Top tennis returns to Bath next month as the AEGON GB Pro-Series ATP Challenger tournament makes its second appearance at the University of Bath Sports Training Village.
The men’s Challenger competition is the highlight of two weeks of top tennis at the Sports Training Village.
The action kicks off with two ITF Pro Circuit events – the men’s $15,000 tournament and a $10,000 competition for women from 10 to 17 March.
The men’s €42,500 ATP Challenger then runs from 17 March to 25 March alongside the women’s $25,000 ITF Pro Circuit event.
The tournaments will feature singles and doubles competitions and are likely to draw players from within the top-100 in the world to the indoor tennis complex at the Sports Training Village.
Spectators can watch the action throughout for free.
Last year Russia’s Dmitry Tursunov collected the men’s singles title at the Challenger event, beating Germany’s Andreas Beck 6-4, 6-4 in the final.
Switzerland’s Stefanie Voegele triumphed over Poland’s Marta Domachowska in the women’s singles final 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-2.
Other players to have featured in the Bath tournaments in the past include France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, now ranked sixth in the world, who won back-to-back tournaments at the University of Bath in 2006.
Entries for the tournaments at the University of Bath will be announced nearer the date. There should also be local interest in the shape of players from the Team Bath MCTA Tennis Academy.
Barry Scollo, Director of the Team Bath MCTA Tennis Academy, said: “We’re delighted to welcome back the Challenge and Pro Circuit tournaments to Team Bath.
“We’re particularly pleased that we can offer the opportunity for people to come and watch this level of tennis for free. It will be an exciting two weeks.”
Richard Joyner, tournament director of the Bath competition, said: “We are delighted to be returning to Bath again for the AEGON GB Pro-Series Bath with two weeks of professional tennis. 2011 was the first time we had staged an ATP Challenger men’s event at the University, and the line-up included a number of top players including Dmitry Tursunov, Nicolas Mahut, Andreas Beck, Gilles Muller, Karol Beck, Edouard Roger-Vasselin, and Dustin Brown.
“Six of these players competed in main draw at the recent Australian Open, and Bath provides a real opportunity for spectators to see professional tennis of this level close up and free of charge.”
For more information please click here.