UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has agreed a deal with the Lawn Tennis Association to provide live coverage from three showpiece UK grass court tournaments in the build-up to this year’s Wimbledon Championships.
BT Sport has secured exclusive live rights to the Women’s Tennis Association Classic at the Edgbaston Priory Club, Birmingham between June 9-15 and the Association of Tennis Professionals and WTA International at Devonshire Park, Eastbourne from June 16-21.
During the same week as the Edgbaston event, BT Sport will share coverage of the Queen’s Club ATP tournament with public-service broadcaster the BBC as reigning Wimbledon champion Andy Murray looks to become a four-time winner at the famous London venue.
Additionally, on June 15 BT Sport will show an all-star line-up of exhibition mixed doubles matches at Queen’s and Edgbaston in the “Rally for Bally” event, which is being held in memory of former British women’s No.1 Elena Baltacha who recently died from liver cancer.
BT Sport is showing live matches from 21 WTA tournaments across the globe this year, including the five elite WTA Tour tournaments at Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Beijing and Singapore. The coverage is part of a four-year rights deal with the world governing body of women’s tennis which runs from 2013 to 2016.