Glastonbury of tennis is back at Hunstanton for one the biggest tournaments of its kind in Britain

Organisers of one of Britain’s largest annual tournaments are confident entries will again surpass the four-figure mark this year.

Tennis players have just one month left to the Hunstanton Lawn Tennis Tournament, which takes place between Sunday, August 18 to Saturday, August 24.

The event, which is being sponsored by the City Pub Group (owners of the Hoste Arms in Burnham Market), is being held on 38 grass courts at the Hunstanton Recreation Ground.

Established in 1920, the tournament is affectionately known as ‘Sunny Hunny’ and the ‘Glastonbury of Tennis’ and was named the Lawn Tennis Association’s ‘Competition of the Year’ in the governing body’s 2020 annual awards.

Currently, around 300 players have submitted entries and, tournament secretary Chris Holt said: “I would anticipate that figure to rise more than three-fold in the coming weeks across both the junior and senior age groups.

"Playing standards vary from relative beginners to top class county standard and nationally ranked players.”

Traditionally attracts more than 1,000 competitors from under-10s to over 75s.

This year tennis players will compete across 51 singles and doubles events and, additionally, there will be the ever-popular round-robin event for youngsters aged 10 and under and 12 and under who have just started playing the sport.

Mr Holt, who is serving his 49th year in the post, added: “The family-orientated tournament, which sees second, third and fourth generations of families competing and spectating year after year, promises to be as successful as ever this year - subject to the British weather co-operating.

“Planning the tournament is a year-round task. But thanks to a very supportive and hard-working committee, I have seen the event expand from a small six-day tournament with around 20 events on about 10 courts to its award-winning success today.”

The City Pub Group is sponsoring the tournament for the first time. The hugely popular Norfolk boutique hotel will be operating the event’s bar during the week.

Other sponsors and partners include long-time supporter Cheffins, Greshams School in Holt, which is continuing its sponsorship of the youngsters’ round-robin event for a further year; and East Anglia-based tournament tennis ball provider Top Spin Tennis, which will have a marquee on the Recreation Ground selling a wide range of equipment and clothing.

Additionally, there will be a range of other trade stalls on-site during tournament week.

This year, the tournament will support the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI), which has a lookout station by the sea wall in the grounds of the Royal West Norfolk Golf Club adjoining Brancaster Beach, with a donation during the week.

Typically, as the July 1 player entry deadline looms, organisers prepare for an avalanche of competitors entering events across the age spectrum.

Full entry details are available at: https://www.hunstantonltt.co.uk