Tickets on sale for top tennis action

Tennis fans don’t have to wait any longer as tickets for this year’s International Women’s Open tennis championships go on sale, with thousands of previous spectators taking advantage of early bookings.

Sales for this year’s Lawn Tennis Association women’s tournament opened to previous customers from 25 February and sales on the first day alone reached £65,000 and over 6,000 tickets have been sold in the first 7 days. The Box Office opens to new customers from 10 March and keen spectators are being encouraged to book their tickets fast to ensure they get in on the action.

Eastbourne Borough Council Spokesperson for Tourism, Cllr Steve Wallis said “I am delighted that ticket sales have opened and been met with such huge success. First day sales indicate that tennis fans are already getting very excited about this year’s event. It is a major sporting occasion not just in Eastbourne and the south east, but internationally too, with top tennis stars from around the world always keen to take part. We’ve seen some thrilling contests during the event’s history and I am excited to see what 2008 will bring.”

The tournament, hailed as one of the highest calibre international grass court events, regularly attracts top names from the world of tennis, from Justine Henin to Amelie Mauresmo, and the WTA Tier II event returns to Devonshire Park from 14-21 June 2008. Last year’s tournament saw the biggest crowd in the event’s 32-year history. More than 40,000 spectators passed through the gates of the Devonshire Park over the week long tournament that ended in a tense 2½ hour final between world number one, Henin, and world number four, Mauresmo.

This year seating for the event is divided into three tiers, with seats closest to the court starting at £22. A weekly ticket can also be purchased for those that want to be at the forefront of the tennis action for the duration of the tournament. These start at £120 per person.

If tennis fans can’t wait until June and fancy picking up a racquet and playing on the grass courts themselves before the International Women’s Open kicks off, the Devonshire Park tennis courts are available to hire by the hour and open for the season from 19 April.

VisitEastbourne’s e-shop is already stocked up with tennis souvenirs ready for this year’s season, including souvenir programmes from previous championships as well as sets of tennis balls played with by world class tennis stars on Eastbourne’s grass courts.

For more information visit Eastbourne.lta.org.uk or Visiteastbourne.com.