A new grass court calendar is coming in 2025 🎾 @WTA event returns to London for 1st time in 50 years 🎾 Birmingham event to start the grass court season 🎾 Men’s & Women’s events at every venue Find out more at shorturl.at/eiIL1
2025 WTA Calendar confirmed as mooted Queen's Club move confirmed and US Open warm-ups become 12 days
WTAThursday, 16 May 2024 at 16:40
After rumours swirled for some time about the Queen's Club hosting a WTA tournament going forward, it has been officially confirmed with the 2025 WTA Calendar officially dropping and gleaming some interesting changes
The new women's tournament at Queen's Club replaces Eastbourne and takes place in the week following the French Open. It is the first time in 50 years that a WTA tournament will be played in London. But it means changes to other grass court tournaments. Mostly to Birmingham and the placing of Nottingham and Eastbourne.
Birmingham Classic which was a WTA 500 not long ago will now become a Challenger event on both tours so lower level. It will now be on the second week of the French Open. The joint men's and women's event in Nottingham will move to the same week as the men's Queen's Club tournament which is the week after the women's.
Eastbourne will move to the week prior to Wimbledon and despite losing its status as a WTA 500 will still remain on the tour at a lower level. The LTA took their time over this decision seemingly with the fact that there were some concerns about the beating that the grass would take if two tournaments were hosted in a row. Surbiton as a result will be kicked off the calendar.
It will still likely host an event, but will not be in the same slot it usually is which means an end to the tournament that Andy Murray is defending champion in. But this move has been a foot for a while in terms of Queen's.
“We have absolute confidence that we can stage a two-week event at the Queen’s Club,” said Chris Pollard who is the LTA's director of major events.
“Obviously the Championships at Wimbledon prove that grass can withstand two weeks of tennis. We’ve got independent data that really provides a lot of evidence that the men’s week will not suffer in any way, shape or form.
“We’ve had many discussions with both tours in respect of that. (The ATP) have given the green light for the tournament to take place in 2025 and we continue to have an ongoing dialogue with them in respect of the success of the 2025 tournament.
“They would like to consider what happens after 2025 but we remain in very close dialogue with them on that point and remain very confident that it will be a permanent change.”
Further changes to US swing with player complaints likely to heighten
But while there will be some delight about the Queen's Club tournament heading to the WTA, there will be some complaints likely about another move confirmed. Player complaints are already rife surrounding scheduling and the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open have seen major changes.
The WTA 1000 events at the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open will expand to become 12 day tournaments taking place over three weeks in the summer.
Elena Rybakina (pictured) is one of those voicing opposition previously to the extension of tournaments and scheduling including for these set of events.
This is instead of being four weeks. The Canadian Open will start on Sunday July 27th and be finished August 7th. Cincinnati starts August 7th and ends Monday August 18th and then the US Open follows straight after. There has already been similar issues when it comes to the Rome and Madrid Open double.
“The 2025 calendar offers a clear and exciting narrative for our 1 billion global fan base to follow this incredible sport,” said Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO. “We strive to create the best possible experience for everyone involved in women’s tennis, and from our first tournaments in Australia through to the WTA Finals Riyadh, it’s going to be another captivating season on the Hologic WTA Tour in 2025.”
Aside from that there are no further changes to the calendar. It is also a surprise to see the calendar so early with the WTA often copping criticism for not releasing on time and waiting. Mainly this has been due to the WTA Finals not being confirmed. But now it is, it has now been set in full for next year.
We also have dates for the expanded events in Canada and Cincy, it's over 3 weeks instead of 4 Canada starts on Sunday July 27th and ends Thursday August 7th Cincy starts Thursday August 7th and ends Monday August 18th
Queen's becoming a WTA event in 2025 is official, it will be the week before the men's event, so they basically have a 2 week event now, first week for the women, 2nd week for men. I don't really see any other notable changes on the 2025 calender, amazing to have it out already
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