There is less than two months to go before Britain’s storied grass tennis season returns — this time in Birmingham, for the Lexus Birmingham Open at Edgbaston Priory Club (from May 31).
Highlights include the HSBC Championships at London’s Queen’s Club, The Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic at 150-year-old Hurlingham Club and, of course, Wimbledon — one of four prized Grand Slam tournaments.
The Four Season's Ocean Club hotel in the Bahamas has a Har-Tru court — a type of clay surface court made from crushed green stones instead of brick dust.
This year, things are hotting up early — metaphorically and literally — with the introduction of The Road to The Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic, a series of doubles matches, played out on sunny Four Seasons hotel courts across the globe. The four fixtures are open to guests staying at each of the properties involved, on a first come first served basis, with the winning doubles team from each one invited to compete in the actual June Classic at the Hurlingham Club.
What-is-more, guests who sign up will receive tutelage from their hotel’s resident coach — who are some of the sport’s most legendary faces.
Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach has two Har-Tru courts and Venus Williams on hand for coaching advice.
Last month, 22-time singles title holder Juan Martín del Potro (he reached the US Open Final in 2018 and ranked 3rd) led players on The Ocean Club’s Har-Tru court in the Bahamas. And next week (April 11-13), a select few will get the chance to play with seven-time Grand Slam Champion Venus Williams at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, in Florida. In May (2-4), 18-times singles title holder Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (ranked as high as world number five) will welcome players to the red clay courts of Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat on the French Riviera, and in June (6-8), things culminate right here, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hampshire, under the watchful eye of Wimbledon Champion Goran Ivanišević.
Key tennis dates for your diary
June 7 to June 22
HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club London; WTA 500 (Women’s Tennis Association) and ATP 500 (Association of Tennis Professionals)
June 14 to June 22
The Lexus Nottingham Open; WTA 250 and ATP 125
June 21 to 28
The Lexus Eastbourne Open; WTA 250 and ATP 250
June 24 to 28
The Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic at Hurlingham Club; exhibition tournament
June 24 to 28
The Boodles at Stoke Park; exhibition tournament
June 30 to July 13
The Championships, Wimbledon; Grand Slam
The Hurlingham Club — which is rumoured to have a 25-year-long waiting list — has hosted an exhibition tournament since 1994 with players such as Novak Djokovic, Sir Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Stan Wawrinka taking part. Last year’s iteration was dominated by Holger Rune of Denmark who walked away with two wins and Djokovic who triumphed over Daniil Medvedev (6-3, 6-4) in a marquee match, off the back of knee surgery (above). He would go on to reach the finals of Wimbledon. This year's competitors are yet to be announced.
Grass is one of three surfaces that modern-day tennis (as opposed to Real Tennis whose origins lie in the 11th century) is typically played on. The other two are clay and hard concrete. Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam played on grass.
Different surfaces suit (and hinder) different players. On a grass court, the ball tends to travel at increased speed and rarely bounces above knee height; clay courts have the exact opposite characteristics. Serial Wimbledon-winners Roger Federer and Pete Sampras excelled on grass; Rafael Nadal was nicknamed 'The King of Clay'.
Visit the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) for more information.
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