Aegon Classic Birmingham 2017: All you need to know
Having been held for nearly 40 years, the Aegon Classic Birmingham takes place each summer - here's all you need to know about the famous tournament.
What is the Aegon Classic Birmingham?
Considered one of the top events on the women's tennis calendar, the Aegon Classic Birmingham is an annual tournament offering fans their first chance to see some of the best women's tennis players in the summer.
The tournament boasts a collection of international and home-grown stars competing for the Maud Watson trophy over the course of a week, with previous winners including Martina Navratilova, Billy Jean King and Ana Ivanovic.
Played outdoors, it's often seen as an ideal warm-up event for Wimbledon - which itself takes place in the first two weeks of July.
It's held several different names over the years, originally starting life as the Edgbaston Cup in 1982.
Pam Shriver is the singles title record holder at the competition, with four consecutive wins from 1984-87.
Where is the Aegon Classic Birmingham hosted?
Based at the Edgbaston Priory Club since its conception, the venue was redeveloped in 2013.
Based over 14 acres, just minutes away from Birmingham City Centre, the club boasts 32 tennis courts with a variety of playing surfaces.
The Aegon Classic Birmingham is a grass court event, so only utilises that surface throughout the tournament - with the final being hosted on the Ann Jones Centre Court.
Five grass courts are used through the tournament, with the Centre Court show-piece assisted by Courts 1,2,3 and 4.
With over 3,000 members, the club also boasts squash courts, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and numerous other fitness amenities.
When is the Aegon Classic Birmingham 2017?
The tournament will run from June 17th through to June 25th this year.
Play starts at 11am over the first four days of competition, and is pushed back to 11.30am for the next four days.
On finals day, play begins at 1.30pm.
However, order and times of play are subject to change should tournament organisers see fit.
Getting tickets to the Aegon Classic Birmingham 2017
There are several ways to grab tickets to tournament, the easiest being online, through the Ticket Factory.
You can also call 08445814995 for tickets Monday-Friday 9am-7pm, and Saturday-Sunday 9am-5pm.
Disable tickets are available via 08006405001 whilst group bookings can be made by calling 0800 358 0058.
Prices vary depending on the type of ticket, beginning at £10 for the first few days of competition, and rising to approximately £50 for finals day.
Weekly tickets can also be bought for upwards of £180, whilst bundle offers are available at the Aegon Classic Birmingham website.
Who is playing at the Aegon Classic Birmingham 2017?
There are plenty of big names set to take to the Edgbaston Priory Club in June.
The biggest name that was set to play was that of former Wimbledon Champion Maria Sharapova, who has since withdrawn through injury.
The five-time Grand Slam champion will participate in the 2018 tournament however.
Meanwhile two-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber is set to participate though, as is 2016 champion Madison Keys.
Johanna Konta is likely to draw the biggest cheers as the British number one is set to compete too.
Meanwhile, the likes of Petra Kvitova, Karolina Pliskova, Garbine Muguruza, Dominika Cibulkova and Agnieszka Radwanska are also listed as player entries.
What events are held?
With singles and doubles tennis on offer, there's plenty of competition to watch, beginning with the qualifying matches.
The main draw of 32 for both singles and doubles gets started from Monday 19th June.
However, there are also other events being held during the competition.
There's an Explore Wimbledon Experience on offer, allowing fans a chance to listen to stories about the famous Grand Slam, whilst an Inspirational Women in Tennis exhibition will highlight stories regarding the lives of seven female tennis players over history.
Meanwhile Monday 19th June is Queen Elizabeth Charity Day, which features goodie bags for spectators and a formal opening ceremony.
Ladies' Day takes place on Thursday 22nd June, where prizes are awarded for the best dressed, with giveaways taking place over the course of the day.
Other details:
Partial refunds will be offered if play is washed out (terms and conditions to this apply, which can be found via the official tournament website).
Children under five do not require a ticket, but aren't allowed on to Centre Court.
There are no cash machines available on-site.
There will be a selection of food and refreshments available, including a BBQ zone and mobile concession stands.
There is no formal dress code.
Car parking is available (prices beginning at £5 for qualifying and £10 for main draw days) on a first come, first served basis.
Security is being reviewed in light of recent events - be sure to arrive with enough time to allow for additional security.
Details on restricted items can be found on the Aegon Classic Birmingham's official website.
For more information on the Aegon Classic Birmingham, head to www.lta.org.uk/major-events/aegon-classic-birmingham/.
