PREMIER MOVE FOR PLAYERS

A NEW interclub team competition will kick off this weekend aimed at filling a void for the state’s topranked players.

A prize pool of more than $2000 will be on offer in the SRT Logistics Premier League, which will take the mantle as the highest interclub league in Tasmania.

The combined men’s and women’s league will see players represent six teams from five clubs — Geilston Bay, Rosny Park, Sunshine, Glenorchy and Domain, which will have two teams.

Eddie Bourchier, older brother of ATP professional Harry, said the Premier League would provide a level of tennis not previously available.

“The idea of it was to get all the top players in southern Tasmania playing in a regular comp because essentially a lot of these players that are playing in the [southern Tasmania league] weren’t playing other tournaments,” Bourchier said.

“There has been a missing link for a number of years.”

Joining Bourchier in the competition is former world top 400 ranked and current Tennis Tasmania national development squad coach Raphael Durek, Pardey Shield winner and 2019 18 and under national titles quarterfinalist Sam Edgar and the state’s No 1 ranked female Catherine Krueger.

It will be a welcome return to competitive tennis for Krueger after she put study on the back burner only to have COVID-19 derail plans.

“I haven’t played competition since the start of the year, it is just trying to get match play again, I’m so excited,” she said.

“You can feel everyone getting excited about it.

“I took time out of uni because I planned on playing lots of events this year.” adam.j.smith@news.com.au