FILE PHOTO: Tennis - ATP 500 - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 25, 2023 General view during the final match between Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Australia's Alex de Minaur Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
LONDON (Reuters) - Women's tennis will be played at Queen's Club from 2025 for the first time in over half a century after the women's tour announced on Thursday that it would host a WTA 500 event ahead of the Wimbledon Championships.
The iconic Queen's Club last hosted the women's event in 1973, after which it was moved to Eastbourne, but it will now be held in the first week of the grasscourt season -- a week before the men's tournament.
"This new calendar is an important step in increasing the visibility of our sport, particularly the women's game," Chris Pollard, director of major events at Britain's Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), said in a statement.
"The changes mean we can deliver a high-profile women's tour event in London for the first time in half a century.
"We're committed to protecting the geographical spread of our grasscourt venues and every venue will now host both men's and women's tennis, meaning more chances for fans to watch British players in action closer to them."
Nottingham's WTA 250 event will take place in the second week of the grasscourt season, while a WTA 250 event will now be held in Eastbourne in the third week, combined with an ATP 250 tournament.
The WTA also announced that its WTA 1000 events in Montreal and the Cincinnati Open will be expanded to 12-day tournaments.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
