Tennis: Mallorca set for new WTA grass-court tournament

PARIS (AFP) - A new women's grass-court tennis tournament will be held on the Spanish island of Mallorca starting in 2016, the WTA has announced.

The 32-player event will take place on the home island of men's world No. 1 Rafael Nadal two weeks before Wimbledon, at the same time as the Birmingham tournament.

"With the grass-court season set to expand next year, it was important for the WTA to provide players and fans alike with a fresh opportunity to experience the expanded grass-court tennis season," WTA Chair and CEO Stacey Allaster said.

The tournament will be played in the second week of a three-week grass-court window between the clay-court French Open and Wimbledon.

The venue will feature five permanent natural grass courts, including a retail development and tennis academy.

Construction and maintenance of the courts will be done in collaboration with The All England Lawn Tennis Club.

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