Women’s international pro tennis returns to the Wirral Tennis & Leisure Centre, from Sunday 22 October to Saturday 28 October.
The Aegon GB Pro-Series Wirral is an ITF Pro Circuit women’s $15k event with a great blend of British and international players on the entry list. All the world’s top players sharpened their pro careers at this level, and a number of the players in action at the Wirral are steadily working their way up the rankings in their quest to reach the top.
The highest ranked player is Brit Freya Christie. The Nottingham teenager, who this time last year had a world ranking of 286, and reached the Wimbledon Junior Doubles semi-final in 2015, is recovering from injury, and arrives on the Wirral in her first comeback tournament since the end of July. The second highest ranked player competing next week is Italian Lucrezia Stefanini . The 19 year old, who plays double handed both sides, has made an impressive transition from the junior game. Having played all four junior grand slam events in 2016, Lucrezia won her first pro title in Tunisia in May, and has reached a number of semi-finals in 2017, including Tunisia this month, and Trieste in September. She is joined by a contingent of Italians descending upon the Wirral with Anna-Giulia Remondina, Federica Di Sarra, and Maria Masini all in action.
There is local interest with Sam Murray, who hails from Stockport, and reached a career high of 165 before a long term injury, the third highest ranked player in main draw. Plus Sarah Beth Grey, from Wallesey, who won the women’s doubles title at this event in 2016 with Olivia Nicholls. Other British interest in the main draw includes Maia Lumsden, Eden Silva, Jodie Burrage, and Alicia Barnett.
The qualifying event includes 17 year old’s Hannah Mccolgan, from Bramhall, and Olivia Peet, from Bury, with 18 year old Ellie Tsimbilakis, from the Wirral, and 15 year old Holly Staff, from Swinton, also hoping to make it into qualifying.
The women’s qualifying event is Sunday and Monday, and main draw starts Tuesday.
Richard Joyner, Tournament Director, said
‘We’re really looking forward to returning to the Wirral. This is the second time we have staged an international women’s event at the Centre in 2017, and we have a great mix of British and overseas players’.
Joyner added ‘Entry for spectators is free throughout the week, with courtside seating for the Women’s Singles final at 11.00am on Saturday 28 October. The whole week is a great way to see close up some of the world’s up and coming players’
Entry throughout the week is free to spectators, whilst from Tuesday you can follow the action through live scoring on the LTA web-site www.lta.org.uk/agbps
For an updated player list http://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/tournaments/women's-tournament/info.aspx?tournamentid=1100040936
