AEGON International Guest Blog - Finals on Saturday 23 June

Words and Photos By Matthew Arnold.

After a titanic penultimate day of the championships, many would have wondered if finals day left any room for drama on centre court. After bad weather had thrown it's unseasonal spanner in the works, our finalists had been forced to play both their quarter finals and semi finals matches all in one day.

These kind of situations usually bring out the fighting spirit and thankfully at midday two gladiatoral warriors of the womens game stepped out onto a warmly receptive centre court. What made this encounter even more enthralling is that not only were they battling the fatigue of the previous days exertions, but also a very blustery wind, playing havoc with both serves and ground strokes.

Fastest out of the blocks was the promising German, Angelique Kerber, who with her platted blond locks is certainly worthy of the 'Angel' contained in her first name. Showing no signs of weariness, she bullied her way through the first three games, taking a break of serve against the initially timid, Tamira Paszek.

Photos by Matthew Arnold.

Fortunately for the Eastbourne crowd, this was not going to be a swift and unsatisfying match that would have you sipping the remainder of your much-needed coffee before you'd barely stirred in the sugar. What we were about to witness was an epic battle balanced finely between two women that were both desperate to get their name on the silverware.

Initially Kerber narrowly took the first set 7-5 with some solid play, often chisseling away at the Paszek backhand, but it was spirited Austrian who turned the tables in the second set. With the crowd tilted decidedly in Paszeks favour, we saw her rally to a 6-3 reverse against a, by now, sulky looking Kerber.

The demeanor however, did not match the response, as again Kerber fought back in the decisive third set. With brute strength belying the tiredness she must have been feeling within, Kerber edged out in front and looked to have outlasted her opponent, when a little over two hours of play gone, she brought up 5:3 and love 40 on the Paszek serve. The tension was palpable as evident on every one of Tamira's support team, who had been vocal throughout the entire match. Then something happened that took this final into realms of the legendary as Angelique disintegrated into a bag of nerves and squandered nearly half a dozen championship points.

Photos by Matthew Arnold.

Although the shift in momentum was obvious after that epic game, it was Paszek who was in the most trouble physically as she twice called for assistance of the trainer. Delving deep into her reserves, Paszek somehow managed to claw her way back level and then overtake her opponent with some gutsy tennis. By this time it was almost as if her name had already been etched on the trophy as after a couple of squandered oportunities, Paszek converted a championship point, sank to her knees and kissed the Devonshire Park turf in front of an elated support team.

One couldn't help feeling for Kerber as she buried her head in her towel and tried to make sense of how she let the title slip out of her hands. But this was Tamira's day and Centre Court had their preferred victor walk away with their first senior tour title.

After a brief turnaround we were treated to an almost celebrity like event, as Andy Roddick strutted onto a court many of us would only ever expect to see him do in our most ridiculous flights of fancy. He may be well down in the rankings and not even US number one, but to all of us packed into Centre Court, this was a living legend that still had magic wafting out of his Babolat Prodrive racquet. It was hard not to have sympathy for his worthy adversary Andreas Seppi, who has had a fantastic season so far and was more than capable of upending the American squaring up at the other side of the net. But with serves of 135mph and blazing forehands, this was as one-sided a final as you are ever likely to see. The first set notched up by Roddick 6-3 in roughly half an hour and victory coming in in about the same again, this was an emphatic statement that no one should ever right off Roddicks chances of finally capturing the elusive Wimbledon title.

Photos by Matthew Arnold.

With just the Womens doubles left to bring the curtain down on another successful tournament, the general conscensus was that this had surely been the finest year yet at Devonshire Park. Heading through the mist of a slowly receding barbeque, I exited the grounds with an appreciative face ruddied by the sun and windburn and a whole load of happy memories that should last well beyond the 12 months I will have to wait until the next years championships.

AEGON International Guest Blog - Friday 22 June

Words By Ross Hudson. http://rosshudsoneastbournetennis.blogspot.co.uk/
Photos By Mark Jarvis.

What do Eastbourne and Miami have in common?

They both have tennis tournaments renowned for having some of the windiest playing conditions on the WTA and ATP Tours. A few weeks ago the Rome tournament also experienced exceptionally gusty winds. So Eastbourne is certainly not alone in feeling the force of blustery weather, and the effects it can have on tennis balls struck by world-class players.

Today saw some of the windiest conditions most players had ever played against - in effect, they had two opponents: the player on the other side of the net, and the wind. The conditions were also, of course, challenging for the spectators. Yet there was no rain, it was mostly sunny all day, the tennis was fascinating, and often of incredibly high quality; and the line-up of matches was so sumptuous, it wasn't so much a feast as a banquet.

 

Photos by Mark Jarvis.


Originally due to be semi-finals day, it turned out to be men's quarter-finals day as well. Following the controversial decision, at about 5pm on Thursday, to postpone all men's matches, due to concerns over the weather forecast, fans with tickets to Court 1, or a Ground Pass, had a real treat in store. This included the unlikely scenario of Andy Roddick on Court 3! That became a reality when Court 1 wasn't initially ready for play, due to some of the heavy rain seeping in overnight.

Roddick battled to a three-set win over Fabio Fognini. When court one began play after the hiatus, defending champion Andreas Seppi faced Philipp Kohlschreiber, conqueror last week of Rafael Nadal on grass at the Halle tournament. Unfortunately, Kohlschreiber was forced to pull out, trailing Seppi by a set and 2-1, due to an ankle injury.

Centre court, meanwhile, was witnessing an incredible match between defending champion (and world no. 9) Marion Bartoli, and battling underdog (and world no. 59), Austria's Tamira Paszek.

I saw Paszek play a qualifying match on an outside court last year, and was struck by how bubbly and gregarious she was when greeting autograph hunters after the match. Nearly all players are polite and pleasant on these occasions, but more than most she seems to genuinely love the experience of playing in front of a crowd, and meeting fans afterwards. Before her first match this week, she tweeted a "love Eastbourne" hashtag - she knows how to ingratiate herself with the locals!

  Her cheerfulness is particularly impressive considering she hasn't yet achieved the stellar results her early career suggested. In 2007, aged 16, she was beating top players in big matches, and reaching the 4th round at Wimbledon and the US Open. She looked to be a tip for the top, but since then injuries and some weaknesses in her game have seen her struggle to reach the highest level. She's an exciting player to watch, hitting with huge power despite her lack of height. She reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon last year, but her conqueror there, Victoria Azarenka, looked to have bigger shots and more versatility.

Paszek's serve can be a major weakness, and this looked to be an even bigger problem in the wind, as Marion Bartoli seemed to have that extra know-how. The Frenchwoman took the first set 6-4, and raced to a 4-0 lead in the second. It had already been a long match, full of lengthy points and interesting shots, as both players found inventive ways to adapt their games to the extraordinary conditions. But the match was about to get a whole lot longer.

Tamira Paszek gave a superb fightback to win the second set. Marion Bartoli's cause was not helped by a fall in the hard-fought final set. Finally, Paszek managed to dig in and dethrone the champion, in a match that lasted over three hours.



Photos by Mark Jarvis.


The second women's semi-final was a contrastingly short affair. Fifth seed Angelique Kerber is the world no. 8 - another indication of how many top-ranked women play at Eastbourne. This year has seen a huge breakthrough for the 24-year-old German, and on Thursday she recorded her 39th match win of 2012 - more than any other female player. Her left-handed game is looking mighty impressive on grass, while her Czech opponent, Klara Zakopalova, never really looked able to combat the conditions. She hit a few formidable forehands, giving an indication of how she managed to be the only player to take a set off Maria Sharapova at the recent French Open, but it was almost all about Kerber, who triumphed 6-0, 6-3.

On court one, the first ever all-British men's doubles final on the ATP Tour was taking place. Third seeds Ross Hutchins and Colin Fleming beat Ken Skupski and Jamie Delgado 6-4, 6-3.
The whole Devonshire Park site was teeming with matches and spectators. A day like today brings into even sharper focus the importance of all the staff and volunteers across the whole site, in keeping the event going and working. I'd like to, at this point, give a mention to Will and Sophie on the Convex catering stand between centre and no. 1 court. They've been extremely affable and friendly with customers each time I've seen them, despite often being rushed off their feet during the "stampedes" between centre court matches. Today, like everybody, they faced all the extra challenges of the weather, as the wind blew nearly everything that wasn't nailed down (and it's very difficult to nail down packets of sugar, tea-stirrers and coffee-cup lids!).

Andy Roddick made it onto centre court at almost 5pm, for his second match of the day. He'd lost six matches in a row before this event, but now looks to be rediscovering the winning habit. He played well in his semi-final against Belgium's Steve Darcis, but sadly there was another injury withdrawal, as Darcis was forced to retire with a back problem, when trailing by a set and 3-1. This gave Roddick the 600th victory of his career. The word "retirement" has been bandied about a lot recently when referring to Roddick, but right now the word "longevity" seems more appropriate.

But who would he play in the final? His American compatriot Ryan Harrison, or Italian defending champion Andreas Seppi?

20-year-old Harrison is one of the "up and coming" young players Eastbourne is fortunate to witness each year. This week he's gone further in the tournament than the more hotly-tipped Bernard Tomic.



Photos by Mark Jarvis.


Today, Seppi edged the first set 7-5, before charging ahead in the second. Harrison became frustrated and stroppy, earning a code violation warning for ball abuse. His mood did lighten, however, when, at 1-4 and 0-40 down, he turned to one of the members of the now quickly thinning-out crowd (it was well after 7pm, and becoming quite cold), who was calling out support for him, and said, "Thanks. I need all the help I can get right now."

In the end, though, Andreas Seppi pulled off a 7-5, 6-1 victory.

So it's Roddick against Seppi, and Kerber against Paszek, in the singles finals tomorrow, plus there's the women's doubles final. The weather forecast is better, expected to be blustery, but very much less so than today, and likely to be sunny and dry.

So the stage is set for a fascinating finale to the week.

AEGON International Guest Blog - Thursday 21 June

Words By Gabriella De Feo.

Cloudy skies cast over dry courts as my mum and I arrived for the quarter finals of the AEGON International Tennis Championships in Eastbourne.

Much to my delight (and my mum’s), the complimentary tickets I had won as a result of my blog entry were for centre court; we knew we were in for an exciting day.

Numerous rounds of applause echoed around Devonshire Park as British ladies doubles Laura Robson and Heather Watson were taking part in their match against top seeds Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond. The British pair eventually lost the quarter final 6-4 7-6 (3) but that didn’t stop the support from the British crowd, who remained vocal throughout the day.

A further ladies’ doubles quarterfinal took place despite the weather, with Anna-lena Groenefeld and Klara Zakopalova of Germany and the Czech Republic respectively, defeating Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Zheng Jie of China, 6-4 7-5.

Devonshire Park was a sea of blue for the tournament, with Marion Bartoli of France taking on Lucie Safarova in the first quarter final of the day. The defending champion came through with a 6-4 6-2 victory, which included a sensational eight aces, undoubtedly showing she is on top form in the run up to Wimbledon. The French star will face Tamira Paszek of Austria, following her 6-0 6-4 victory over Bulgarian Pironkova Tsvetana on Court 1 today. Bartoli is definitely the favourite for me to defend her ladies’ singles title at Eastbourne as she seemed so comfortable at Devonshire Park, taking just 73 minutes to move one step closer to retaining her crown.

The rain in Eastbourne was getting heavier and more frequent. More than 2 hours later and it was number 5 seed Angelique Kerber and Ekaterina Makarova’s turn to take to centre court. The Russian fought strongly despite the regular rain delays but could not match the level of Germany’s Kerber. Makarova won a break point in the first set, however the German went on to comfortably win it 6-2, despite pressure from the Russian. Kerber continued to play strongly in the second set, taking an early lead of 2-0. Despite a long rain delay in the second set, the in-form Eastbourne champ wrapped up the match with a 6-2 6-4 win in just 59 minutes.

The final ladies’ quarterfinal saw Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic come out on top against Anastasia Pavlyunchenkova of Russia, with a hard fought victory of 6-3 7-5.

The rain continued to interfere throughout the day, with both Andy Roddick and Fabio Fognini’s quarter final being postponed until tomorrow as well as Philipp Kohlschreiber and Andreas Seppi having to put their efforts on hold as well.

Though the weather was miserable today, my mood certainly wasn’t as I was able to enjoy a day of tennis (albeit with several rain breaks in between!) and gain valuable experience in what life is like working as a sport journalist.

AEGON International Guest Blog - Wednesday 20 June

Words By Matthew Arnold.

From the moment the first point of the day was played on centre court, I knew this day was going to be one of mixed fortunes. British tennis' rising star Heather Watson opened proceedings with a double fault, had her serve subsequently broken and went on to lose the match to big hitting Safarova. Between that first and last point were some incredible rallies, a tense tie-break and some encouraging signs that Heathers star is still in an upward trajectory. It just wasn't her day to cause an upset.

There was certainly no room for dark clouds on this pleasantly scorching day. Grateful for packing my factor 30, centre court was definitely the place to be as Marion Bartoli showed her creditentials as defending champ by sweeping aside Canadian Wozniak in straight sets. Meanwhile on court one, another British hope was downed as the feisty Laura Robson exited Devonshire Park at the hands of another former Eastbourne champ, Makarova. Two down, but with a host of other Brits in action I felt sure that there would be some good news in amongst the sad farewells bidded so far.

I like to the think of the Aegon International as the home of the underdog. The tournament where the leading lights of tennis are temporarily dimmed by the triumphant tryers. Already on the opening few days of play, we have seen Wozniacki, Kvitova, Gasquet and Radwanska exit through the big gate next to the Towner. Today was another day for top seed casualties. He may be 19, gutsy and capable of unsettling the big guns at grand slams, but Bernie Tomic, timidly departed centre court with his antipodean tail between his legs. We were treated to some exquisitely crafted shots on both sides, but in the end Fognini outfoxed the wily Aussie in a tense third set. Special credit must go to the umpire who stole the show with his eccentric delivery of the scores and sporadic fussing over the positioning of the ball girls. Hilarious.

Over on court one, everyones favourite Cypriot (next to Satvros Flatley) Marcos Baghdatis also met an untimely end to his Eastbourne hopes, as he was ousted by wild card Darcis in a topsy turvy three setter. The keen eyed will have spotted by now that none of the poster hoarding superstars has survived into the quarterfinals, but that in no way takes the shine off what has been an incredible tournament so far.

Away from the court, but reaching into the stands has been the heavenly scent of the ever popular barbeque which is well complimented by a mandatory jug of Pimms, which must be doing incredible business down the far end of the practice courts. If you're in need of a break from the workout your neck will be getting following the little fuzzy yellow thing, I found the lawns around court two a perfect place to relax have a picnic and enjoy the medley of champagne corks popping, tennis balls being thwacked and polite ooh's and ahhs accompanying the action on the outside courts.

For me the highlight of the day was witnessing the very welcomed late entrant, Andy Roddick, to give us all a masterclass in grass court tennis. At 29 he is thought of as a veteran, having been in three Wimbledon finals, won a US open title and notched up dozens of ATP tour titles, but watching him in action, there's still a freshness and indeed a determination to succeed on his favourite surface. For example, his serve spits and fizzes like an angry open fire. His focus on every single point shows that he still means business and in his own words "winning's fun and losing sucks". His straight sets victory showed an appreciative centre court that he's not here just for a bit of pre-Wimbledon practice. My money's on him to take the mens title. On the womens side, I think it's very open and will most likely reap a fresh name on the coveted trophy. I'm looking forward to finding out if my predictions are correct on the all important finals day.

AEGON International Guest Blog - Tuesday 19 June

Words and Photos By Jack Gracie.

Tuesday, the day of injuries, sunshine, famous boyfriends and upsets.

Sitting courtside on Tuesday was one of the most enjoyable sporting experiences ever. I challenge anyone else there to admit that they did not at least once recline back in their seat, in the silence and glorious sunshine of centre court and think to themselves four simple words. This is the life.

The day promised so much with the top three seeds in the woman’s competition, top male seed Richard Gasquet and former US open champ, Andy Roddick all in action.

The play turned out to be just as dramatic with all three top seeded woman and the previously mentioned Gasquet all becoming victims of giant killings. The only thing to live up to its name and reputation on Tuesday was the sunshine coast itself! And this reporter has the sunburn to prove it!

Ekaterina Makarova gives Eastbourne a big thumbs up. Photos by Jack Gracie.

First onto centre court was current Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and Ekaterina Makarova. Some imperious ground strokes from Kvitova gave her an early advantage but Makarova’s never say die attitude saw her come back to win the first set 7-5 and instantly saw the centre court crowd warm to her. She continued in the second, eventually clinching the match, winning the second set 6-4.

Caroline Wozniacki, seeded third in the tournament, brought a certain degree of ‘eye candy’ to centre court in the match that followed, sporting a yellow skirt which shined as brightly as the Eastbourne sun. Unfortunately for her (and for many fellow male spectators who have tickets for later in the tournament!) she would not be gracing centre court again, eventually losing 6-1, 6-7 (7/9), 6-4 to American Christina McHale.

Any attempts of an offer for a shoulder to cry on were squandered though by the fact that her professional golfer boyfriend, Rory McIlroy, was watching on from the stands. Like Wozniacki, McIlroy has not experienced much success himself of late but who wouldn’t find her a distraction?!

Rory McIlroy looks on from the stands. Photos by Jack Gracie. 

Before their game had even begun, top seed, Agnieszka Radwanska, had already crashed out over on court one. The Brits were fairing much better with both Laura Robson and Heather Watson progressing to the 2nd round.

Next the men took to centre court for the eagerly anticipated all American affair between Sam Querrey and Andy Roddick. The latter being very well received especially by the female proportion of the stands. (Their equivalent of Wozniacki maybe?). The pace was bumped up a notch with serves of over 135MPH fizzing over the net along with hitting as hard as resisting the tempting smells of the barbeque wafting across centre court all afternoon.



Marinko Matosevic celebrates his dramatic win over top seed Richard Gasquet. Photos by Jack Gracie. 

However the match was cut short with Querrey being forced to retire with a bad back with the score at 5-2 to Roddick. Serving at 135 MPH, not bad for someone with a bad back!
After a slight delay, number one seed Richard Gasquet took to the court against Australian qualifier Marinko Matosevic. Gasquet breezed through the first set winning 6-1 with Matosevic ironically celebrating just winning his first game of the match at 5-0 down. Little did he know that an hour later he would be celebrating an epic win. The following sets both went to tie breaks which were won by the Australian ranked 82 in the world, giving him what he described as the “biggest win of his career” and earning him a standing ovation from the Eastbourne crowd.

Matosevic’s win brought down the curtain, (or should that be net?) on what had been a terrific day of tennis. One that this reporter feels very fortunate to have been a part of.

Follow the link to view all the photos Jack took at the AEGON International on Tuesday.

https://www.eastbourne-outlook.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150972666752445.446056.825197444%26type=1%26bef=10150972724657445%26l=d93770746c

AEGON International Guest Blog - Monday 18 June

Words By Tommy Curran.

Brit Jamie Baker dumped world number 50 Donald Young out of the AEGON International with a thrilling display on day three of the competition. The Scot, ranked 200 in the world, eased past Young 6-1 6-4 much to the delight of the supporters on Centre Court at Devonshire Park.

Baker, who gave Jo-Wilfried Tsonga a run for his money at Queen’s last week, bewildered Young with his killer forehand and unrelenting service game. He will now face either German number seven seed Philipp Kohlschreiber or Go Soeda from Japan in the next round.

For Young, meanwhile, this was a sobering experience. The 22-year-old American reached the fourth round of the US Open only last year, but here he was outfoxed and outclassed by a technically inferior challenger. If he is to ever join the elite of men’s tennis, a re-think in his approach to the more physically imposing players such as Baker will be needed.

The body language of the two players was revealing enough. Six-foot tall Baker stood upright, regularly interacting with the warm and responsive Eastbourne crowd. Young, however, hunched over, attempting to shield himself from the ignominy of what he seemed to accept as inevitable defeat to someone 150 places lower in the rankings.

After two days of rain-affected action, the Monday afternoon sunshine was almost as blistering as the tennis. Sun-soaked supporters were able to enjoy uninterrupted action – and there was plenty of it to savour.

Baker’s fellow Brit James Ward produced a valiant display as he went down in three sets to Croatian-Australian Marinko Matosevic. The world number 82 eventually triumphed 4-6 6-1 6-4 as the spirited Ward began to tire.

There was joy for fiery Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, too, as he eased past Spanish number eight seed Pablo Andujar 6-1 6-1 with consummate ease.

Laura Robson secured a place in the tournament proper after beating Serbian Bojana Jovanovski in the final qualifying round. The 18-year-old, who has been handed a wildcard entry for Wimbledon, won a stunning 22 of 28 points on her first serve and was never broken during the match.

Robson had originally been drawn in the third qualifying round against Elena Baltacha, but with the Scot being forced to withdraw with a neck injury, Robson made mincemeat of her replacement in just 71 minutes with some scintillating tennis.

There was some disappointing news for British fans in the female draw, however. Britain’s Anne Keothavong was beaten comfortably 6-2 6-3 by Daniela Hantuchova in the first round, and will now be hoping British number two Baltacha is fit enough to take her place alongside in her in the doubles tournament.

A good day’s work for Robson was completed when she and doubles partner Heather Watson reached the second round of the ladies doubles with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Lucie Safarova, while there was there was also success in the men's doubles as Jamie Delgado and Ken Skupski overcame Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski 6-2 6-4.

AEGON International Guest Blog - Sunday 17 June

By Ross Hudson - pictured left with a koala in Australia, in reference to his entry feature!

The Legends event - featuring Greg Rusedski, Martina Hingis, Mark Philippoussis and Conchita Martinez - was undoubtably the most mouth-watering attraction on day two of the Aegon International at Devonshire Park. However, there was also the continuation of the qualifying matches, with many world-class players battling to reach the main draw. And towards the end of the day, a Brit battled back from near-certain defeat to overcome a player ranked over 400 places higher.

But the day began with an easy win for Laura Robson - Wimbledon junior winner in 2008, now aged 18 - on Centre Court. Mark Philippoussis and Greg Rusedski then faced each other in a singles match. It is striking how different these exhibition matches are in comparison with the openly-competitive nature of the main Tour. A lot of the time they seem to just be larking about and not really bothered whether they win the point or not. But their skills and fitness are exceptional, and they tend to suddenly play a more competitive shot when it really matters.

The only rain interruption of the day came during this match. Once again, there was something of an "April showers" feeling to the contrasting weather (although occasionally the cold wind made it feel more like February!). There was soon bright sunshine, but the small amount of rain called a halt to matches on all courts for around 30 - 45 minutes. When play resumed, former Wimbledon finalist Philippoussis beat the former British no. 1 (and 1997 US Open finalist) 8-6, in the one-set match.

After Australia's Matthew Ebden had beaten battling British hopeful Josh Goodall in a final set tie-breaker, the Legends returned to Centre Court. This time it was mixed doubles, with Rusedski teaming with Martina Hingis, winner of five Grand Slam titles, including Wimbledon 1997, and Eastbourne doubles champion in 1999 (in partnership with Anna Kournikova); whilst Philippoussis was playing alongside Wimbledon 1994 champion - and 2003 Eastbourne runner-up - Conchita Martinez.

Both Hingis and Martinez were renowned for their amazing racket skills and variety of strokes at a time when women's tennis was becoming increasingly dominated by power. Martinez was often described as a magician, whilst commentator John Barrett hailed Hingis (in the early, pre-Federer days of her career) as the best, most versatile player he'd ever seen. Those skills were still very much in evidence this afternoon.
Rusedski and Philippoussis were particularly renowned for their huge serves. They each occasionally served, according to the indicator on the scoreboard, up to around 125mph today, but mainly focused on their other shots, rallying and, of course, joking around.

The one-set match finished with a lengthy tie-break, won 13-11 by Rusedski and Hingis - but not before Rusedski had swapped places with a ball girl and, egged on by Philippoussis, hit a looping ball so hard that it went straight over the stands and trees, and into Blackwater Road.

And the shock British win in qualifying? Brighton-based Jade Windley, world no. 543, pulled off a staggering win against world no. 77 Stephanie Foretz Gacon, recovering from a set and 5-1 down.

What makes the AEGON International so special for Ross Hudson this year?

By Ross Hudson who will be reporting back on play on Friday 22 June.

I have even more reason than usual to look forward to the AEGON International in Eastbourne this year.

As a fan of tennis all year round, it's always thrilling to see one of the world's biggest events in my own back yard. The grass court surfaces are said to be even better than those at Wimbledon, and the weather has often been sunnier and drier than at the South London event, with the added advantage of being less than five minutes walk from the beach. And, of course, you get to watch, in practice and in matchplay, some of the superstars - and up-and-coming stars - of the game. It's by far the biggest regular event in the town - and one of the biggest in the country - for world-famous sporting talent.

This year, though, there's a homecoming feeling for me, after visiting the sites of the Australian Open in Melbourne, and its warm-up tournament at Sydney's Olympic Park (an event very similar to the Eastbourne one), during a trip to Australia a few months ago.

It put the Eastbourne tournament into a global context for me. It showed me that the town has an event that ranks alongside tournaments in the world's greatest cities.
And it was a way of referencing my home town to people I met, when they looked blank at hearing the name "Eastbourne". "It has a tennis tournament the week before Wimbledon," I'd find myself saying. "The Williams sisters played there last year."

What makes the AEGON International so special for Gabriella De Feo this year?

By Gabriella De Feo who will be reporting back on play on Thursday 21 June.

Having been to the last three Wimbledon Championships and experienced a severe amount of rain, I am more than hoping this year’s AEGON tennis championships in Eastbourne are carried out while it lives up to its name of the ‘Sunshine Coast’.

When applying to university, I can safely say that Eastbourne playing host to the AEGON tennis championships played a big part in making my decision. Being so close to such a prestigious event with the opportunity to win tickets to it, grabbed my attention quicker than Rafael Nadal’s serve.

I for one could not name many Universities which have such famous sporting occasions right on their doorstep. This combined with my love of tennis has left me hoping to be a part of the event in one way or another, whether it be watching the players or as a volunteer in it.

If I am not one of the fortunate ones to be part of the championships this year then I am grateful to have two more years (assuming I pass my first year) to have the opportunity to do so. I will try my utmost to see if I can avoid the prices of Wimbledon and instead experience a tournament of a similar standard while saving the pennies in my student life!

Winner of the AEGON International Guestblogger Competition!

By the winner of our AEGON International Guestblogger competition, Matthew Arnold, who will be reporting back on play on Wednesday 20 and the finals on Saturday 23 June. Congratulations Matthew, we're looking forward to reading your great blog entries next week!

What makes the AEGON International so special for me this year?

We are just days away from the biggest tennis tournament that Eastbourne has ever seen. It's a huge line-up that would be worthy of any capital in the world and yet it's crammed into the small but perfectly formed Devonshire park.

I love this tournament because of its contradictions. Wherever you are in the ground you are never more than a few feet from both a top class picnic and seeing the world’s elite battling it out.

Eastbourne always attracts virtually all of the top 20 women's players in the game. Wozniacki, Ivanovic and Zvonareva will all be turning heads on and off court. The question is, will Bartoli be able to defend her title against the powers of current Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova?

Gate-crashing the party, but in a good way, is the loveable rogue-ish men's tournament. This year we get to witness the best backhand in the game, yes Richard Gasquet taking on a field headed by the indomitable Marcos Baghdatis.

If that's not enough, you still have the legends, Rusedski, Hingis, Martinez and Philippoussis tearing up the Eastbourne grass. Let's hope the juniors will be watching and learning between their matches too.

There has never been such an action packed tournament and I can't wait to see who is left basking in the glow of glory and hopefully the traditional Eastbourne sun.

What makes the AEGON International so special for Jack Gracie this year?

Jack Gracie will be reporting back on play on Tuesday 19 June. Jack is a budding photographer so watch out for him and his camera on the day - we're looking forward to seeing some fab photos alongside his blog entry!

For me, this years AEGON International is special because it has the potential to be the first form of elite competition that I could cover as a journalist.

It is and has been for some time now, my dream to become a sport journalist. Travelling the world, watching the sport I love and getting to report what I love to thousands ofothers.

The AEGON International has the potential to be my first ever opportunity to experience what it is like to cover professional sport, something which the high calibre of player competing at Devonshire Park this year, guarantees.

Before now I have not had the chance to experience this and I would relish the chance to emulate the work I have read and watched from other journalists that have inspired me. The tournament could be a great chance for me to gain some valuable experience and really test what I have learnt so far.

At University I have recently been involved in a group research project in which are question was "What effect does hosting the AEGON International have on the town of Eastbourne". Because of this I am fully aware of benefits the competition brings with it and this is of course another reason that makes it special. Not only to me but the whole of the Eastbourne community.

But ultimately... the chance to watch the world's best doesn't come around very often and it is this in particular that makes this years tournament special to me.

What makes the AEGON International so special for me this year?

By Tommy Curran - who will be reporting back on play on Monday 18 June.

"Why the hell are you talking to me?" screamed a perturbed Janko Tipsarević to a stunned face in the crowd. It was the final of the AEGON International 2011 at Devonshire Park, and the bespectacled Serb was cracking under pressure.

A set down to Italian opponent Andreas Seppi, Tipsarević became frustrated when a line call went against him.

With the court festooned in semi-darkness and only a smattering of supporters still braving the autumn-like conditions, Tipsarević took umbrage at a comment hurled from the stands and questioned the alleged abuser.

This was sport at its most dramatic - raw human emotion laid bare for all to see. The strain of top-class sport taking its toll on a hitherto placid and sanguine individual.

Seppi eventually claimed a 7-6, 3-6, 5-3 victory in the rain-interrupted final, with his opponent forced to retire hurt in his second match of the day. But the drama and compelling nature of that see-saw final whet the appetite beautifully for first-class tennis in Eastbourne.

The 2012 International is, for me, the most eagerly anticipated tennis tournament the town has ever hosted - Seppi will return to defend his title, but will face strong competition from former Wimbledon semi-finalist Richard Gasquet and up-and-coming Australian teenager Bernard Tomic.

The list of female entrants, meanwhile, is enough to leave one salivating. Petra Kvitová, 2011 Wimbledon champion, will be hoping to go one better than last year when she finished as runner-up to France's Marion Bartoli, who will also be back to defend her crown.

Where better to start this stunning summer of sport than on the Sunshine Coast? Let's play.

AEGON International Guestbloggers

A month ago we were looking for local writing talent to guestblog at the prestigious AEGON International Tennis Championships. A pair of tickets were up for grabs each day from Sunday 17 to Thursday 21, with the best blogger entry from the week winning tickets to the singles men's and women's finals on Saturday 23 June. The runner-up won tickets to the semi-finals on Friday 22. We asked budding writers to send us a 250 word feature on what makes the AEGON International tennis championships so special for them this year - be it players, their love of tennis, the location or (hopefully) the weather!

So to introduce you to our first guestblogger, Steph Temple, here's her 250 word entry. Steph will be reporting back on play on Sunday 17 June.


What makes the Aegon International so special for me this year?

The smell of freshly cut grass, the appearance of manicured toe nails and the waft of sausages sizzling on the barbecue are all welcomed signs of summer. It would not be complete though, without lawn tennis and no, not Wimbledon. The Aegon International in Eastbourne is the perfect event for tennis lovers or for those of you who just fancy a day out with strawberries and Pimms, to banish the winter blues and mark in style, the beginning of a stupendous summer of world class sport.

This year’s Aegon International is the highlight of the sunshine coast’s events’ calendar. Every year people from all over the country and further afield, flock to our wonderful town, to watch in delight as their favourite tennis super-stars work their magic on the pristine grass courts at Devonshire Park.

For me, the Aegon International will be better than ever, the line-up of players includes famous names like Caroline Wozniacki and Richard Gasquet and that’s before you scroll down the legends list to see favourites like Greg Rusedski, Martina Hingis and Marcos Philippousis storm on to centre court. Sorry, I promise I won’t mention the word storm again, yes the weather has been atrocious but even if the sun does not shine, the thrill of watching world class tennis and the buzz around the town in a few weeks’ time will be enough to fill us all with a warm, fuzzy glow.

Thanks Steph, have fun on Sunday!

Lily