The December tournament will be Crowther's first time competing in front of a home crowd at this level.
"It is going to be very special," he said.
"I have never had the opportunity to play at home at such a high level like this.
"It is going to be nerve-racking to play at home with my friends and family watching. Hopefully, I can put on a good show for them."
Crowther said he started playing tennis at age 4 in Tauranga.
When he was 12, he linked up with Tennis New Zealand and was playing internationally in Europe by age 13.
"I have been on the road ever since really. It has been a long journey, but it hasn't finished yet."
Now 19, Crowther has already competed in junior open events in Australia and "all over Europe".
This year alone, he has travelled around Africa, including Egypt and Tunisia.
"I have been very lucky where I have been able to go with my tennis."
Playing tennis tours overseas as a teenager was mentally tough, he said.
"You have got to be pretty rock solid mentally and physically, but it prepares you really well for the future. You learn a lot quickly and mature early on."
His five-year goal was to be one of the world's top 100 players and playing Grand Slam events like his idol, Rafael Nadal.
"He has been my idol for many years for not only his physicality but his work ethic. He was obviously one of the greats and I have looked up to him from a young age."
Top New Zealand junior female Vivian Yang said playing in the world tour event in Egypt helped her to prepare for the December open event in Pāpāmoa.
"It can be very tough playing in these conditions physically and mentally, but it is a good challenge for me," Yang said.
The 17-year-old Aucklander said she started playing when she was 4, and hoped to one day be playing in Grand Slam events.
"The goal for me is to play with some of the best players in the world."
Tennis New Zealand high performance director Christophe Lambert was in Egypt with the Kiwi players ahead of the Tauranga tournament.
Lambert said it was great to have a home event for them.
"It is good for the keen tennis players, they can see the high level of tennis being played and what can be achieved."
Lambert said events such as this were "crucial" for Tennis New Zealand and benefited communities economically.
"To have smaller communities welcome events can bring a big buzz."
Tennis New Zealand chief executive Julie Paterson said she was "thrilled" to have events at this level back on the calendar, after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19.
"The last World Tennis Tour professional events in New Zealand were held just prior to lockdown in 2020," Paterson said.
"They provided a huge boost to our Kiwi players and attracted some top international talent to our shores."
Paterson said it was great to have such a strong international tennis season back in New Zealand during December and January, with the World Tennis Tour, ASB Classic, and a home Davis Cup tie.
"I know our players are motivated to perform in front of their home crowd after such a long period playing away from home."
A notable feature of the EVES Open – World Tennis Tour: Tauranga this summer was the prize pool split, with the men competing for US$15,000 ($26,000) and the women US$25,000 ($43,000).
It will be one of the first professional tennis events in New Zealand to offer more prizemoney to women.
Paterson said circuit rules do not allow events with prizemoney above US$15,000 for men in December, but there was no such rule for women.
"It's great to be able to offer additional prizemoney and ranking points for female athletes at this event, and we hope it's a sign of things to come for sport events in New Zealand."
Heath Young, chief executive of title sponsor EVES Real Estate, said the company was delighted to be supporting international tennis in Tauranga.
"We're huge supporters of sport and events in our region and having professional tennis in town to inspire our young local players is going to be incredible," Young said.
"We can't wait to work with our event partners at Tennis New Zealand to bring the EVES Open to the people of Tauranga - what a perfect way to kick off summer."
The company's sponsorship and events manager, Vicki Semple, said the prize pool split was also a motivating factor.
"We're 100 per cent behind women's sport and proud to be involved with an event that provides incentives for female athletes to succeed," Semple said.
The EVES Open – World Tennis Tour: Tauranga will be held from December 18-24 at the Venture Developments WBOP Tennis Centre, Gordon Spratt Reserve, Pāpāmoa.
Play will begin from 11am each day, with entry free to spectators. The event is supported by TECT and Tauranga City Council.
