The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Tennis legends serve up sports spectacular
Gleneagles: Stars to battle it out over four matches during two-day festival
A public exhibition match between international tennis legends is to be held at Scotland’s newest tennis arena in June.
Former Wimbledon stars, grand slam finalists and Davis Cup winners Tim Henman, Thomas Enqvist, Cedric Pioline and Greg Rusedski will take part in a championship at the Gleneagles Hotel arena, Perthshire.
British tennis star Greg Rusedski, notorious for his booming serve, reached the US Open final in 1997, while Swede Enqvist was defeated in the Australian Open final in 1999.
Wimbledon semi-finalist Henman was UK No 1 in 1996 and again from 1999 to 2005, from which point he was succeeded by Andy Murray.
The Brodies Invitational tennis tournament, supported by Tennis Scotland, will be held at Gleneagles, near Auchterarder, on June 10 and 11.
The tournament will see tennis legends battle it out over four matches during the two-day festival of tennis at the hotel’s indoor arena.
A similar event last year attracted hundreds of fans.
Launched by Judy Murray, the arena is home to four indoor tennis courts, and complements Gleneagles’ five outdoor courts.
A spokesman for Tennis Scotland said: “We are delighted that some of the biggest names in the history of the game will be competing in the Brodies Invitational.
“We hope the tournament will further enhance Scotland’s reputation as a world-class sporting destination, raise the profile of Scottish tennis, and give tennis fans of all ages the opportunity to share in the excitement of watching these legends show off their skills.”
The tournament also aims to encourage grassroots involvement in the game.
Supported by Gleneagles, Tennis Scotland and Judy, the Brodies Invitational will see the legends compete with Scotland’s most talented junior players, join Judy and local schoolchildren in a “Tennis on the Road” session, and help raise money for the Elena Baltacha Foundation, which aims to give children from all backgrounds the opportunity to take part in the sport.
On Friday June 10, there will be two singles matches involving Tim Henman, Thomas Enqvist, Greg Rusedski and Cedric Pioline, starting at 2.30pm. The second match is expected to finish at around 6pm.
On June 11, there will be a doubles match at 2.30pm, featuring the runnersup from the semi-finals, who will be playing alongside two of Scotland’s most promising Scottish juniors. This will be followed by the singles final at 4pm. The tournament should conclude at around 5.30pm.