Schroders Battle of the Brits event at NTC to mark return of professional tennis
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Tennis will return to TV screens next month with the star-studded ‘Schroders Battle of the Brits’ exhibition tournament featuring Britain’s top-ranked male players. The event is being co-organised by seven-times Grand Slam doubles and mixed doubles champion, Jamie Murray, alongside Schroders and Amazon Prime Video, and it will be hosted at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in Roehampton.
The six-day long tournament will place from 23 to 28 June and will feature players including both Andy and Jamie Murray, Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund as they compete to be crowned singles and doubles champions.
The event will bring much-missed live sport to fans, while raising a minimum of £100,000 for NHS Charities Together. Sports fans will be able to watch the live action exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in the UK and Ireland and on Eurosport and Tennis Channel in the US.
The LTA is working closely with Jamie on tournament preparations, which will be subject to Government guidelines as set out under a stage three return to ‘behind-closed-doors’ elite sporting events. The national governing body is part of a UK Sport working group advising the Government on the development of the guidelines.
The tournament will be followed by the first swing of four new British Tour events that will take place over consecutive weeks from 3-26 July. All four tournaments will all also staged at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, which has already been approved as an elite training venue and will continue as such during this time. This will allow the organisation time to develop appropriate guidelines for other venues.
We are very excited to be able to bring an action packed week of tennis
Speaking at the launch of the tournament, Jamie Murray said: “The last few months have been incredibly challenging times for everyone, and we see this event as our way of giving back. A lot of work has gone in to make sure this could happen and we are very excited to be able to bring an action packed week of tennis, while raising valuable funds for NHS heroes to say thank you for the amazing work they have done.
“I’m really excited to be putting on Schroders Battle of the Brits and for the first time bringing together the current generation of British male players to compete against one another while raising significant funds for charity. I am particularly grateful to our broadcast partner here in the UK, Amazon Prime Video, for enabling this event to happen.”
Scott Lloyd, LTA Chief Executive, said: “The LTA is looking forward to bringing tennis back into people’s lives this summer, and are excited about events like this inspiring fans to get involved in our sport and pick up a racket.
“We’ve been discussing this event with Jamie for some time and support his efforts, and those of others, to put on events as part of a co-ordinated plan in returning to elite competition. We are represented on the UK Sport working group advising Government on the necessary protocols for the return to elite sport and when the Government is able to announce this phase of eased restrictions for behind-closed-doors events we will work with Jamie’s team to undertake the necessary preparations and risk assessments. The LTA is looking forward to bringing tennis back into people’s lives this summer and are excited about events like this inspiring fans to get involved in our sport and pick up a racket.”
The LTA remains in close consultation with the ATP, WTA and the ITF regarding the future of international events this year, following the suspension of the professional Tours. The LTA has also developed plans for further enhanced domestic playing opportunities beyond August – should the international suspension period be extended further.
Keep up-to-date on all tournaments
For more information on the 'Battle of the Brits' exhibition and other domestic tennis events this summer, be sure to follow the LTA on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and sign up to the LTA Advantage.
