Latest news with #LexusBirminghamOpen
South Wales Argus
10-06-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Minnen wins first WTA 125 title at Lexus Birmingham Open
Greet Minnen put a difficult run behind her with a sterling victory over Linda Fruhvirtova in the Lexus Birmingham Open women's singles final. Minnen won her first WTA 125 title with a 6-2 6-1 win over Fruhvirtova in her second match of a rain-affected final day. The fifth seed had twice tasted defeat at this level but blew her Czech opponent away to lift the trophy. "It's a wonderful moment, it hasn't been easy the last few years, I haven't played a lot finals," Minnen said. "To be here, to win a final on the grass is the best I could hope for honestly. "It's been a tough week with all the rain, for everybody involved in the tournament, thanks to everyone for helping out. "I know it's not easy with the weather, I don't know how I pulled it off, let's not think about it and enjoy it." The Belgian took both break-point opportunities she had in the first set to move into a commanding position. Fruhvirtova broke in the first game of the second set, her first break of the day, but Minnen immediately responded and it was one-way traffic from there as Minnen closed out the match with six straight games. Minnen had earlier ground out a 6-3 7-6 (7) 7-6 (5) semi-final win over Rebeka Masarova of Switzerland, which had been played over two days. Fruhvirtova said: "It was a great week for me, of course I am disappointed it didn't go the way I had hoped today. "I have to give credit Greet today, she was too good. But overall, it was a positive week for me. "I had two season without a final and this is my second this season so I just have to appreciate it, it means a lot to me." Finland's Otto Virtanen timed his men's singles triumph to perfection as he beat Colton Smith 6-4 6-4. Virtanen earned the only break of the opening set at 5-4 and then held his nerve when Smith took a 3-0 lead in the second. The World No. 114 broke back immediately before again breaking to move 5-4 ahead and close out the match. Victory was Virtanen's first title on grass, with Smith also playing in his first grass court final. 'It feels amazing, playing on grass, I don't think we have a single grass court in Finland,' Virtanen said. 'But I have always liked the surface, I played juniors on it, but then in the last two or three years too. I always enjoy playing a grass tournament. 'It suits my game as well. It feels great to win a lot of good matches, and today I played a good match from my side. 'He put me in really tough situations, and so I had to do my best on very important points." Smith had beaten third seed Rinky Hijikata 6-3 6-4 earlier in the day to advance to the showpiece. The American said: 'I just want to thank the city of Birmingham for coming out to support. This has been an unforgettable week for me. 'It is fun, I am looking forward to keep building from here. I just want to thank my family and everybody else that has been supporting me, it has been incredible. 'I would probably say grass is now one of my favourite surfaces.' Marcelo Demoliner and Sadio Doumbia triumphed in a disrupted men's doubles final, beating Diego Hidalgo and Patrick Trhac 6-4 3-6 10-5. The match had been due to take place on Saturday but was pushed back due to rain, and the wet weather interrupted the final with Demoliner and Doumbia 6-4 2-3 ahead. Trhac and Hidalgo took advantage of the delay to immediately break Demoliner and Doumbia on the restart and held on to their advantage to ensure a Championship tie-break. With the pairs locked at 5-5 all, the fourth seeds reeled off five points on the bounce to claim the title. For 36-year-old Demoliner, it marks a first Challenger win since 2009, while Doumbia extended his record in Challengers finals to 19-0. For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website
The Herald Scotland
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Evans relishing prospect of maiden Lexus Birmingham Open
Now the LTA's exciting new summer grass court calendar sees a men's ATP Challenger tournament added to the schedule alongside a women's tournament at the Edgbaston Priory Club for the first time, with Evans a star attraction for the fans to follow when the Lexus Birmingham Open gets underway on May 31. Evans, 34, has practiced on the immaculate Edgbaston Priory Club grass courts over the course of a career that has seen him win two ATP Tour titles and reach a career-high ranking of No.21, but the chance to play in front of his home fans in Birmingham in a competitive tournament is setting his pulse racing. 'It's going to be nice to play at home,' said Evans, whose only previous appearance in Birmingham came in a Davis Cup tie for Great Britain against Japan alongside Andy Murray in 2016. 'Edgbaston Priory Club has always had some of the best grass courts in the country, so it's going to be great preparation for the rest of the grass court season. 'I practice at Edgbaston Priory Club when I am at home. It's a really good club and from my perspective, I feel so lucky to have this opportunity to play a tournament at an established club that has a great track record for staging such a historic women's event.' Evans started his tennis story at West Warwicks Tennis Club in Solihull and admits he didn't expect his first steps onto court would lead to a career that has seen him perform on the game's biggest states, including playing doubles alongside two-time former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray in the final tournament of his career at last summer's Olympic Games. 'I played every sport when I was growing up and remember having my first lessons at the West Warwicks Tennis Club,' continues Evans. 'I must have been pretty decent because the coach encouraged me to carry on playing the sport. 'I played county tennis for Warwickshire. We had a pretty good team at the time, but I was not thinking back then that I could have a career as a tennis player. I played because I enjoyed the sport and I didn't believe I could ever have a career as a professional until I was much older. 'I was always competitive and wanted to win matches, but I didn't know if I was any good and when I started out in the juniors, I wasn't one of the best players. 'It was not until I was 16 or 17 that I started to realise I could take it further and going to the LTA's Academy in Loughborough was important for me. Leighton Alfred and Mark Taylor were the coaches looking after me and at that point, tennis started to take on a different path for me.' Now Evans is preparing to test his skills on grass courts once again, after previous successes winning the titles in LTA tournaments at Surbiton and Nottingham. 'It's always good to play on grass,' he added. 'It's such a different surface from what we are used to for most of the year, but it's nice to play on. 'Historically, British players tend to go out of the French Open a little earlier than we might like, so that gives us a chance to get some time on grass courts ahead of some other players. 'The conditions have changed a little in my time playing on grass. The balls and the court have got a little slower, but it's always a good surface to play on and it's great to play in front of the British fans. 'I have enjoyed some of the best moments of my career on grass and I've won titles in Nottingham and Surbiton in the past, so I know I can deliver on that stage.' The Lexus Birmingham Open kicks off on May 31, with Great Britain's rising star Sonay Kartal among the players who will be playing at the Edgbaston Priory Club in the women's tournament. Tickets for the Lexus Birmingham Open are now on sale at the LTA's website:
Powys County Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Evans targeting memorable Midlands homecoming at Lexus Birmingham Open
Dan Evans hopes to cap a memorable Midlands homecoming when he makes his Lexus Birmingham Open debut next month. The former British No.1, 34, will make his maiden appearance at the Edgbaston Priory Club event as men's tennis joins the initially women's-only competition for the very first time. The new 'mini-Wimbledon' format will kick off a new-look summer grass court season and Birmingham ace Evans, the former world No.21, is targeting an emotional ATP triumph on home soil. 'This summer is going to be extra special for me as I will get the chance to play at my home grass court event in Birmingham for the first time,' said Evans, who played for Great Britain in a Davis Cup tie in Birmingham in 2016. 'It's great that the Lexus Birmingham Open is a mixed event, so the fans get a chance to see even more great tennis at one of the best venues in this country. 'I have enjoyed some of the best moments of my career on grass and I've won titles in Nottingham and Surbiton in the past, so I know I can deliver on that stage. 'Hopefully I can challenge for silverware and bring home the trophy for Birmingham.' The Birmingham tournament has a rich history in women's tennis, with the event that staged at the club since 1982 and won by some of the greats of the game including Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova. With the main draws starting on June 1, the Birmingham Open will be the first major event of the grass court summer, which also includes a brand new women's WTA 500 tournament at The Queen's Club in London. Britain's Billie Jean King Cup team member Harriet Dart has also confirmed she will be playing in Birmingham, with tournament director Kirsty Thomson excited to oversee the starting point of what promises to be a thrilling summer of grass court tennis. 'It's great to have a combined women's and men's event in Birmingham for the first time and we are excited to give the grass court season a fitting start,' she said. 'Birmingham's Edgbaston Priory Club has an incredible history for showcasing world-class tennis and this will continue in June. 'British stars Dan Evans and Harriet Dart have confirmed they are playing and we are looking forward to welcoming more top class players to the Lexus Birmingham Open.'
