Adelaide International

History of the Adelaide International Tennis Tournament

The Foundations of Professional Tennis in Adelaide

Adelaide’s connection with elite tennis stretches back well before the modern Adelaide International was established. The Memorial Drive Tennis Centre, now known as The Drive, became an important venue for Australian tennis and hosted the Australian Hardcourt Championships, a men’s professional tournament that attracted prominent international competitors. Its history includes champions such as Mark Woodforde, who won the event in 1988 and 1989, and Jim Courier, who lifted the title in 1995. Todd Woodbridge won in 1997, while a teenage Lleyton Hewitt claimed the championship in 1998 at just 16 years old. Hewitt won it again in 2000, demonstrating the venue’s connection with Australian players who would go on to achieve international success. Novak Djokovic also won the Australian Hardcourt Championships in Adelaide in 2007, adding another major name to the venue’s history. These earlier competitions helped establish Adelaide as a credible destination for high-level tennis and provided a foundation for the modern international event.

The World Tennis Challenge Era

After the Australian Hardcourt Championships moved to Brisbane, Memorial Drive continued to play a role in the tennis calendar through the World Tennis Challenge. This exhibition event brought together current and former professional players and offered spectators a different format from conventional tour tournaments. It helped maintain public interest in tennis in Adelaide and kept the venue connected with the international game. The World Tennis Challenge continued until 2019, the year before the modern Adelaide International began. Although exhibition tennis differs from a ranking tournament, it can provide an accessible way for fans to see celebrated players and enjoy matches in a less conventional competitive setting. The event also formed part of the wider context in which South Australia sought to strengthen its sporting offering and attract more elite tennis to the city. The transition from earlier competitions to the Adelaide International was therefore not a complete break with the past; it built on decades of tennis activity at Memorial Drive.

2018–2019: Redeveloping Memorial Drive

A major redevelopment of Memorial Drive was initiated in 2018 with support from a federal government grant. The project aimed to modernise the facility and make it suitable for hosting major international tennis events. The redevelopment included a new sunken outdoor show court, a tennis pavilion, six additional match courts and a five-court clay court centre. Work was completed in April 2023, although the modern Adelaide International had already begun using the venue in 2020. This timeline is important: the tournament’s launch preceded the completion of the wider redevelopment, while the later improvements strengthened the precinct’s long-term capacity. The upgraded facilities also supported the venue’s broader role in tennis participation, training and events beyond the international tournament. By investing in the site, South Australia created a stronger base for professional tennis and a more modern experience for spectators and players alike.

2020: The Modern Adelaide International Begins

The modern Adelaide International launched in January 2020 as a combined men’s and women’s professional tennis event. Its introduction gave Adelaide a prominent place in the Australian summer tennis season, immediately before the Australian Open. The inaugural edition featured ATP and WTA competition on outdoor hard courts, drawing international players to the city. In the men’s singles final, Russian player Andrey Rublev defeated South African Lloyd Harris 6–3, 6–0. The women’s singles title went to Australia’s Ashleigh Barty, who defeated Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska 6–2, 7–5. Barty’s victory was especially significant for local spectators because she was the reigning home favourite and would later become one of the defining Australian players of her generation. The inaugural doubles champions included Máximo González and Fabrice Martin in the men’s event and Nicole Melichar and Xu Yifan in the women’s event. These results established the first chapter of the tournament’s modern honour roll.

2021: A Women’s Champion in a Disrupted Tennis Season

The 2021 edition took place in February rather than its usual January position, reflecting the disruption to the international tennis calendar during the COVID-19 pandemic. Poland’s Iga Swiatek won the women’s singles title, defeating Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic 6–2, 6–2. The result added another major name to Adelaide’s developing history and highlighted the event’s importance as a platform for leading WTA players. The season was unusual across professional tennis because international travel, health protocols and scheduling adjustments affected tournaments around the world. Despite those challenges, Adelaide continued to provide competitive opportunities and a route into the Australian summer hard-court season. The men’s singles honour roll records no champion for Adelaide in 2021, so the year’s history is particularly associated with the women’s competition and Swiatek’s title.

2022: Thanasi Kokkinakis Delivers a Home-Crowd Triumph

The 2022 tournament marked a memorable year for Australian tennis. Adelaide hosted two editions of the men’s and women’s competition during the January swing, commonly distinguished as Adelaide International 1 and Adelaide International 2. In the first men’s singles final, France’s Gaël Monfils defeated Russia’s Karen Khachanov 6–4, 6–4. Australia’s Ashleigh Barty won the corresponding women’s title, beating Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina 6–3, 6–2. The second edition produced one of the tournament’s most popular home victories when South Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis won the men’s singles championship. Kokkinakis defeated France’s Arthur Rinderknech 6–7, 7–6, 6–3, recovering from a set down to secure the trophy. The victory was especially meaningful because he won in front of his home crowd after years of injury interruptions and difficult periods in his professional career. In the women’s singles final of the second event, American Madison Keys defeated compatriot Alison Riske 6–1, 6–2. The double staging helped make Adelaide a major focus of the Australian tennis summer.

2023: Djokovic, Kwon, Bencic and Sabalenka Make Their Mark

Two Adelaide International events were also staged in January 2023. The first men’s singles title went to Novak Djokovic, who defeated American Sebastian Korda in a dramatic three-set final, 6–7, 7–6, 6–4. Djokovic saved championship points during the contest before completing his comeback, making the match one of the standout finals in the tournament’s early history. His victory also demonstrated Adelaide’s ability to attract and stage matches featuring the very biggest names in men’s tennis. The second men’s singles title was won by South Korea’s Kwon Soon-woo, who beat Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6–4, 3–6, 7–6. In the women’s events, Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic defeated Russia’s Daria Kasatkina 6–0, 6–2 in the first final, while Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka beat Czech teenager Linda Noskova 6–3, 7–6 in the second. The results added further depth to the tournament’s history and showcased a mixture of established champions and emerging players.

2024: New Champions Continue the Tradition

The 2024 Adelaide International continued the tournament’s tradition of producing high-quality matches and new names on its singles honour roll. Czech player Jiří Lehečka won the men’s singles title, defeating Britain’s Jack Draper 4–6, 6–4, 6–3. Lehečka’s victory demonstrated the importance of the Australian summer swing for younger players seeking to establish themselves against strong professional fields. In the women’s singles final, Latvia’s Jeļena Ostapenko defeated Russia’s Daria Kasatkina 6–3, 6–2 to claim the championship. The doubles events also featured accomplished pairings. India’s Rohan Bopanna and Australia’s Matthew Ebden were among the leading doubles names during this period, while the 2024 men’s doubles title in Adelaide went to Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury. In women’s doubles, Beatriz Haddad Maia and Taylor Townsend won the championship. The tournament’s growing profile reflected the continuing investment in the venue and Adelaide’s position as an attractive destination for international players preparing for the Australian Open.

2025: Félix Auger-Aliassime and Madison Keys Win the Titles

The 2025 Adelaide International took place from 6 to 11 January at Memorial Drive, by then operating as part of the redeveloped tennis precinct. The men’s singles title was won by Canada’s Félix Auger-Aliassime, who defeated American Sebastian Korda 6–3, 3–6, 6–1. The women’s singles championship went to Madison Keys, who beat fellow American Jessica Pegula 6–3, 4–6, 6–1. Keys’ victory proved particularly noteworthy because she went on to win the Australian Open later that month, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the Melbourne final. Her Adelaide title therefore formed part of a remarkable start to the year. The 2025 event attracted more than 50,000 spectators, according to Tennis SA’s annual report, and featured more than 170 elite athletes across its competitions. The field included international stars as well as Australian favourites such as Thanasi Kokkinakis and Rinky Hijikata. The tournament continued to strengthen its reputation as both a high-level competition in its own right and a valuable preview of the Australian Open.

2026: Record Attendance and a New Generation of Champions

The 2026 Adelaide International concluded in January with record attendance of 60,011 across six days, according to Tennis Australia’s tournament report. The event’s growth reflected the increasing popularity of the tournament and the appeal of watching leading players in Adelaide. Czech player Tomáš Macháč won the men’s singles title after defeating France’s Ugo Humbert 6–4, 6–7, 6–2. Russia’s Mirra Andreeva captured the women’s singles championship, beating Canada’s Victoria Mboko 6–3, 6–1. The doubles titles were also decided during the week: Kateřina Siniaková and Zhang Shuai won the women’s doubles competition, while Harri Heliövaara and Henry Patten took the men’s doubles crown. The tournament included leading women’s players such as returning champion Madison Keys and rising star Andreeva, alongside a strong men’s field. Beyond the courts, expanded entertainment activities around Pinky Flat helped create a broader festival atmosphere. The 2026 edition therefore represented an important milestone, combining high-level professional tennis with a new attendance record and a growing range of experiences for spectators.

The Adelaide International’s Place in Modern Tennis

Since its establishment in 2020, the Adelaide International has developed into an important part of the Australian summer tennis season. Its history connects the long-standing tradition of professional tennis at Memorial Drive with the modern ATP and WTA Tours. The tournament has crowned champions ranging from established Grand Slam winners to emerging players seeking their first major breakthrough, while home favourites such as Ashleigh Barty and Thanasi Kokkinakis have provided memorable moments for Australian supporters. The redevelopment of The Drive, the introduction of combined tour events and record attendance in 2026 all demonstrate the tournament’s growing significance. Its position immediately before the Australian Open gives it a distinctive role: players arrive looking for match fitness and momentum, while spectators gain an early opportunity to assess the form of the world’s leading professionals. As the Adelaide International continues to evolve, its blend of elite tennis, local enthusiasm and South Australian hospitality makes it an increasingly important fixture on the global tennis calendar.