North Shore Open

More than a tennis tournament
Northern Suburbs
www.northshoreopen.com.au 16 to 19 December 2010 Tennis Association
presents

It started with an idea.
A vision soon followed.
Sponsor support came.
228 players entered.

And in December 2010, the
Love’n Deuce North Shore Open came to be.

In April 2010, the seed of an idea to host an Australian Money
Tournament (AMT) on the lower North Shore in 2010 was first
discussed at a Northern Suburbs Tennis Association meeting.
The idea struck a chord with everyone. There was immediate
commitment and a desire to make it happen.

A committee of 10 people were driven Time though was against them. So too was the The inaugural tournament – The Love’n Deuce
to make it happen, and they did. tournament calendar – no presence and few available North Shore Open – featured 8 events, and
dates. A window in the calendar was found - 16 to saw 228 players compete over four days.
Their vision, to create more than 19 December 2010. Endorsement and support was
a tennis tournament. received from Tennis Australia and Tennis NSW. Players came from metropolitan Sydney,
regional NSW, the ACT, Victoria, Queensland,
Their mission, to stage an AMT that And so the landscape was shaping. South Australia, China, Korea, Sweden,
attracts the State’s and nation’s elite Japan, Czech Republic, France and the USA.
and emerging players, to create a unique A tournament brand was created and was
player experience both on and off the applied to traditional and new media – print,
court, and to bring elite tennis players to on-line and social media, promotional
the doorstep of the area’s tennis playing materials, signage, uniforms and trophies.
community in a dynamic environment.
Corporate sponsors came on board, supporting
the committee’s vision and mission.

In early November the tournament was ofﬁcially
launched to sponsors, players, the community
and the media. Steve Healy, President of
Tennis Australia welcomed the event into
Tennis Australia’s tournament calendar.

www.northshoreopen.com.au 16 to 19 December 2010

318 matches were played over 4 venues. The main
centre, NSTA’s headquarters at Talus, was ‘dressed’
with sponsor signage, a plasma broadcasting results
and matches, branded umpire stands, and ballkids.

A players’ and spectators’ party on Friday evening At 7:00pm on Sunday 19 December just ‘a well organised tournament,
was attended by 350 players and spectators who before the heavens opened, the last ball great facilities, great vibe’.
enjoyed the balmy Sydney evening, entertainment, was served and point played out. The
watching hard fought quarter final matches and inaugural tournament came to a close. ‘It was a professionally run tournament.
having a shot at the fastest serve competition. Player feedback was already circulating: It was great to see sponsors supporting
the event. It was run better than any
Talus Street was transformed. An event was Challenger event in Australia’.
un-folding, and the tournament was living up to
its promise – more than a tennis tournament. ‘Great tournament, well run,
high standard of tennis’.
The tournament’s first champions Sydney’s Sadik
Kadir and Tamworth’s Emelyn Starr were crowned. And so the stage is set for 2011.

There was equal prize-money for both the men’s
and women’s open singles winners. The doubles
champions Simon Ede and Ryan Henry who won a
hard fought men’s final, and Melissa Anderson and
Lucia Gonzalez comfortably won the women’s event.

228 333 1,150 480
number of players entered in player entries, with 53% of players Slazenger balls used. bottles of Frantelle
the tournament. Players came playing more than one event. water drunk.
from Australia, Japan, Sweden,
US, France, Czech Republic,
China and Korea.

8 23 350 202
events, encompassing men’s courts used over 4 days. NSTA players and spectators who
& women’s singles & doubles, headquarters at Talus Street, Lane attended the players’ and km/h was clocked as the
all with prizemoney, and the Cove Tennis Club, NSTA courts at spectators’ party. fastest serve from Woong Sun
Open events with Australian Wheatleigh Street, Naremburn, Jun, and the fastest serve
Ranking points. and Tennis Valley, Chatswood. clocked by a female was at
161km/h by Lucia Gonzalez.

318 37 63
matches: men’s and women’s Babolat ballkids.
singles and doubles. volunteers who made the
tournament more than
a tennis tournament.

The Brand
A visual identity was created for the
tournament by Conway Design.

The identity and its evolving personality is designed
to appeal to players, sponsors and the community.
Its attributes combine – positivity, youth, strength,
timelessness and an essence of the North Shore.

The brand promise sets the scene
and spearheads the vision – more
than a tennis tournament.

This is the ﬁrst AMT to have its own brand.

The tournament’s brand was applied
to: promotional ﬂyers, website, indoor
and outdoor signage, decals, uniforms,
towels, e-alerts, trophies, event schedule
and draws, Facebook and lanyards.

The marketing campaign

,4.%-#$.

The marketing campaign employed a range of Sydney metropolitan area. Flyers were also
elements: direct mail, flyers, signage, social provided to Community Tennis Officers of Tennis
networking, website, press, e-alerts and NSW for wider distribution to players, and for
electronic direct mail, and word of mouth. display at clubs in Sydney and regional NSW.
Messages were simple and reinforced:
DECALS
2 large decals were placed in prominent walkways
Australian Money Tournament in NSW & one of at NSTA headquarters, Talus Street promoting the
the biggest money tournaments in Australian tennis event to all players – social and competitive - and
spectators visiting the facility, and Love’n Deuce
Men’s and Women’s Open singles events staff. These decals promoted the tournament
and dates, and were available from November.

PRESS
No print advertising was undertaken; instead a
FLYER reliance on local community press picking up
2,000 flyers were produced that were distributed coverage from the launch event, and player results
to players in early October competing at during the tournament. Articles appeared pre and
Australian Money Tournaments outside the post the event in the Cumberland Press papers.

MULTIPLE BRAND ASSETS WERE DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE SPONSOR VALUE, TOURNAMENT PRESTIGE & CORPORATE POSITIONING

The marketing campaign

POSTER OUTDOOR
An official poster was produced that reflected a Tournament signage was displayed on the umpire
youthful and street-like feel. These were displayed stands at NSTA Headquarters, Talus Street
in all tennis clubs associated with NSTA, as well in the lead up and during the tournament.
as other large and well frequented clubs and
facilities in the Sydney metropolitan area. FACEBOOK
A Facebook page was created and contained
SIGNAGE over 100 posts, which attracted over 200 people
Banners were displayed at the tournament’s who liked and followed the page. The page
main venues – NSTA headquarters, Talus Street, contained photos and video. There were over
More than a Tennis Tournament!
Naremburn, and Tennis Valley, Chatswood. 42,000 post views and 58 comments to posts.
There were two banner themes – one Page views spiked on 19 December at 288.
promoting the tournament dates, and the other
acknowledging the tournament’s sponsors. WEBSITE N.S.T.A. ~ Talus Street, Naremburn
AUSTRALIAN MONEY TOURNAMENT
A website was created that featured player profiles,
E-ALERTS & ELECTRONIC DIRECT MAIL tournament draws and results, sponsors and links to
E-alerts and electronic direct mail were pushed to their corporate pages, information on prize-money
the 5,000 players on Tennis Australia’s database
by Tennis Australia and 400 accredited Tennis
Australia coaches. These communications were
undertaken in late November and early December Enter online:
and drew attention to the tournament’s presence tournaments.tennis.com.au
Entries close:
in the Tennis Australia official tournament calendar.
Their purpose was simple – a call to action to enter.

ELECTRONIC & SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO REFECT AN EXCITING,
DEVELOPING TOURNAMENT PROPOSITION FOR ELITE EMERGING & ESTABLISHED PLAYER

Launch

The tournament was launched by Tennis Member for Bennelong and former ATP player and
Australia President Steve Healy who Australian Davis Cup representative, John Alexander
acknowledge that the “tournament was also spoke in support of the tournament, “It’s a great
part of Tennis NSW’s summer circuit idea because one of the essential components of
build-up to the Medibank International developing tennis players is competition,” he said.
Sydney and the Australian Open.”

The event was held at NSTA’s headquarters and the “In a lot of other sports you can train and
prime venue for the Love’n Deuce North Shore Open. work on technique and get out on to the track
and do it, but in tennis you’ve got to have the
The launch was attended by sponsors, scrutiny of competition to develop your game.”
senior executives from Tennis NSW,
government, local media and players. John Alexander.

Amongst the players supporting the event
were Australian and WTA ranked player Sophie
Ferguson; district champions and AMT players
Melissa Anderson, Brodie Stewart and Glenn
Knox, and world ranked junior Ben Wagland.

Sponsor support

Sponsor support contributed significantly PRINCIPAL SPONSORS
to the tournament’s brand, the prize-
pool, the successful conduct of the event, and Naming Rights Sponsor
and the presentation and atmosphere
of the tournament’s main facility – Open Events’ Sponsor
NSTA headquarters, Talus Street.

Players acknowledged this support in
their post match presentations and in
the tournament’s player survey. SUPPORTING SPONSORS

Sponsors were provided with category
exclusivity and permission to use their
official designations on any marketing or
promotional materials, including signage.
– Official Sports Therapy Provider

Sponsor support

Sponsors were BENEFITS INCLUDED: BENEFITS INCLUDED:

provided with a
range of sponsor publication – Court Talk
benefits aligned to posters, ﬂyers, and lanyards publication – Court Talk
their in-kind and
website, and live links Medibank International Sydney and
cash investment. access to President’s Reserve

Media
Prior to and during the tournament media
releases, alerts and fact sheets were
distributed to local and metropolitan press.

They were all designed to build awareness of the
tournament – dates, the calibre of players, prize-pool,
and community access to a free elite sporting event.
The press covered the tournament’s launch and ﬁnals
day results with articles published in print and on-line:

The websites of Tennis Australia and Tennis
NSW also featured articles and photos of
the event – tournament results, winners.

Players & the events

228 players competed in the Players came from Australia and overseas THE INAUGURAL TOURNAMENT WINNERS
tournament’s 8 events. – metropolitan Sydney, regional New South
Wales, Victoria, ACT, Queensland and South
53% of players entered more than Australia, Sweden, China, Japan, the Czech Singles: Sadik Kadir [3]
one event making for 333 entries. Republic, France, Korea and the USA.

Four tennis venues, and 23 courts were The Guardian Open Men’s Singles was a Singles: Emelyn Starr [2]
used over the four days of the tournament. 128 draw, and the Guardian Open Women’s
Singles was a 64 draw. Both draws boasted
The prime venue, NSTA headquarters at world and Australian ranked players. Simon Ede and Ryan Henry [1]
Talus Street was home to the players’ and Similar quality and depth of players was
spectators’ party, ancillary activities and found in the Guardian Funerals Open Men’s,
semi-ﬁnal and ﬁnal matches in all events. Guardian Funerals Open Women’s doubles Melissa Anderson and Lucia Gonzalez [3]
draws and the Special Men’s Singles draw.
Players drank 480 bottles of Frantelle water.
The prize-money in the Open events attracted the Marious Zelba [2]
quality and depth of players. The winners’ cheques

the largest of any AMT in New South Wales. Danielle Wagland [2]

The fact that there were two singles events
and doubles events, which 80% of the Dominic Hall and Nicholas Turnham [1]
players were eligible to enter provided another
opportunity to access prize-money if players
were not successful in one event. Sue Woodward and Vanessa Thompson [1]

A player survey was developed, distributed
and completed on-line. Key feedback being:

Tennis Australia calendar of tournaments,
Facebook and through friends

satisﬁed with the tournament

with the range of events

other AMT

2011, and this is reﬂected in their comments:

“A well organised tournament, great facilities,
it had a great vibe. The party rocked. No
other tournament had such facilities”.

“Good event to improve our match-play”.

“Well organised, great facilities,
great standard of competition”.

“It was professionally run. It was great
to see plenty of sponsors supporting
the event. It was run better than any
Challenger event in Australia”.

www.northshoreopen.com.au 16 to 19 December 2010

Babolat
Ballkids
For the month prior to the tournament local
tennis playing kids attended ballkid training
sessions at NSTA headquarters at Talus Street.

To be eligible they had to be over 10 years. The
sessions focused on skills and agility, and they
tested these skills in practice match situations.

the courts on Saturday and Sunday of the
tournament. They were dressed in Kermut
green shirts and navy visors, and were
present for all semi-final and final matches.

When not on court they retired to the dedicated
tent – known as Ballkid HQ – where lunch
and refreshments were served, debriefing
sessions held, court rosters communicated,
fun games played and friendships made.

Rosewall crowns
winners
Eight times Grand Slam singles winner and one The Guardian Funerals Open Women’s Singles Marious Zelba of Sydney defeated Queenslander
of the best male tennis players of all time, Ken final was the first of the finals to be staged on Travis Dragojlo to take the Special Men’s Singles title.
Rosewall watched the marquee finals events and Sunday. It was a hard fought match between
assisted with the presentation ceremonies. So Tamworth’s Emelyn Starr and Gail Brodsky from Local girl and emerging talent Danielle
too was Tennis Australia President Steve Healy. the US. After 2 hours, Starr won in 3 sets. Wagland won in 3 very hard fought and
close sets over local rival Stephanie Yamada
The Guardian Funerals Open Singles winners were Sydney based Sadik Kadir won The Guardian to win the Special Women’s Singles.
not only presented with their prize-money, they Funerals Open Men’s Singles after former
also were presented with the unique tournament Wimbledon junior champion Todd Reid withdrew The Special Men’s and Women’s Doubles finals were
trophies, specially designed for the tournament. from the final with a wrist injury. An exhibition both fought out by local pairs. The Men’s winners:
match was held instead between Sadik and one Dominic Hall and Nicholas Turnham, and the
The trophies are unlike traditional crystal and of the losing semi-finalists, Andrew Thomas. Women’s: Sue Woodward and Vanessa Thompson.
silver trophies. Designed by Matt Conway of
Conway Design, the trophies are made from The Guardian Funeral Men’s Open Doubles The last ball of the tournament was served and
Marblo, mounted on a wooden base and was won by local pair Ryan Henry and Simon point played out just before the heavens opened.
incorporate the Babolat Blast tennis string. Ede. The well known pairing of Melissa
Aside from prize-money, all winners received Anderson and Lucia Gonzalez proved too
a tournament towel and t-shirt. strong for their Chinese opposition and won the
Guardian Funerals Open Women’s Doubles.

Spectators show
support
Although the tournament was bumping into
the Christmas season, there were good
spectator numbers at the Talus Street
venue to witness some great tennis on
Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday.

Cushioned seating was provided around the Talus
Street venue for spectators, as well as extra seating
on the front decking, and in the newly completed
viewing deck over-looking the bottom courts.
This was the most people the venue has hosted
for many years. The car-park was overﬂowing
and was proving a frustration for many.
Tournament committee, ofﬁcials and
volunteers stood out in the crowd with
their bright red tournament t-shirts.

Ancillary activities

In keeping with the brand’s promise – spectators enjoyed the complimentary barbecue, The ﬁnals was a penalty shoot out between
more than a tennis tournament – a range refreshments and live entertainment. 14 year old Blake Mott and Tim Bigg, with
of other fun activities, including cash Bigg winning and donating the money to
challenges, were held over the four days FASTEST SERVE the Trish MS Research Foundation.
to engage players and spectators. This was held at the same time as the players’ and
WEIGHT & SEE
the male and female who served the fastest serve. An off-court activity with a winner’s cash prize
court and off-court activities and open to both The men’s competition proved a show-down,
players and spectators. The ancillary activities were: with Nathan Healey setting the standard with guess the weight of a racquet. The old tampered
a 186 km/h boomer. This was then topped by racquet’s weight proved allusive to most entrants.
David Barclay and Travis Dragojlo who both The experience of Manuel De Silva saw him
recorded 184km/h. But the winner was the guess within 2 grams of the 544 gram target.
190cm Korean, world number 400, Woong Sun
Jun who served his last serve at 202km/h. NAME THAT PLAYER
The women’s competition was a one-sided affair Another off-court activity where people had to
PLAYERS’ AND SPECTATORS’ PARTY with Haberﬁeld resident, Lucia Gonzalez claiming guess the tennis player from a faceless display
This was held on Friday evening – a balmy of bodies. Only 2 people managed to get all 25
Sydney night – between the close of the correct. Local resident and tennis tragic John Lui
afternoon singles session and the start of the KNOCK ‘EM CANS DOWN
evening doubles session. 350 players and

better than before

Planning has commenced for the Factors being considered for this year’s event:
2011 conduct of the tournament.

The tournament’s promise of being
more than a tennis tournament will be repositioned and marketed
stretched and further developed.

This year’s event will also be having umpires for early round matches
shaped from player feedback.
used outside NSTA headquarters
Dates are set and the tournament
features in Tennis Australia’s 2011
calendar of tournaments. and spectator’s party

The dates are: Thursday 15 December
to Sunday 18 December 2011. or activations at NSTA headquarters

at NSTA headquarters

Acknowledgements

TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE BRAND AND MARKETING TOURNAMENT PHOTOGRAPHERS

Terry Stewart Sue Woodward, Blueprint Advisory
Sue Delmege Matthew Conway, Conway Design http://laurengowphotography.tumblr.com
Sue Woodward
Rick Anderson Tilly Leahy, 0433 449 550
Craig Withell tillyleahy@gmail.com
Jennifer Gibb
Luca Lavermicocca
Andrew Scanlon
Tim Biggs
Peter Johnson

North Shore Open

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