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8 - 16 June 2019

Nature Valley Open

Nottingham Tennis Centre

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Nature Valley Open: Young British stars awarded main draw wild cards

  • 2019 WTA International logo
  • ATP Challenger Tour logo
  • 07/06/2019

  • Nature Valley Open

A host of British tennis stars have been awarded main draw wild cards for the Nature Valley Open that gets under way at the Nottingham Tennis Centre this weekend. 

Heather Watson and Harriet Dart have secured automatic places in round one while their GB Fed Cup team-mate Katie Swan has been awarded a wild card. 

British players Naiktha Bains and Maia Lumsden have also been awarded wild cards for the main draw. 

Swan, 20, and Dart, 22, both played a vital part in the Fed Cup Europe/Africa Zone group on home soil in Bath after teaming up to clinch victories against Greece and Slovenia. Their contribution led to GB ultimately securing promotion to World Group II.

Nottingham-born Freya Christie has been awarded a qualifying wild card and she faces Valeria Savinykh of Russia tomorrow. Christie is joined in qualifying by fellow British players Tara Moore, Eden Silva and Sarah Beth Grey. 

View the full Women's Qualifying Draw to find out who the Brits will face in round one.

In the men’s ATP Challenger, Liam Broady, Jack Draper, Evan Hoyt and Paul Jubb will be in Monday’s first-round draw alongside fellow British players Dan Evans, Jay Clarke and James Ward.

Broady, 25, is a former junior Wimbledon and US Open finalist and he won two junior Grand Slam doubles titles as a teenager. 

17 year old Draper had a memorable run to the final in the boys' singles final at Wimbledon last year. He also won three ITF Futures singles titles last year including September's tournament on Nottingham's hard courts.

Hoyt, 24, has six ITF Futures titles to his name, including three in 2019, while 19 year old Jubb claimed his first ITF title in Lithuania last year. 

Tournament Director, Rebecca James, said: “It is great to have so many of Britain’s young stars at the Nature Valley Open. 

“These players are the future of British tennis and I know they will get some great backing from the Nottingham crowd.

“We have a very exciting lineup in the men’s and women’s tournament and we are looking forward to an exceptional week of tennis.”  

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