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Queensland Premier Anna Bligh joined tennis legends Pat Rafter and Ashley Cooper and thousands of tennis fans to officially open the doors of the Queensland Tennis Centre.

Ahead of an exhibition match featuring Pat Rafter, Sam Stosur and leading Queensland junior players Isabella Holland and Jason Kubler,; Premier Bligh said the new $82 million state of the art facility will put tennis in Queensland back on centre court after a decade on the sidelines since the Milton Tennis Centre closed in 1999.

"This is a significant day for all Queenslanders but especially for the tennis fans and players as the opening of this magnificent tennis centre will revitalise the sport in this state," Premier Bligh stated.

"Fittingly the main arena has been named after one of Queensland's most famous and successful tennis champions - Pat Rafter.

"Pat is a true Queensland champion winning back to back US Open titles in 1997 and 1998 and has been a wonderful role model for our junior players both on and off the court.

"This is the first tennis facility in Australia to feature three Grand Slam surfaces, which will enable our budding young Queensland players to acquire a broader range of skills to suit the different tournament surfaces used throughout the world.

"It will give our players a distinct advantage over those in other states and we might soon see a new crop of Queenslanders dominating on the clay at the French Open, on grass at Wimbledon or on the hard courts of the US and Australian Open tournaments.

"Interestingly the clay at the Queensland Tennis Centre is made of up crushed recycled fired products sourced throughout Australia and crushed to the same specifications as Roland Garros - home of the French Open.

"The pace of the grass courts can be changed to create similar conditions to Wimbledon and the plexicusion hard-court surfaces are used in many professional tournaments throughout the world."

24th November 2008 - QUEENSLAND TENNIS CENTRE SET FOR COMPLETION

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30th June 2008 - TENNIS: AUSTRALIA’S MOST POPULAR SPORT

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