A $5000 prize for the women's winner of the Warrnambool Lawn Open has attracted one of the strongest fields in years.
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Belinda Woolcock, Australia's 19th ranked women's player, will play at Warrnambool Lawn Tennis Club's Labour Day long-weekend tournament from March 7-9.
There's $5000 for the women's champion and $2500 for the men's open victor up for grabs due to major sponsor Entry Education.
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Both the female and male champion took home $1000 each last year.
President Kim Tobin said it was the sponsor's wish to significantly boost the female prize money to support young women in tennis.
"It's an extraordinary amount of money for a non-Australian Money Tournament (AMT)," she said.
AMT events are semi-professional and give players a chance to earn ranking points.
Tobin said club and sponsor also wanted to celebrate International Women's Day (March 8) which will be during the tournament.
She said the move also tied in with the #PlayForYou campaign, starring world number one Ash Barty, empowering teenage girls to keep playing sport and ignore societal pressures.
"We see a lot of young girls, particularly, drop off as they get through their middle teenage years," Tobin said.
"And we're just trying to encourage, in our own small way, young people to keep playing."
Tobin said $5000 would mean a lot to an up-and-coming female player.
"A win like that will support a young girl to take her tennis further," she said.
"All the travel, all the medical support, all the equipment and training that they need; it all costs a lot of money.
"This is a great way to support young girls in a practical way."
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