20 December 2016 | Tennis ACT

Five-time Challenger title holder and world No.63 Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) is set to headline the East Hotel Canberra Challenger 2017 which will feature the strongest field in the event’s history with 12 players from inside the world’s top 100.

After reaching a career high in 2014 of world No.46, Struff represented his country at the September Davis Cup tie, defeating Poland on home soil. In October, the 27-year-old won the Mons Challenger in Belgium and was finalist in Furth and Heilbronn ATP Challengers in Germany.

Other names lining up in the field with Struff include world No.68 Gerald Melzer (AUT) world No.75 Adam Pavlasek (CZE), world No.78 and 2016 Grand Slam doubles champion Herbert Pierre-Hugues (FRA), world No.88 Donald Young (USA) and world No.96 Dudi Sela (ISR).

In form Melzer also holds five career ATP Challenger titles, four of those won in 2016.  Melzer has made three appearances for the Austrian Davis Cup team from 2014 – 2016. Similarly, Pavlasek achieved a career high ranking in November 2016 after a successful 2016. He won two Challenger titles this year and reached the final round on four occasions.

Pierre-Hugues has had an incredible year, highlighted by winning the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon in 2016 alongside partner Nicolas Mahut (FRA).

Young has previously been ranked as high as No.38, won eight career Challenger titles and twice reached the fourth round of the US Open. Young has also made two appearances for the American Davis Cup team in 2014 and 2015.

Former world No.29, Sela holds 17 career Challenger titles and is Israel’s No. 1 tennis player. Sela has made 35 grand slam appearances, reaching the third round of the Australian Open in 2015 and 2016. The 31-year-old is a stalwart in the Israel Davis Cup team, having played in 47 ties over his career.

Also planning on competing in Canberra is Next Gen Canadian player, current world No. 253 Denis Shapovalov (CAN). In 2016, Shapovalov received an ATP Masters World Tour wildcard entry to the Rogers Cup in Toronto and defeated current world No.13 Nick Kyrgios (ACT) in three-sets.

Leading the Australian contingent of five, is former world No.53 and Australian No. 7 Sam Groth (NSW). Groth has been a member of the Australian Davis Cup team for the past three years. The 29-year-old has won four ATP Challenger titles and a Challenger finalist six times during his career.

Groth is known across the globe for hitting the fastest serve on record at 263 km/h (163.4 mph) in 2012 at the ATP Challenger in Busan. Groth has been hampered by a persistent foot problem through 2016, plummeting more than 200 slots. With his biggest weapon firing again, Groth claimed his first trophy in 16 months in October, beating Colombian Santiago Giraldo 6-7 (7-4) 6-4 7-5 at the Las Vegas Tennis Open.

Groth went into the AO playoff last week as the number 2 seed, however was ousted in the second round by 22-year-old Sydneysider Chris O’Connell (NSW). He told Tennis Australia, the foot felt fine after coming off court.

“I just got through a five-setter, 10-8 in the fifth, so that’s a good sign,” he said.

“This year was disappointing but I’m moving forward. I want to get back where I was at the end of 2015 and I still feel like quality tennis is ahead of me.”

Alongside Groth will be fellow Aussies world No. 221 Marinko Matosevic (VIC), world No.367 Omar Jasika (VIC), world No.394 Dane Kelly (VIC), and world No.396 Maverick Banes (QLD).

Former world No.39, Matosevic has had solid results this year including reaching ATP Challenger semi-finals in both China and Thailand. The 31-year-old has won four career Challenger titles and played 18 Grand Slam matches.

Youngsters Banes and Jasika have both ended 2016 with dream results, and will hope to continue their form in Canberra. On Sunday, Jasika defeated John-Patrick Smith (QLD) in the AO Play-off, winning the prize of a main draw wildcard at Australian Open 2017. On the same day, Banes achieved maiden success on home soil as he edged out American Jarmere Jenkins at the Tennis Wollongong International.

The 22 direct acceptances will be joined by four wildcards and four qualifiers. Qualifying begins Saturday 7 January 2017.

For most players, the East Hotel Canberra Challenger 2017 will form the final step in their preparation for Australian Open 2017 held in Melbourne from Monday 16 January.

“After winning the CBR Sport Award for the inaugural Canberra Challenger event in January 2016, we are needless to say, thrilled, but to have a field of such depth is what we are really excited about” Tennis ACT CEO Ross Triffitt said.

“This is the strongest male field we have been able to announce in Canberra and as a result, is set to offer the local community the opportunity to watch world class tennis right in their backyard.”

Recently, Tennis ACT was awarded the Minister for Sport & Recreation’s Award for Event Excellence for the Canberra Challenger 2016 at the 2016 CBR Sport Awards.

The East Hotel Canberra Challenger 2017 will take place at Canberra Tennis Centre, Lyneham, ACT from 7 January 2017 to 14 January 2017.

Entry to the event from 7 January to 13 January is free of charge. Entry on Saturday 14 January, finals day, is by gold coin donation.

For more information on the Australian Pro Tour visit tennis.com.au. For more information on the Challenger Tour visit atpchallengertour.com.

East Hotel Canberra Challenger 2017

Player acceptance list as at 20 December 2016

ATP Rank	First name	Last name	Nation
63	Jan-Lennard	Struff	GER
68	Gerald	Melzer	AUT
75	Adam	Pavlasek	CZE
78	Herbert	Pierre-Hugues	FRA
83	Renzo	Olivo	ARG
85	Konstantin	Kravchuk	RUS
86	Steve	Darcis	BEL
88	Donald	Young	USA
95	Carlos	Berlocq	ARG
96	Dudi	Sela	ISR
97	Radu	Albot	MDA
99	Daniil	Medvedev	RUS
153	Quentin	Halys	FRA
180	Sam	Groth	AUS
221	Marinko	Matosevic	AUS
253	Denis	Shapovalov	CAN
273	Alejandro	Falla	COL
342	Karim-Mohamed	Maamoun	EGY
367	Omar	Jasika	AUS
394	Dayne	Kelly	AUS
396	Maverick	Banes	AUS
432	Mats	Moraing	GER

Please note: list is subject to change