Live tennis will return to UK screens in June with a star-studded ‘Battle of the Brits’ exhibition tournament featuring Britain’s top-ranked male players, live on Amazon Prime Video.
The six-day tournament, co-organised by seven-times Grand Slam doubles and mixed doubles champion Jamie Murray, will be played behind closed doors at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in Roehampton from 23-28 June.
It will feature all of the UK’s top male players, including both Andy and Jamie Murray, Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund, as all they compete to be crowned singles and doubles champions.
The event will also raise a minimum of £100,000 for NHS Charities Together amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with all six days exclusively live via Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service.
Preparations for the tournament will be subject to UK Government guidelines, as set out under a stage three return to ‘behind-closed-doors’ elite sporting events. Tennis’ national governing body is part of a UK Sport working group advising the Government on the development of the guidelines.
Speaking at the launch of the Battle of the Brits event, Jamie Murray said:
“The last few months have been incredibly challenging times for everyone, and we see this event as our way of giving back. A lot of work has gone in to make sure this could happen and we are very excited to be able to bring an action packed week of tennis, while raising valuable funds for NHS heroes to say thank you for the amazing work they have done.
“I’m really excited to be putting on Schroders Battle of the Brits and for the first time bringing together the current generation of British male players to compete against one another while raising significant funds for charity. I am particularly grateful to our broadcast partner here in the UK, Amazon Prime Video, for enabling this event to happen.”
Battle of the Brits will be followed by the first swing of four new British Tour events that will take place over consecutive weeks from 3-26 July.
All four events will be staged at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, with live TV coverage to be confirmed.
Commenting on the return of professional tennis in the UK, Scott Lloyd, LTA Chief Executive, said:
“The LTA is looking forward to bringing tennis back into people’s lives this summer, and are excited about events like this inspiring fans to get involved in our sport and pick up a racket. We’ve been discussing this event with Jamie for some time and support his efforts, and those of others, to put on events as part of a co-ordinated plan in returning to elite competition.
“We are represented on the UK Sport working group advising Government on the necessary protocols for the return to elite sport and when the Government is able to announce this phase of eased restrictions for behind-closed-doors events we will work with Jamie’s team to undertake the necessary preparations and risk assessments. The LTA is looking forward to bringing tennis back into people’s lives this summer and are excited about events like this inspiring fans to get involved in our sport and pick up a racket.”
All professional tennis worldwide – including ATP and WTA Tour – has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Details of Prime Video’s live coverage, including on-air times and match schedule, is listed below.
For further information about the tournament, visit the official LTA website – lta.org.uk
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TUESDAY 23rd JUNE
Schroders Battle of the Brits
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WEDNESDAY 24th JUNE
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THURSDAY 25th JUNE
Schroders Battle of the Brits
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FRIDAY 26th JUNE
Schroders Battle of the Brits
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SATURDAY 27th JUNE
Schroders Battle of the Brits
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SUNDAY 28th JUNE
Schroders Battle of the Brits
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