16 August 2011 | Tennis Australia

Junior Wimbledon champion Luke Saville and Colin Ebelthite have registered for the new National Tennis League (NTL) to be launched in Adelaide in November.

The NTL will be an opportunity for aspiring players, club professionals or past players to play in a paid  league which will aim to lift the profile of local and club tennis and  provide another professional playing opportunity for aspiring juniors.

Saville and Ebelthite are expected to be the hottest property up for grabs when South Australian teams start recruiting for the inaugural competition.

The NTL’s Adelaide conference will feature six men’s and six women’s teams do battle over five regular season matches from November to December.

“It’s all go and people are pretty excited,” Tennis SA chief executive Alistair MacDonald said.

“Luke Saville has registered but I’m not sure which team he’s going to play for. There are a few who would want him.”

The final will be held on 22 December with the winner to face-off against the best teams from Victoria and Western Australia at Melbourne Park on 25-26 January 2012.

Tennis SA held a briefing session with clubs last week as player registrations opened and Saville and Ebelthite were among the first to commit.

MacDonald said Trinity Gardens, Somerton Park and Rostrevor had indicated they were likely to enter a team in the league’s debut season.

Most matches will be played under lights on Thursday.

NTL player registrations close on 22 August.

National Tennis League Player Nomination Form