MORETON Morrell Real Tennis Court Club in Warwickshire will host the Real Tennis World Doubles Championships next week.
British number one John Lumley and world champion Camden Riviere, from the United States of America, will battle it out in the prestigious event.
The Duke of Edinburgh, an ambassador of the sport, will attend the event on Thursday, April 23 which marks semi-finals day.
The precursor to tennis, real tennis was originally a medieval street game in Europe but now boasts international status.
Popularised by Henry VIII, around 10,000 players play the sport on a regular basis in USA, Australia, France and also the United Kingdom.
Second seeds Lumley and Australian Steve Virgona recently overcame the odds to win the US Open doubles title in Chicago with victory against reigning world champions Riviere and fellow American Tim Chisholm.
Former world champion Rob Fahey MBE, from Tasmania, and fellow Australian Nicky Howell are third seeds.
Former Leamington-based professional Ben Taylor-Matthews and Bryn Sayers are fourth seeds.
The best of nine-set matches take place over two days of competition with the final to take place over the weekend of April 25 and 26.
Stratford-upon-Avon-based jeweller Pragnell will also sponsor the World Championships with the Pragnell Amateur Doubles Cup to run alongside the main tournament.
Championship chairman, Simon Hobson said: “Doubles is arguably the most exciting form of the sport and this biennial tournament is only held in Britain every eight years, so it’s generated great interest.
“This also marks Moreton Morrell’s return to the world stage, after we restored our court floor five years ago.
“The court, a bastion of Real Tennis in rural Warwickshire, was originally part of the Moreton Hall estate, and we’re determined to keep the ancient game alive and preserve this glorious building.”
