Tennis fans are in for a treat with a quality field led by a former US Open champion and two players currently in the world top 10.

Italian star Jannik Sinner, who claimed the Canadian Masters in August and currently sits at a career-high ranking of No.4, headlines the strong men’s field for the tournament at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.

Sinner, who reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon this year and is the equal-highest ranked Italian player in history, has an Australian link, mentored by master coach Darren Cahill.

‍Holger Rune, a top 10 mainstay throughout 2023 after a triumph at the Paris Masters last year, is aiming to be in top-flight form this summer and using the Classic as his preparation in the lead-up to the Australian Open. The Dane has reached a career high of No.4 this year and recently added Boris Becker to his coaching lineup.

As with Sinner, Rune is the highest-ranked Danish player in history and was a quarter-finalist at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon this year.

Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem, on the comeback trail from injury, and consistent Grand Slam performer Karen Khachanov have also signed on to play in the Care Wellness Kooyong Classic.

Trailblazer Zhang Zhizhen, the first Chinese man to be ranked inside the top 100 and a recent gold medallist at the Asian Games, is another player whose star is on the rise and he too has signed to play at Kooyong.

Care Wellness Kooyong Classic tournament director, Peter Johnston, is delighted with the initial signings for the boutique event that offers players the perfect preparation for the Australian Open, which commences two days after the Classic.

“It is a massive tick of approval for the tournament to have players who have excelled on the world’s biggest stages identify this event as an ideal way to prepare for the Australian Grand Slam tournament,” Mr Johnston said.

“The five signings announced so far all have aspirations of performing extremely strongly at the Australian Open and this is a great way for them to hone their form.

“Each one offers something different on the court, which should lead to compelling matches for tennis fans to enjoy over the three days of the tournament.”

Mr Johnston said further signings for the Care Wellness Kooyong Classic will be announced in coming weeks, adding further quality to the tennis that fans can expect to watch.

“Fans have told us that the Care Wellness Kooyong Classic is unique because it offers an intimate and unparalleled insight into what makes the world’s best players tick, and we expect this summer’s event will be no different,” he said.