The UK's largest indoor tennis event is returning this week, drawing some of the sport's biggest emerging talents to the Wrexham Open in pursuit of the title. According to BBC Sport, the W100 ITF World Tennis Tour event runs from 18 to 25 October and represents the UK's premier women's tournament outside the grass-court season.
Among the competitors is Armenia's Alina Charaeva, the 24-year-old who captured attention by defeating world number one Elena Rybakina at the China Open earlier this month. Charaeva also overcame Sonay Kartal, the 2024 Wrexham Open champion, at that same event.
Last year's tournament produced a Welsh double, with Mimi Xu claiming both the singles and doubles titles. The 18-year-old defeated fellow British player Mika Stojsavljevic 6-3, 7-5 in an all-British singles final, with Xu's live ranking rising from approximately 850 to 350 in just three weeks following her breakthrough performance. She won the doubles title alongside Ella McDonald. Xu will not defend her crowns this year, having chosen to compete at the W75 Saguenay tournament in Canada instead.
Who is competing?
The British contingent includes Alicia Dudeney, Hannah Klugman and Junior Nationals champion Daniella Britton. The international field features Greet Minnen and several former top 50 players: Lucia Bronzetti, Linda Fruhvirtova, Rebecca Sramkova and Clara Burel.
Qualifying action has already begun, with qualifying top seed Anna-Lena Friedsam defeating British wild card Sophie Bekker 6-1, 6-4 on 19 October, while Wrexham's Megan Davies lost to Lizette Cabrera 6-1, 6-1.
Tournament structure
The 2026 tournament features a 32-place singles main draw, a 32-player qualifying draw and a 16-team doubles draw. Main-draw play begins on 20 October, with the schedule progressing through first rounds on 20 and 21 October, second rounds and quarter-finals on 22 October, quarter-finals and semi-finals on 23 October, and semi-finals and doubles final on 24 October. The singles final takes place on 25 October.
Tournament schedule
Tuesday 20 October: First round singles and doubles
Wednesday 21 October: First round singles and doubles
Thursday 22 October: Second round singles and doubles quarter-finals
Friday 23 October: Quarter-finals singles and doubles semi-finals
Saturday 24 October: Semi-finals singles and doubles final
Sunday 25 October: Singles final
Previous champions
The 2022 edition was won by Czech player Marketa Vondrousova, who has since risen to prominence on the professional circuit.
