The event is part of the lead-up to the first Grand Slam tournament of the season, the Australian Open.

The establishment of the Brisbane International in 2009 saw the city of Adelaide miss out on continuing to host an ATP or WTA lead-up event to the Australian Open.

Over the next ten years Adelaide hosted the World Tennis Challenge, an exhibition event played featuring past players.

[2] In February 2019, the South Australian Government announced it would invest $10 million to construct a canopy-roof structure over the Memorial Drive Tennis Centre, after securing a five-year deal with Tennis Australia to host the new event at the upgraded facility.

[3] The new tournament was launched later that year,[clarification needed] with then-world number four and two-time Grand-Slam champion Simona Halep being confirmed as the first player to play in the 2020 Adelaide International.