established as a combined mens and womens international tennis tournament. In 1969 that tournaments names was changed to the Tasmanian Open Championships,[2] becoming the Tasmanian Open[3] played in Hobart on hard courts in 1978. That tournament ended in 1980. In 1994 this successor event for former womens tournament was revived as the Tasmanian International Open[4] and remained branded under that name until 2003 when the tournament name was changed to the Moorilla Hobart International. In 2014 the tournament was rebranded again as the Hobart International.

Redevelopment

Prior to the Australian Open changing its court surface, the tournament was played on Rebound Ace. When the Australian Open changed to Plexicushion in 2008, all Australian Open Series tournaments were required to change their court surfaces to Plexicushion. The Moorilla Hobart International, however, retained Rebound Ace. Tennis Australia announced that in order for Hobart to keep its tournament, it was required to make significant improvements to the facility, including resurfacing the courts to Plexicushion and improving the seating facilities. The Domain Tennis Centre resurfaced its hardcourts to Plexicushion in late 2008, in time for the 2009 tournament.

Midway through 2009, the Tasmanian Government announced a $2.25 million to fund redevelopments to the Domain Tennis Centre over 2009–10.[5] This announcement was to ensure that the Moorilla Hobart International tournament was retained. Prior to the 2010 singles final, representatives from Tennis Australia, along with tournament director Michael Roberts, announced that the future of the tournament would be secured through to 2013.[6]

In 2009, the Domain Tennis Centre began a series of redevelopments in order to ensure the tournament's future.[7] The first stage of these redevelopments included the demolition of the northern seating to make way for a permanent Corporate Stand and also a new Media Stand at the southern end of the Centre Court. This was completed prior to the 2010 tournament. The second stage of the redevelopment is to construct new permanent grandstands at the eastern and western ends of the court, increasing seating from around 1000 spectators to 2800. The redevelopment was completed by the 2011 tournament.[8]

Past finals

Singles

Year Champion Runner-up Score
↓  Tier IV  ↓
1994Japan Mana EndoAustralia Rachel McQuillan6–1, 6–7 (1–7), 6–4
1995Georgia (country) Leila MeskhiChina Li Fang6–2, 6–3
1996France Julie Halard-DecugisJapan Mana Endo6–1, 6–2
1997Belgium Dominique van RoostUnited States Marianne Werdel Witmeyer6–3, 6–3
1998Switzerland Patty SchnyderBelgium Dominique van Roost6–3, 6–2
1999United States Chanda RubinItaly Rita Grande6–2, 6–3
2000Belgium Kim ClijstersUnited States Chanda Rubin2–6, 6–2, 6–2
↓  Tier V  ↓
2001Italy Rita GrandeUnited States Jennifer Hopkins0–6, 6–3, 6–3
2002Slovakia Martina SucháSpain Anabel Medina Garrigues7–6 (9–7), 6–1
2003Australia Alicia MolikUnited States Amy Frazier6–2, 4–6, 6–4
2004United States Amy FrazierJapan Shinobu Asagoe6–3, 6–3
2005China Zheng JieArgentina Gisela Dulko6–2, 6–0
↓  Tier IV  ↓
2006Netherlands Michaëlla KrajicekCzech Republic Iveta Benešová6–2, 6–1
2007Russia Anna ChakvetadzeRussia Vasilisa Bardina6–3, 7–6 (7–3)
2008Greece Eleni DaniilidouRussia Vera Zvonarevawalkover
↓  International  ↓
2009Czech Republic Petra KvitováCzech Republic Iveta Benešová7–5, 6–1
2010Ukraine Alona BondarenkoIsrael Shahar Pe'er6–2, 6–4
2011Australia Jarmila GrothUnited States Bethanie Mattek-Sands6–4, 6–3
2012Germany Mona BarthelBelgium Yanina Wickmayer6–1, 6–2
2013Russia Elena VesninaGermany Mona Barthel6–3, 6–4
2014Spain Garbiñe MuguruzaCzech Republic Klára Zakopalová6–4, 6–0
2015United Kingdom Heather WatsonUnited States Madison Brengle6–3, 6–4
2016France Alizé CornetCanada Eugenie Bouchard6–1, 6–2
2017Belgium Elise MertensRomania Monica Niculescu6–3, 6–1
2018Belgium Elise Mertens (2)Romania Mihaela Buzărnescu6–1, 4–6, 6–3
2019United States Sofia KeninSlovakia Anna Karolína Schmiedlová6–3, 6–0
2020Kazakhstan Elena RybakinaChina Zhang Shuai7–6(9–7), 6–3
2021not held
2022
2023United States Lauren DavisItaly Elisabetta Cocciaretto7–6(7–0), 6–2

Doubles

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1994United States Linda Wild
United States Chanda Rubin
Australia Jenny Byrne
Australia Rachel McQuillan
7–5, 4–6, 7–6(7–1)
1995Japan Kyōko Nagatsuka
Japan Ai Sugiyama
Netherlands Manon Bollegraf
Latvia Larisa Neiland
2–6, 6–4, 6–2
1996Indonesia Yayuk Basuki
Japan Kyōko Nagatsuka (2)
Australia Kerry-Anne Guse
South Korea Park Sung-hee
7–6(9–7), 6–3
1997Japan Naoko Kijimuta
Japan Nana Miyagi
Germany Barbara Rittner
Belgium Dominique Monami
6–3, 6–1
1998Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual
Argentina Paola Suárez
France Julie Halard-Decugis
Slovakia Janette Husárová
7–6(8–6), 6–3
1999South Africa Mariaan de Swardt
Ukraine Elena Tatarkova
France Alexia Dechaume-Balleret
France Émilie Loit
6–2, 6–2
2000Italy Rita Grande
France Émilie Loit
Belgium Kim Clijsters
Australia Alicia Molik
6–2, 2–6, 6–3
2001Zimbabwe Cara Black
Russia Elena Likhovtseva
Romania Ruxandra Dragomir
Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual
6–4, 6–1
2002Italy Tathiana Garbin
Italy Rita Grande (2)
Australia Catherine Barclay-Reitz
Australia Christina Wheeler
6–2, 7–6(7–3)
2003Zimbabwe Cara Black (2)
Russia Elena Likhovtseva (2)
Austria Barbara Schett
Austria Patricia Wartusch
7–5, 7–6(7–1)
2004Japan Shinobu Asagoe
Japan Seiko Okamoto
Belgium Els Callens
Austria Barbara Schett
2–6, 6–4, 6–3
2005China Yan Zi
China Zheng Jie
Spain Anabel Medina Garrigues
Russia Dinara Safina
6–4, 7–5
2006France Émilie Loit (2)
Australia Nicole Pratt
United States Jill Craybas
Croatia Jelena Kostanić
6–2, 6–1
2007Russia Elena Likhovtseva (3)
Russia Elena Vesnina
Spain Anabel Medina Garrigues
Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual
2–6, 6–1, 6–2
2008Spain Anabel Medina Garrigues
Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual (2)
Greece Eleni Daniilidou
Germany Jasmin Wöhr
6–2, 6–4
2009Argentina Gisela Dulko
Italy Flavia Pennetta
Ukraine Alona Bondarenko
Ukraine Kateryna Bondarenko
6–2, 7–6(7–4)
2010Chinese Taipei Chuang Chia-jung
Czech Republic Květa Peschke
Chinese Taipei Chan Yung-jan
Romania Monica Niculescu
3–6, 6–3, [10–7]
2011Italy Sara Errani
Italy Roberta Vinci
Ukraine Kateryna Bondarenko
Latvia Līga Dekmeijere
6–3, 7–5
2012Romania Irina-Camelia Begu
Romania Monica Niculescu
Chinese Taipei Chuang Chia-jung
New Zealand Marina Erakovic
6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–4), [10–5]
2013Spain Garbiñe Muguruza
Spain María Teresa Torró Flor
Hungary Tímea Babos
Luxembourg Mandy Minella
6–3, 7–6(7–5)
2014Romania Monica Niculescu (2)
Czech Republic Klára Zakopalová
United States Lisa Raymond
China Zhang Shuai
6–2, 6–7(5–7), [10–8]
2015Netherlands Kiki Bertens
Sweden Johanna Larsson
Russia Vitalia Diatchenko
Romania Monica Niculescu
7–5, 6–3
2016China Han Xinyun
United States Christina McHale
Australia Kimberly Birrell
Australia Jarmila Wolfe
6–3, 6–0
2017Romania Raluca Olaru
Ukraine Olga Savchuk
Canada Gabriela Dabrowski
China Yang Zhaoxuan
0–6, 6–4, [10–5]
2018Belgium Elise Mertens
Netherlands Demi Schuurs
Ukraine Lyudmyla Kichenok
Japan Makoto Ninomiya
6–2, 6–2
2019Chinese Taipei Chan Hao-ching
Chinese Taipei Latisha Chan
Belgium Kirsten Flipkens
Sweden Johanna Larsson
6–3, 3–6, [10–6]
2020Ukraine Nadiia Kichenok
India Sania Mirza
China Peng Shuai
China Zhang Shuai
6–4, 6–4
2021not held
2022
2023Belgium Kirsten Flipkens
Germany Laura Siegemund
Switzerland Viktorija Golubic
Hungary Panna Udvardy
6–4, 7–5

See also

References

  1. "Endo Wins First Event". Cumberland Sunday Times News. Cumberland, Maryland, USA: Newspaper Archives. 16 January 1994. p. 17. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  2. "Miss Casals Advances". Phoenix Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona, United States: Newspaper Archives. 4 January 1969. p. 96. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  3. Barrett, John; Tingay, Lance (1979). World of tennis : a BP yearbook. 1979. London: Macdonald and Jane's. p. 191. ISBN 0354090682.
  4. "Endo Wins First Event". Cumberland Sunday Times News. Cumberland, Maryland, USA: Newspaper Archives. 16 January 1994. p. 17. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  5. "$6.5 Million for Sport and Recreation Infrastructure". tas.gov.au. 11 June 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  6. "Event's future secured". themercury.com.au. 14 January 2010. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  7. "Development begins at the Domain Tennis Centre". hobartinternational.com.au. 24 August 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  8. "Celebrating 25 years in Hobart". Hobart International. 31 December 2017.
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