Williams Sister Joins Birmingham Classic Lineup

10 June 2019, 08:39 | Updated: 10 June 2019, 08:43

Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams will make her debut at the Nature Valley Classic in Birmingham later this month.

The tennis superstar has accepted a wildcard into the star-studded event, joining one of the strongest line-ups in the tournament’s history. 

When the event kicks off on June 17th, Williams will be competing for her fiftieth career singles title. She faces competition from current World No1 Naomi Osaka, newly-crowned Roland Garros champion and World No.2 Ashleigh Barty, defending Nature Valley Classic champion and two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova. as well as in-form British No1 Johanna Konta and a host of other top players. 

Venus Williams said: “I’m really excited to be playing in Birmingham for the first time. I always love playing on grass in front of British crowds and have heard wonderful things about the tournament.”

LTA Nature Valley Tournament Director Patrick Hughesman said: “We are delighted to welcome Venus to Birmingham. Having so many big stars playing this year gives us a great opportunity to open tennis up to a new audience. Venus is a tennis legend in her own lifetime and she’s also a fantastic role model, whose impact reaches well beyond the sport.”