More tennis in UK Spain Germany

Four more grass court tournaments this week, and a number of top players taking part, as preparations for Wimbledon become more serious.

The Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany (ATP 500 Category)

The Nature Vslley Classic in Birmingham, UK (WTA Premier Category)

The Fever-Tree Championships in London, UK (ATP 500 Category)

The Mallorca Open in Mallorca, Spain (WTA International Category)

Halle:

Roger Federer is too seed and is accompanied by young gun top ten players Sascha Zverev and Dominic Thiem in the draw, together with five in the top thirty making up the rest of the seeds.

Thiem (3), Roberto Bautista Agut (4) and Kei Nishikori (7) are the three seeds to play and win their first round matches on Day One.

Birmingham:

Garbiñe Muguruza is top seed in a field boasting four top ten players, and seven others in the top twenty.

Already, third seed, Karolina Pliskova, has lost her opening round match to last years Wimbledon semi finalist Magdaléna Rybáriková - a tough draw for the Czech player.

London:

Andy Murray makes his return from an extended absence through injury, and the tennis world, UK fans in particular, will be delighted to see him back on court.

He faces up to Nick Kyrgios in the first round so it won’t be an easy comeback match, but compelling nevertheless.

Top seed is Marin Cilic, and there are three other top ten players, plus four in the top twenty, in the strong draw.  Also in the field are Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka and Milos Raonic, all unseeded and presenting a danger to whomever they meet.

The seeds playing on Day One with success were Cilic and Sam Querrey (5), but eliminated was Jack Sock (6), beaten by Daniil Medvedev.

Mallorca:

Top seed is Caroline Garcia, world number six, and top twenty players Angie Kerber and Anastasija Sevastova join her in the draw - the remaining seeds are all in the top fifty.

Of the three seeds playing on Day One, all lost - Anett Kontaveit (4), Aryna Sabalenka (8) and Carla Suarez Navarro (5) who relented to fellow Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena in a  match for the home crowd.