Big names and local prospects are converging on Bolton for an international tennis tournament.
International wheelchair tennis returns to Bolton Arena for the ninth time todaywith Grand Slam champions and Paralympic medallists among more than 100 players from 22 countries due to compete.
The Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA) Bolton Indoor International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournaments take place from 17-26 February.
There are two graded tournaments on show – ITF 2 and ITF 3. The lower the number, the more advanced the level and the outcomes have greater bearing on the players’ world ranking.
The ITF 3 competition takes place between February 17 and February 21, and the ITF 2 tournament between February 22 and February 26.
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Bolton hosted the first two British tournaments on the International Tennis Federation’s UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour for the first time in 2022, when a new Bolton Indoor ITF 3 event preceded the ITF 2 tournament that has attracted many of the world’s leading players since 2014.
Among the heavyweight entrants this year, local interest comes in the form of Manchester-based Robyn Love.
The two-time Paralympian and World and European medallist in wheelchair basketball began her competitive wheelchair tennis career at last year’s Bolton Indoor ITF 3, winning her opening match and ending 2022 having won her first international singles and doubles titles as a tennis player.
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Love will begin this year’s Bolton Indoor tournaments at a career-best women’s singles ranking of number 66.
This year’s ITF 3 event has a new tournament director in the form of two-time Paralympian and 2015 Bolton Indoor singles finalist and 2016 doubles champion Louise Hunt Skelley.
She said: “As a former doubles champion and singles finalist in Bolton I’m really excited to have been entrusted with this new role by the LTA and I’m loving the new challenge.
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“Bolton Indoor has aways been a hugely popular early-season tournament for players from across the world and the addition of the ITF 3 event last year has enhanced the range of opportunities available for earning ranking points.
“With more than 70 players from 21 countries contesting this year’s ITF 3 event it’s going to be another high-quality and fiercely competitive tournament.”
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