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23 January 2025 | Tennis Queensland

From the 31st December 2024 to 4th January 2025, the Queensland Money Race captivated audiences at David Turbayne Tennis Centre (Churchie), culminating in a thrilling finale on Show Court 1 at the 2025 Brisbane International. The atmosphere was electric as Queensland’s top talent battled it out for the championship title and a share of the $26,700 prizemoney pool, with each champion taking home $5,000.

The Queensland Money Race stands as the pinnacle event for the states Open players who have excelled throughout the year. With a focus on the Open Singles category, players earn their spot based on prizemoney accumulated during the season. The finals delivered a display of skill, endurance, and determination, with the matches capturing the attention of the Brisbane International crowd and providing some thrilling tennis alongside world-class International players. The tournament featured many rallies and competition, including a grueling match that lasted an 3 hours and 27 minutes — a testament to the talent Queensland offers.

Champions Alicia Smith and Rudy Thorogood both dominated at the 2024 Queensland Money Race circuit, heading into the final as the top contenders. Alicia secured an impressive seven titles during the year, including the 2024 Queensland Open, while Rudy claimed six.

The Women’s final saw a familiar contest, as Alicia Smith and Lara Walker repeated their 2023 Showdown which marked a second consecutive year of meeting in the final.

Alicia Smith defeated Lara Walker in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4 while Rudy Thorogood delivered a powerful performance to defeat Samuel Oster, 7-5, 6-3, capturing the men’s championship title and capping off a stellar season.

Reflecting on her back-to-back victory, Alicia shared: “The Queensland Money Race is a great opportunity. There are many open tournaments in Queensland that you can play and for somebody like me it keeps me on circuit doing my passion and hopefully getting to that next stage in my career.”

“I really enjoy the Queensland Money Race, and I think it is super important as the prizemoney is good for the players.”

The Men’s Final of the Queensland Money Race brought an equally intense match between Rudy Thorogood and Samuel Oster with Rudy ultimately being crowned champion.

Rudy Thorogood, the 2024 Queensland Money Race Men’s Champion commented on his win, “It feels really good winning the $5,000. It will help in my tennis journey.”

“Coming into the finals I was a bit nervous, playing in front of a crowd on a big stage at the Brisbane International, it was a very different environment from what I’m used to but it was exciting and I had fun”.

Tournament Director, Rhett McKinnon said “The Queensland Money Race isn’t just about the final — it’s a celebration of our top tennis talent in the Queensland Open circuit and their dedication to the sport throughout the year. This event is essential in supporting our local players on their tennis journey. Thank you to Cameron Pearson and the Brisbane International for integrating the finals of the 2024 Queensland Money Race into the 2025 Brisbane International schedule. It was an incredible experience for the Queensland Money Race players, one they will never forget”.

Congratulations to our 2024 Queensland Money Race Champions:

  • Women’s Champion: Alicia Smith
  • Men’s Champion: Rudy Thorogood

Want to learn more about the Queensland Money Race? Find out more here.