International tennis stars will play in the Surbiton Trophy this summer as the tournament returns for the first time since 2008.
Surbiton Racket and Fitness Club will host the grass court event from June 6 – 14, the week after the French Open finishes.
Roger Federer lost in the semi-finals at Surbiton in 1999, while recent past winners include Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Taylor Dent and Mardy Fish.
“We’re really looking forward to it,” said club director Roy Staniland.
“All the members are very much behind it and want to get involved.
“Having Federer playing here was obviously fantastic to see him in the early stages, and having Lleyton Hewitt and Tsonga – that’s what makes it so exciting.”
The tournament will be a Challenger event for men and women, including top 100 players and upcoming rising stars.
Stands will be built for the main show court, and there will be seven other match courts and three practice courts.
The Surbiton Trophy is returning as part of the extended grass court season this year, where there is an extra week between the French Open and Wimbledon.
The Surbiton Trophy was scrapped in 2008 after a 10 year run when it was moved to Nottingham, but will return as part of the Aegon series while the Nottingham tournament is upgraded.
Tournaments at Queen’s Club, Eastbourne and Nottingham will follow before Wimbledon starts on June 29.
The tournament had a long history of top players competing including Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King and Sue Barker when it ran from 1904 to 1987.
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British players including Tim Henman, Greg Rusedski and Elena Baltacha were popular at the event, while current home favourites including Heather Watson and Kyle Edmund could feature this year.
The weekend of June 6 and 7 will cover qualifying, before the main draw starts on June 8 and the finals take place on Sunday 14.
