British top-level tennis gets boost with three new Open events
Eastern Open, Wessex Open and Thames Valley Open added to calendar for 2026/27
The British domestic real tennis calendar is set to receive a make-over for the 2026/27 season, with the Tennis and Rackets Association announcing three new Open events on Monday.
The domestic season will begin with the Eastern Open, to be held in Cambridge from 29 October through 1 November. The event will be a lead-in to the British Open, once again scheduled to be held at the Queen’s Club from 15-23 November. In the new year, there will be back-to-back events with the Wessex Open running at Canford from 25-28 February and the Thames Valley Open at Leamington from 4-7 March. The domestic season is once again expected to conclude with the Champions Trophy at the Royal Tennis Court, although that is yet to be confirmed.
“The introduction of these tournaments marks an exciting step forward for Real Tennis in the UK, reflecting the T&RA’s ambition to see more high-level Tennis played throughout the season and to provide players with greater opportunities to compete,” said the Tennis and Rackets Association in their statement.
Importantly, all three events are open to players regardless of nationality or professional or amateur status — a criteria currently enjoyed only by the four national Opens, three state-based Opens in Australia and the Champions Trophy.1 As a result, the standard is expected to be high, fostering intense competition between all involved.
The initiative takes Open tennis outside London for the first time since the 2003 European Open was held at Prested Hall.2 Importantly, the events are intended to be on a club rotation, taking high-level tennis to various clubs in the regions over a multi-year cycle and providing a boost for the host clubs.
The goal of the program is to provide opporunities for both British professionals and amateurs to compete and test themselves on a regular basis, preparing them for the highest stage and promoting regular challenges for the generation of up-and-coming players.
Each host club is expected to put on a programme of events to encourage viewership and attendance — full details will be announced closer to the date. The success of these events and the continued development of elite tennis in Britian relies on people supporting from the dedans and galleries, so please consider supporting where possible. Prospective sponsors should contact the Tennis and Rackets Association directly.
2026/27 Season Open events calendar:
26 September-4 October: French Open, Paris
3-4 October: Tasmanian Open, Hobart
17-25 October: IRTPA Players’ Championship, Aiken
29 October-1 November: Eastern Open, Cambridge
15-23 November: British Open, Queen’s
4-14 January: Australian Open, Sydney
15-17 January: Ballarat Silver Racquet, Ballarat
25-28 February: Wessex Open, Canford
4-7 March: Thames Valley Open, Leamington
May TBC: Victorian Open, TBC
May TBC: US Open, Tuxedo
June TBC: US Professional Singles, Newport
July TBC: Champions Trophy, Royal Tennis Court
August TBC: New South Wales Open, Sydney
The US Professional Singles and IRTPA Players’ Championships restrict entry for certain amateurs. The US National Open restricts entry to US residents only
The IRTPA Championships, which ran until 2019 in the UK, restricted entry for certain amateurs