It's been a long wait, but the Margaret Court Cup will go ahead at the Albury grasscourts in January.
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Tennis Australia gave the popular Border event the green light this week after months of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 20th year of the championship starts on January 7 with the teams event, before the tournament proper runs from January 8 to 12.
Tournament director Phil Shanahan is excited, but knows things can change quickly.
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"It's pretty special because a month ago I was pretty much under the impression we weren't going ahead with it," he said.
"It's incredible to start from nothing and build something that's really high on the Australian tennis calendar.
"It's been an incredible journey with the tournament. Past players still talk about their time in Albury at the Margaret Court Cup and the Victorian Junior Grasscourt Championships.
"It will be a different look next year minus all our international players, but it will give more of our local players an opportunity to compete. They may not have had that in the past because of the high standard of players."
It will be a different look next year minus all our international players, but it will give more of our local players an opportunity to compete.
- Phil Shanahan
More than 400 players from across Australia and overseas contested the event in 2019 and 2020.
Shanahan said he is unsure what to expect in terms of entries.
"It will be interesting because people in the cities could be really keen to get out and get to the country," he said.
"Northern Territory are coming, but the problem we've got with our interstate visitors is flights.
"They're normally booked in August and a lot of these teams come down because they go onto the Australian Open. I don't know what that's going to look like in 2021."
In further good news, the Victorian Junior Grasscourt Championships, will be played at Wodonga Tennis Centre immediately after the Margaret Court Cup from January 13 to 17.
The chance to play back-to-back tournaments on grass in the region is a major drawcard for entrants.