Melbourne VIC, Australia, 30 October 2013 | Tennis Australia

Sydney Rebels and RSY Royals predicted to finish on top with the release of the Pre-season ATL rankings. 

The Asia-Pacific Tennis League (ATL) is set to captivate the club tennis scene with almost 60 teams taking to the court with the aspiration of being the best club in the Asia-Pacific region.

This year’s league will witness five conferences around Australia featuring some of Australia’s best and brightest tennis prospects.  The winners from each of the men’s and women’s conference will earn a place in the ATL Playoffs in January during the second week of the Australian Open.  This year the Australian conference winners will be joined by teams from the Pacific Islands, New Zealand, Japan and Korea.  The ATL continues to grow in stature and discussions are already underway with leading tennis bodies to solidify the league on the annual tennis calendar in the region.  The ATL Commission has met and publicised their annual pre-season rankings for the ATL.  A challenging task for the ATL Commission and one that will generate a great deal of interest and discussion leading into the opening round of the ATL in November.

The strength of the ATL this year is no more evident than the absence of Pat Rafter’s Sunshine Coast Breakers in the pre-season men’s ATL rankings.  However, many of Australia’s best talent is spread across the country with players such as Peter Luczak, Sandon Stolle, Luke Saville, Jess Moore, Matthew Barton, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Nick Kyrgios, John Peers, Andrew Whittington, Sally Peers, John Millman, Pat Rafter, Paul Hanley, James Duckworth, Andrew Kratzmann, JP Smith, Ben Mitchell and Isabella Holland.

Men’s Pre-season Rankings

1. Sydney Rebels – NSW Conference
2. Tennis Brisbane Chargers – QLD conference
3. Tennyson Volt – QLD Conference
4. Shaw Park Sharks – QLD Conference
5. Kooyong Classics – VIC Conference
6. Canberra Velocity – NSW Conference
7. Tennis World Taipans – VIC Conference
8. Glenlea Gators – SA Conference
9. MCC Stars – VIC Conference
10. Wembley Downs Giants – WA Conference

Women’s Pre-season Rankings

1. RSY Royals – VIC Conference
2. Flagstaff Freighters – SA Conference (Defending ATL Champions)
3. Stanmore Wyverns – NSW Conference
4. Shaw Park Sharks – QLD Conference
5. Canberra Velocity – NSW Conference
6. Kooyong Classics – VIC Conference
7. City Beach Slammers – WA Conference
8. MCC Stars – VIC Conference
9. Tennyson Volt – QLD Conference
10. The Drive – SA Conference