The Drive have pulled off a major recruiting coup after naming rising star Thanasi Kokkinakis<\/b> in their successfully nominated Asia Pacific Tennis League (ATL) team. Kokkinakis who has risen up the rankings throughout 2014 after his Australian Open appearance in January to currently sit at world number 184 will play for The Drive in the 2014 South West ATL which is to be made up of men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams from South Australia and Western Australia to make up the first South West Conference in ATL history. \u201cThis is a great pick up for the team and the profile of the ATL, and we are really excited to have Thanasi on board\u201d said team coach and former US College Tennis Champion Luke Smith<\/b>. Kokkinakis will use the ATL as preparation for a big Australian summer and will be joined in the Drive team by fellow Aussie professional Ryan Agar<\/b> and Japanese young gun Yuya Ito.<\/b><\/p>\n
2013 SA ATL Conference Men\u2019s Champion, Trinity Titans, have again been accepted in to the ATL and have submitted a strong line-up of local players with Colin Ebelthite<\/b> and Darren Polkinghorne <\/b>leading the team which won fifth place at the ATL playoff in Melbourne last year after competing against teams from Japan and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
The North East Tennis Association (NETA) are set to make their first appearance in ATL\/NTL history with the association based team full of top ranked local players. Former touring player Josh Crowe<\/b> will headline the team which will also include US College player Corey Decandia<\/b> and Port Pirie youngster Kurtis Wilson.<\/b><\/p>\n
2013 SA ATL Conference Women\u2019s Champion, Flagstaff Freighters, are again headlining the women\u2019s line up. The Freighters have retained Jess Moore<\/b> and Viktorija Rajicic<\/b>, and have been bolstered by Western Australia\u2019s Bojana Bobusic.<\/b> \u201cI am really looking forward to again being part of this great team and hopefully we can again progress to the finals in Melbourne\u201d said top level women\u2019s player, Jess Moore.<\/b> As strong as the Freighters are, they will not have it all their own way with The Drive submitting the strongest women\u2019s team they have ever put together. The Drive have recruited South African Chanel Simmonds<\/b>, who has a career high ranking of 158, and will also bring in Simmonds\u2019 country woman Michelle Sammonds<\/b> to build some genuine top level strength.\u00a0 The South African pair will be well supported by touring South Australian players Leah Daw <\/b>and Alex Cannizzaro<\/b>. The third women\u2019s team will be the Trinity Titans, who are made up of some of South Australia\u2019s leading junior players in Olivia Ley, Nicole Kraemer <\/b>and Brooke Milner.<\/b><\/p>\n
The ATL is played using a modified format and is played at venues across Adelaide and Perth from November 22 with the finals held on December 5. The ATL provides top level professionals and rising stars from across Australia and the world the opportunity to play team tennis while also providing a valuable income opportunity.<\/p>\n
Western Australian teams will be confirmed shortly.<\/p>\n
Teams have now been confirmed however they are able to add to their list until the October 17 deadline. For all current team lists and more information on the ATL please click here<\/a><\/p>\n Asia Pacific Tennis League \u2013 South West Conference fixture (SA only)<\/b><\/p>\n\n
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