Brisbane QLD, Australia, 11 November 2014 | Tennis Queensland

The Tennis Brisbane Chargers and Shaw Park Sharks will bid for a hat trick of Asia-Pacific Tennis League (ATL) titles when the Queensland Conference launches next Friday 21 November at the Shaw Park Tennis Centre. The Chargers have won the opening two years of the men’s competition whilst the Sharks have proved formidable in the women’s event.

The Chargers and Sharks will be joined in the upcoming ATL season by the Beenleigh Blaze, Sunshine Coast Breakers, Tennyson Volt and Toowoomba Tigers.

Conference Director, Matt Richards is excited for what the competition will bring to Queensland, with the release of names including some of Queensland’s emerging tennis stars.

“It’s very exciting to see the Queensland Conference of the ATL significantly build on its growth in 2013,” Richards said

“The conference rounds in November and December will provide the best spectacle of team tennis ever witnessed in Queensland.”

The ATL is a revolution in the sport that took Queensland tennis by storm in the 2013 season. Over 4,000 tennis fans attended the ties which included a one-time appearance by former world number one and grand slam champion Pat Rafter for the Sunshine Coast Breakers. With modified rules, a shortened format and some of the finest Queensland players all taking to the court at the one venue, each round of tennis displays the best the game has to offer.

Headlining the team line-ups will be World Number 132 James Duckworth and Brisbane-born John Millman, who won the ATP Challenger title in Traralgon last week. Duckworth will lead the Shaw Park Sharks whilst Millman heads up the formidable Tennis Brisbane Chargers line up. They will be joined by other emerging Queenslanders Ben Mitchell, Maverick Banes and Gavin van Peperzeel.

The women’s league features leading Queensland player Isabella Holland as well as emerging Queenslanders and Australian representatives Kimberly Birrell, Naiktha Bains and Priscilla Hon.

“The ATL provides a great opportunity for Queenslanders to see different generations of Australia’s leading tennis players in action at one venue,” Richards continued.

“I would encourage everyone to get along to each of the conference rounds starting with the launch on Friday 21 November from 6pm at the Shaw Park Tennis Centre.”

Each round of competition will feature entertainment for the whole family including team mascots, live music and food stalls available across the competition rounds. Prizes and giveaways will also be available at each round, including Hit the Target, a national competition giving you the chance to play with the Grand Slam stars on Rod Laver Arena at the 2015 Australian Open.

Full team lists and information on each ATL Queensland Conference round are attached. For further information please visit atl.tennis.com.au