Tennis legends are returning to Scotland this summer to compete at the Brodies Invitational at Gleneagles - a two-day tennis extravaganza which, for the first time, will be part of the prestigious ATP Champions Tour.
Brodies LLP and the Gleneagles Hotel will jointly host the event on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 June, which will see stars of the game battling it out to be crowned the Brodies Invitational Champion, sharing the court with Scotland's most promising junior players and helping to raise money for Maggie's cancer care centres and Cancer Research UK.
Tennis legends
Among those showing off their racquet skills at the tournament, which is supported by Tennis Scotland, will be the former British No.1 Tim Henman, former World No.1 Mats Wilander, former World No. 4 and reigning Brodies Invitational Champion Thomas Enqvist, former World No.19 Xavier Malisse and Colin Fleming, a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist and current National Coach for Scotland. The legends will compete in four matches across the two days.
Tim Henman, the former World No. 4 and six-time Grand Slam semi-finalist, said: "I'm really looking forward to competing in the Brodies Invitational again, helping to build on the success of last year's hugely-popular tournament and putting Scotland firmly on the map as a venue for world-class tennis. We've got a great line-up of players again this year at Gleneagles, who will showcase a highly-entertaining mix of skills and competitive tennis that is sure to appeal to sports fans of all ages."
Established in 1997, the ATP Champions Tour spans the globe with former champions competing in tournaments in cities including London, Mexico City, Seoul, Stockholm and Palma de Mallorca.
Jan Felgate, CEO of the ATP Champions Tour, said: "We are delighted to welcome the Brodies Invitational into the family of the ATP Champions Tour. The tour is about legendary players in iconic locations, and this event at Gleneagles captures the essence and vision of the tour. We look forward to many great events here."
Nurturing Scottish tennis talent
The tournament also aims to encourage grass-roots involvement in the game. The Brodies Invitational at Gleneagles will feature a family fun tennis session, hosted by former Fed Cup Captain Judy Murray as part of her Tennis on the Road programme. The parents and children who take part will be the winners of a draw open to 'early bird' ticketholders.
Judy said: "I'm delighted to be involved with the Brodies Invitational tournament again. It's great to have top class tennis in Scotland and last year's event was exciting, fun, and very popular with the crowd. It is a chance to see some of the world's legends in action, to showcase Scotland's best young prospects and to give many parents and children the chance to try tennis through my fun family event. I'm looking forward to being part of it again this year."
Bill Drummond, Managing Partner of Brodies, said: "The Brodies Invitational at Gleneagles is once again giving tennis fans, business people and budding players an opportunity to get together and enjoy watching stars of the game compete in a world-class setting. We're hoping to build on the considerable success of last year's tournament with the addition of our event to the ATP Champions Tour, which will add an extra competitive edge."
Pete Nicolson, Chief Executive Officer of Tennis Scotland, added: "The profile of tennis in Scotland is currently at an all-time high and Brodies Invitational at Gleneagles will be a great opportunity to show off the young talent that we have here, and encourage others to take up the sport. This year I'm particularly looking forward to seeing some of our nation's top juniors test their skills against players who were world-class at their peak."
The event is also being supported by Brewin Dolphin, Wilson and full-service marketing agency The Gate.
Due to the popularity of last year's tournament, the number of tickets has been increased to almost 1,000 across both days. Tickets for the Brodies Invitational are normally priced at £39.50 for adults and £20 for children, however a 20% 'early bird' discount is being offered until midnight on Tuesday 18 April. To take advantage of this limited offer, book your tickets using this special link: www.brodiesinvitational.com/get-tickets/.
In addition, each 'early bird' ticket holder will be given the opportunity to enter a draw for one adult and one child to take part in the Judy Murray family fun tennis session involving the legends on the Saturday morning. In total, up to 32 children and 32 adults will be able to take part.
