Nottingham To Host WTA Grass Court Event

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 13th December 2013

Nottingham To Host WTA Grass Court Event

epa03847287 Serena Williams of the US serves to Sloane Stephens of the US during their match on the seventh day of the 2013 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 01 September 2013. The US Open runs through Monday 09 September, a 15-day schedule for the first time. EPA/PETER FOLEY |

Asia seems to be granted increasing new tournaments by the week but the impending added week between the French Opens and Wimbledon that comes into the tennis calendar in 2015 will see the addition of another English grass court event at Nottingham.

The calendar expansion has so far only seen the announcement of the Stuttgart men’s tournament switching from clay to grass but on the WTA circuit Nottingham will join fellow English venues Birmingham and Eastbourne along with the Dutch city of s’Hertogenbosch as the build up to Wimbledon.

Nottingham is no stranger to top flight tennis. The city’s tennis centre, funded by both the local council and the Lawn Tennis Association and situated adjacent to the university, boasts nine 9 international size grass courts.

On the ATP World Tour, the Nottingham Open, a men’s event held at the city’s tennis centre, folded in 2008 after 14 years as a warm-up tournament. This year the centre hosted the AEGON Trophy and AEGON Challenge events which are part of the second-tier ITF circuit.

The WTA worked with both the All England Club and the LTA on the new event. Philip Brook, chairman of Wimbledon’s All England Club, said: “The creation of a three-week gap between Roland Garros and Wimbledon will establish a longer and more significant grass court season within the international tennis calendar.

“In addition to the added entertainment potential for fans, this will have the substantial benefit of building a grass court tournament structure of genuine substance and, critically, of allowing the players more time to rest and recover from Roland Garros, and then to prepare for The Championships.

“I wish to thank the WTA and all the parties concerned for their commitment and support in bringing this exciting prospect to fruition from 2015.”

The Nottingham tournament will be staged in the first of those three weeks – the week beginning June 8.

The second week, the one likely to attract the biggest names, will see the tour head to Birmingham, while Eastbourne will continue to fill the slot the week before Wimbledon, which will start in June 29.

Both the Birmingham and Eastbourne events have ‘Premier’ status, meaning they carry more prize money and ranking points.

Topics: 10sballs.com, AEGON Challenge, Atp World Tour, French Open, Itf, Lawn Tennis Association, Nottingham, Tennis, Tennis News, Wimbledon, Wta

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yvessimonsevy says:

December 13, 2013 at 8:16 am

RT @10sBalls_com: Nottingham To Host WTA Grass Court Event : Asia seems to be granted increasing new tournaments by the … http://t.co/Sp4…