HUNDREDS of tickets have already been snapped up for the prestigious National Tennis Championships at the Bolton Arena.

But for those who have not bought any yet, there is also a pay on the door policy, subject to availability.

Apart from the absence of Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski - who are competing in other tournaments for ranking points - all the country's top players are taking part.

Davis Cup stars Martin Lee, Barry Cowan, Arvind Parmar, Lee Childs and Jamie Delgado are the biggest names and spectators will be treated to some top class tennis.

It is a coup for the £15m Arena to stage the tournament and, if a success, could lead to Davis Cup tennis and other competitions being held at the venue.

"It is very important that we put on a good show and do a good job with hosting this event because it could lead to bigger things in the future," said a Bolton Arena spokesman.

"We have had a very good response from the public and we expect it to be an excellent week with some fine tennis on display. It is a great chance for the people of Bolton to see some top class sport."

The Bolton Evening News will provide in-depth coverage of the event, which culminates with the mens, ladies and doubles finals on Saturday, October 27.