'I can’t wait to play in Britain again' - Emma Raducanu named on entry list for Rothesay Classic Birmingham
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Updated 17/05/2022 at 16:36 GMT
US Open champion Emma Raducanu is named as the highest-ranked player on the entry list for Rothesay Classic Birmingham, and will be joined by three former major champions for the tournament’s 40th anniversary year. “I can’t wait to play in Britain again, it will be great to get back onto the grass and re-live some of the wonderful memories from last year,” Raducanu said.
ROME, ITALY - MAY 10: Emma Raducanu of Great Britain reacts in her women's singles first round match against Bianca Andreescu of Canada during day three of Internazionali BNL D'Italia at Foro Italico on May 10, 2022 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Alex Pantling
Image credit: Eurosport
Emma Raducanu is one of four former major champions named on the entry list for the Rothesay Classic Birmingham, and says she “can’t wait” to return to British soil for the 40th anniversary event - the first time since her US Open win last September.
The current world No.12 will be the highest-ranked player at the tournament - the biggest female-only tennis event in Britain - and is relishing the prospect of playing at Edgbaston Priory Club for the first time in her career.
“I can’t wait to play in Britain again and I’m delighted to be competing at the Rothesay Classic in Birmingham in the 40th year of this historic event,” said British No.1 Raducanu.
“It will be great to get back onto the grass and re-live some of the wonderful memories from last year, where the backing of the British fans was so fantastic.”
Latvia player and current world No.13 Jelena Ostapenko will join Raducanu in Birmingham. She has reached the quarter-finals at Edgbaston Priory Club on two previous occasions, in 2016 and 2019.
The 2018 French Open winner and 2019 Wimbledon champion Simona Halep will return to Birmingham for the first time in eight years. She was a winner on the WTA Tour in 2022 following her victory in Melbourne this January.
Sloane Stephens is also named on the entry list, her US Open win in 2017 completing the quartet of major championship winners joining the tournament.
Rothesay Classic Birmingham tournament director Patrick Hughesman said: “Having a trio of major champions entering the Rothesay Classic WTA 250 event is an incredibly exciting prospect for all tennis and sports fans alike.
“Emma Raducanu, Simona Halep, Jelena Ostapenko and Sloane Stephens will certainly provide some of the hottest tickets in the Midlands sporting calendar as they turn up the heat in trying to win and lift the famous Maud Watson Trophy on finals day.
“We are also excited to celebrate 40 years of our great tournament and have some wonderful events over the course of the week to toast this moment. I can’t wait to welcome the players back to Birmingham together with the potential of having capacity crowds.”
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