James Fisher
Looking forward to tennis season? Then you’re in luck, as the players have been announced for the The Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic at 150-year-old Hurlingham Club — and it’s a stellar line up.
Jack Draper, the British number one and world number four will be on the grass, along with Holger Rune, the Danish player who is currently world number nine. Back in May, Rune beat Carlos Alcaraz in Barcelona in an impressive two sets..
Lorenzo Musetti during a match at La Caja Magica in Madrid.
The 31st edition of the Classic will also see world number six Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, and more recently announced players include Frances Tiafoe, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov.
Stars of the pro circuit will be joined by legends such as Mansour Bahrami, David Ferrer, Mark Philippoussis, Thomas Enqvist and Feliciano Lopez.
It would be hard to be as excited as the American tennis player Darlene Hard, who was thrilled to be at a pre-Wimbledon Tennis party at the Hurlingham Club in 1960.
It’s the fourth year in a row that the Italian luxury fashion house Giorgio Armani has been the Classic’s title partner.
The Hurlingham Club has long hosted the biggest names in tennis, including Grand Slam champions Sir Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Pete Sampras and Goran Ivanisevic.
The Club is normally shut off to the public, but that all changes on June 28. Purchase a ticket and you will get access to the grounds, two ATP singles matches, featuring four top ranked players, and a legends match featuring returning fan favourites.
World number nine Holger Rune was knocked out of the French Open in four sets by Lorenzo Musetti. Could revenge on a grass court in Fulham be on the cards?
And that’s not all. The event will also be utterly delicious off the courts, as the Michelin-starred chef Paul Ainsworth will be producing a menu which will be served within the Club’s newly renovated East Wing.
Their Junior Invitational will also be returning, now expanding to 12 of the top juniors in the world. Players confirmed include British number two Mark Ceban, the World number three Kristina Penickova, number 16 Annika Penickova and World number four Jagger Leach.
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