A brilliant field for the 2023 CareA2+ Kooyong Classic next month has been strengthened further by the addition of another three players of the highest quality.

Italian Jannik Sinner, who is considered a major champion in waiting, three-time grand slam semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov and outstanding Croatian Borna Coric are the latest signings.

Their presence adds further lustre to an event that will serve as world No.1 and recent US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz’s only appearance prior to playing in the Australian Open.

Australian star Alex de Minaur, who starred in the recent Davis Cup, top-ten ranked American Taylor Fritz and former US Open champion Marin Cilic have already confirmed they will compete at the traditional home of Australian tennis.

The CareA2+ Kooyong Classic returns to the summer of tennis after a hiatus during the pandemic. It has long been considered the ideal preparation for the Australian Open.

CareA2+ Kooyong Classic tournament director Peter Johnston said the boutique tournament provided fans with the opportunity to watch the game’s biggest stars in a relaxed setting.

He is delighted with the quality of the field for the 2023 tournament and said Sinner, Dimitrov and Coric offered additional points of difference for fans to enjoy given their contrasting styles.

“With the addition of Jannik, Grigor and Borna, it’s shaping up as one of our strongest fields in recent years,” said Johnston.

“I think the addition of the United Cup the week prior to the CareA2+ Kooyong Classic has worked beautifully for us, as players are looking for those all-important final matches in Melbourne conditions just prior to the Australian Open.”

Sinner is mentored by renowned Australian Darren Cahill, a former US Open semi-finalist who has coached Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi and Simona Halep to the world’s top ranking.

In the infancy of his career, the 21-year-old has played with a verve that suggests he is more than capable of joining that iconic trio as a grand slam champion in the future.

The right-hander has reached the quarter-finals of all four majors, with three of those appearances coming this year in Melbourne, at Wimbledon and in the US Open in New York.

Sinner featured in arguably the match of the year in the latter event when holding two match points against the eventual US Open champion Alcaraz in an epic of outstanding quality.

Dimitrov, whose first appearance in a major occurred at Wimbledon in 2009, has established a reputation of being a performer of the highest order during a decorated career.

A superb player to watch live when he is at full flight, the Bulgarian reached semi-finals at Wimbledon in 2014, the Australian Open in 2017 and at the US Open in 2019.

The 31-year-old has been ranked as high as three in the world and is the winner of eight ATP Tour titles.

This includes a triumph in the Cincinnati Masters in 2017, where he defeated Nick Kyrgios in the final, and also a success in the prestigious ATP Tour Finals in London later that year.

Among active players, he holds the record for the most consecutive appearances in grand slam tournaments at 47.

Coric is a contender to win the ATP Tour’s Comeback Player of the Year after a stunning effort in 2022 to climb more than 250 spots in the rankings to his current position of 26.

Highly-rated as a junior, the Croatian appeared on track for big things after posting a win over Spanish legend Rafael Nadal in 2014 while he was still a teenager.

Coric, who has been ranked as high as No.12 and was a US Open quarterfinalist in 2020, has returned to the tour better than ever after overcoming a serious shoulder injury.

The right-hander, who also has wins over Roger Federer and Andy Murray, became the lowest-ranked champion at a Masters tournament when successful in Cincinnati in August.

The 26-year-old was unable to play in Melbourne last year due to injury and said the prospect of honing his game in the CareA2+ Kooyong Classic was ideal.

The 2023 CareA2+ Kooyong Classic will be the first held at the revamped Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club after a recently completed $18 million redevelopment.

This has returned the historically important stadium to its 1930s form. There have also been major upgrades to the clubhouse and around the Kooyong club site.

Tickets are available for purchase through Ticketek and www.kooyongclassic.com.au.

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2023 Care A2+ KOOYONG CLASSIC

WHEN: Tuesday, January 10, to Thursday, January 12, 2023.
WHERE: Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, 489 Glenferrie Rd, Kooyong VIC 3144.
TICKETS: Tickets on sale now through Ticketek and at www.kooyongclassic.com.au. Corporate Box packages can be purchased by contacting the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club: info@kooyongclassic.com.au.
BROADCAST: The 2023 Care A2+ Kooyong Classic will be broadcast live nationally and streamed online on SBS between 11am and 5pm on each day of the event and distributed internationally through Media Pro Asia.
MEDIA: Please note that accreditation is essential for all media wishing to cover this event. Details on how to apply are available here.