28 October 2017 | Tennis ACT

Canberra’s Alison Bai has received a wildcard into the women’s main draw of the Apis Canberra International, along with Victorian Belinda Woolcock.

Bai who is currently ranked 604 in the WTA rankings is the ACT top ranked female.  She reached a career high ranking of 305 in 2015 and is thankful for the opportunity to play in the main draw in her home town.

“I’m very grateful to Tennis Australia for giving me the wildcard, it saves me have to play an extra three rounds of qualifying, so I’ll be more fresh [for main draw]

Bai sees the event as the opportunity to engage the next generation of players in Canberra, saying  “I’m definitely encouraging a lot of people to come down and check it out, and bring their kids along with the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots courts to try and get the participation numbers up and get people more involved in tennis”.

Woolcock is a college tennis graduate and has risen up the rankings in the second half of 2017, sitting at a career high ranking of 629.

Sara Tomic (QLD), Astra Sharma (WA), Storm Sanders (WA) and Maddison Inglis (WA) have all moved into the main draw.

In the men’s draw, Jacob Grills (VIC), Blake Ellis (QLD), and Benard Bruno Nkomba (NSW) have received wildcards into the main draw.  Omar Jasika (VIC) and Harry Bourchier (TAS) have filled the last two vacancies in the main draw.