World number 19 Karolina Pliskova has been handed a wild card into the main draw of the WTA Aegon Open Nottingham.
The tournament starts this weekend, Saturday June 4, and she joins former world number ones Victoria Azarenka and Caroline Wozniacki as well as British number one Johanna Konta.
The 24-year-old has won four WTA titles and helped the Czech Republic retain their Fed Cup title in 2015, a year she reached a career high ranking of seven after reaching the final of the Aegon Classic Birmingham.
VIDEO: Review of the 2015 WTA Aegon Open Nottingham
Pliskova said: “I’m excited to play on their fantastic grass courts.
“For me, the Aegon Open is a new event but so much of it will be familiar to me and I’ve heard a lot of good things about the tournament after a successful first year in 2015.
“To be included in such a strong field at the start of the grass court season will be great for my Wimbledon preparations, so I hope to do well there again.”
It’s the strongest lineup of players the city has seen
Rebecca James, director of the tournament, held at Nottingham Tennis Centre, Lenton, said: “It is fabulous news that Karolina is joining our world class field of players in what is the strongest line-up of players that the city has seen in recent years.
“As a current top-20 player and a former world number seven, Karolina has also shown great grass court form reaching the final at the Aegon Classic Birmingham last year.
“The fans can certainly look forward to more exciting action on the court.”
