Ace line up for women’s Ilkley Trophy

The Fuzion 100 Ilkley Tennis Trophy (formerly the Aegon Ilkley Trophy) is set to feature the Women’s Tennis Association’s [WTA] world-class and brightest young stars, as the tournament’s increasing reputation and popularity volleys into its fourth year. Twenty-two female players will take centre-stage at the Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club [ILTSC] with the International Tennis Federation [ITF] women’s circuit offering up pulsating grass court tennis.

Those first professional players ready to be announced as coming to Ilkley include three players from the world top #100, led by Estonian Kaia Kanepi, a US Open quarter finalist (2017) ranked #52.

Former world #7 Belinda Bencic (Switzerland, #71) will use her Ilkley appearance to help make her way back through the rankings following an injury plagued 2016/17 alongside another former top 50 player, 23 year old Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (currently #77, previously #26) who won her third WTA title in Bogota in April 2018.

24 year old Luksika Kumkhum (Thailand, #100) will be looking to make the break back into the top 100 this year for the first time in four years, while American Madison Brengle (#101) tries to build on a successful start to 2018 with an ITF title in Midland, USA and two in 2017 (Charlottesville and Charleston) when she beat Serena Williams (Auckland, January 2017) and Petra Kvitova (Wimbledon, July 2017) along the way.

Charlie Maunder, ILTSC Manager, commented: “The women’s draw is particularly strong this year with many players hoping to follow the success of our 2017 Champion, Magdalena Rybarikova, who brilliantly went on to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon. It’s really something special to be able to watch these players up close so we’re looking forward to some intense action on court later this month.”

From 16-24 June, the elite women players will battle it out for a shared total prize fund of $100,000 and a potential wild card entry straight through to the hallowed turf of Wimbledon. Wild cards to the Ilkley Trophy won’t be known until nearer the time of the tournament.

Tickets are on sale here: https://www.theticketfactory.com/ltaci/online/

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