Young talent Kyle Edmund and British No.2 Aljaz Bedene have followed Davis Cup by BNP Paribas star James Ward in being awarded a wild card into the Aegon Open Nottingham (ATP) field from June 22-27. 

Ward had his place confirmed in March and is now joined by a strong British contingent at the ATP World Tour 250 event. Edmund has qualified for both Grand Slam events this year and won his first main draw match at the French Open with a dramatic five-set win over Stephane Robert. World No.75 Bedene has won two Challenger titles this year and is ready to embark on his first grass court season as a British citizen in front of a home crowd.

The British trio will line up at the Nottingham Tennis Centre the week before The Championships, Wimbledon alongside popular Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, grass court specialist Feliciano Lopez and an array of stellar names from the professional circuit. 

Bedene said: “I am really pleased to receive the wild card to the Aegon Open Nottingham and look forward to playing on the great grass courts at the tennis centre. This is great preparation for me before Wimbledon and I am thankful to Leon Smith the Davis Cup Captain and Paul Hutchins the Tournament Director for their encouragement.”

Aegon GB Davis Cup Team Captain, Leon Smith, said: “All three players fully deserve their wild cards into the main draw as they have performed well. It will be great preparation for The Championships, Wimbledon and there is a history of players who have often done well at the previous Challengers in Nottingham who go on to do well at Wimbledon. I look forward to coming up to Nottingham to see the GB players as well as the French Davis Cup players prior to our quarter-final tie the week after Wimbledon.”

The Aegon Open Nottingham will see two tournaments take place in June, the women’s WTA event taking place from 6-14 June 2015, and the men’s ATP event being staged from 20-27 June 2015. Both tournaments will be an integral part of the new British grass court season, which in 2015 will see a three week window between Roland Garros and Wimbledon for the very first time. The extended grass court season will enable some of the world’s elite players extra time to find their feet on grass and make the most of the very best grass-courts in the country.

Aegon Open Nottingham (ATP) Tournament Director Paul Hutchins, said: “Having a good contingent of GB players is good for the event so I am pleased that currently three out of our four wild cards are going to well-known British players as local Nottingham spectators will like to see a mix of great international players such as Jo-Wilfred Tsonga and Feliciano Lopez as well as the home guys.”

David Macmillan, Chief Marketing Officer at Aegon, said: “It’s great to have two up and coming British players in the field at the Aegon Open Nottingham. With some of the game’s top talent already confirmed, spectators are set to see some fantastic tennis.”

Tickets to the Aegon Open Nottingham are now on general sale. Tickets start from just £15 for an adult and £5 for a child.

For more information and to purchase tickets please visit www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/tennis