Tournament director Don Higgins said entries were filled a fortnight before the official closing date.

"They just flooded in," he said.

More than 750 players will take part in the tournament which runs from Saturday morning to Monday afternoon.

Open men's second seed Matt Hicks will be looking to defend his title.

But the Geelong resident will have strong competition from top seed Andrew Whittingon, who missed the Labour Day competition last year.

Higgins said he expected a hotly-contested women's open singles event.

He said Hawkesdale teenager and emerging star Eloise Swarbrick would be one to watch.

But she will have tough competition including number one seed Karen Filippou from Geelong. 

Olivia Rich is also back after winning last year's event in straight sets.

In the men's open doubles, Warrnambool's Jake Dunn and Matt Moloney will team up, hoping to keep the trophy at home.

Carolyn McGann, a previous open singles winner, will team up with Filippou in the women's open doubles.

Higgins said he was thrilled by how swiftly participants registered for the club's major tournament of the year.

He said another tennis tournament at Euroa, in the state's north-east, had experienced the same sort of popularity.

"Social tennis is coming back," he said.

"It's great for tennis."

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