World-class tennis returns to Sunderland next week at the Aegon GB Pro-Series event with a host of British players looking to continue an impressive early season so far.
While last year was a women's-only event, this year sees a strong male and female line-up with the action running from March 17 to 24 with entry completely free of charge for spectators.
Plenty of male British players' rankings have been moving in the right direction this season with a British finalist in every one of the first six tournaments - four times ending as a champion.
Some of the stars of the tour have been Ed Corrie who has won twice, reached four finals and seen his ranking rocket up 144 places in 2013 to a career-high 385, while Marcus Willis, winner of the opening meet, has risen a whopping 324 plaecs to 638.
And after reaching the final in Shrewsbury, losing to British No. 6 Dan Evans, 22-year-old Willis is set to rise even higher in the British rankings, and no doubt he will be looking to build on this in Sunderland.
British No. 4 Josh Goodall is the highest ranked player in the tournament at 254 although there is an international flavour with Slovakian Marek Semjan and Czech Jan Minat also looking to have a say during the $10,000 event.
In the $15,000 women's event all eyes will be on 20-year-old Tara Moore who had had a fine 2013, producing a stunning week's tennis to win the $25,000 Surprise tournament in Arizona - beating former World No.60 Julie Coin in the process.
Moore won the opening two events in the Aegon GB Pro-Series before jetting off to the USA and has risen 57 places to a career-high 209 in 2013 where she is breathing down the neck of former British No.1 Elena Baltacha.
But exciting 18-year-old Belgian Alison van Uytvanck is ranked No.1 in the tournament while German Anna-Lena Friedsam and Czech Sandra Zahlavova are also standing in her way.
Tournament director Richard Joyner said: "We are really excited with the quality of performers in both the men's and women's draw - there should be some brilliant matches.
"It is totally free to come and watch so what better way to come and see some of the tennis stars of the future?
"We have fantastic facilities and I am sure we are in for a very exciting week's tennis."
Men's qualifying takes place on March 17 and 18 and women's is on Match 18 and 19 while the men's main draw runs from the 19th to the 23rd and the women's draw from the 20th to the 24th.
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