The week before Wimbledon, the world's best tennis players converge on Devonshire Park in Eastbourne for a grass-court tournament that most people couldn't name and most serious tennis fans wouldn't miss. The Lexus Eastbourne Open — one of the few remaining grass-court events on the WTA Tour — is where the women's draw for Wimbledon is quietly assembled in practice, and where watching tennis up close remains a genuine possibility rather than a stadium-scale aspiration.
- Lexus Eastbourne Open: final grass-court warmup before Wimbledon, held 22 June 2026
- Devonshire Park offers intimate tennis viewing with only 3,500 seats
- Top-ranked women players compete, offering accessible world-class tennis
- XLDN members get exclusive hospitality and guidance for the event
Devonshire Park is unusual among serious tournament venues. The Centre Court holds around 3,500 spectators, which means — by the standards of professional tennis — it is intimate to the point of feeling almost exposed. Players arrive at the court at a distance of a few metres. You can hear the sound of the ball leaving the strings with the particular crack that grass produces. On the outer courts, world-class tennis is played in conditions that approximate a very well-organised club match. The intimacy is not a drawback. It is the point.
The Eastbourne tournament was historically a combined men's and women's event. In recent years the WTA element — now branded the Lexus Eastbourne Open, an Elite Trophy event — has become the dominant fixture of the week. The field that assembles at Devonshire Park each June typically includes players ranked in the top ten, many of whom use the event as their final grass-court warmup before Wimbledon. The combination of real competitive stakes and genuine accessibility produces a week of tennis that rewards attendance.
What distinguishes Eastbourne is the quality of observation it allows. At major tournaments, watching the small adjustments in a player's game — grip changes, footwork patterns, serve variations — requires binoculars and a good seat. At Eastbourne, you can watch these things from ten rows back without special equipment. A practising coach will see things at Devonshire Park that would be invisible at the US Open. A general observer will find the tennis unexpectedly absorbing at close range, even without technical knowledge.
The town of Eastbourne provides its own character. The summer seafront, the gardens, the particular quality of English coastal light in June — the event exists in a setting that has nothing of the manufactured glamour of the major tournaments. Players walk the town relatively freely. The social world around the event is low-key and pleasant.
XLDN members attending Eastbourne have access to the event's best hospitality options and concierge guidance on scheduling — which matches, which days, which courts offer the most interesting sessions. Transport from London is straightforward by rail: Eastbourne is approximately ninety minutes from London Victoria or London Bridge. The town's hotels are small and book up quickly during the tournament week; early planning is advisable.
**KEY FACTS**
DATE — 22 June 2026
VENUE — Devonshire Park, Eastbourne, East Sussex
CATEGORY — Tennis / WTA Elite Trophy
ACCESS — Price on application — request via your concierge
XLDN ACCESS — Available to XLDN members · Request via concierge
**FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS**
*Q: What is the Lexus Eastbourne Open?*
A: The Lexus Eastbourne Open is a WTA Elite Trophy grass-court tournament held at Devonshire Park in Eastbourne, East Sussex, the week before Wimbledon. It attracts top-ranked women's players using it as a final warmup event before the Grand Slam.
*Q: Is Eastbourne easier to get tickets for than Wimbledon?*
A: Considerably easier. Tickets are available publicly without a ballot, prices are significantly lower than Wimbledon, and the ground is small enough that there are no genuinely bad seats.
*Q: How do I get to Eastbourne for the tennis?*
A: Direct trains from London Victoria and London Bridge reach Eastbourne in approximately 90 minutes. Devonshire Park is a short taxi ride or twenty-minute walk from the station. Driving is possible but parking is limited.
*Q: Do top players actually take Eastbourne seriously?*
A: Most top grass-court specialists attend with genuine competitive intent. A grass-court warmup before Wimbledon is considered essential at the top level, and the quality of the Eastbourne field typically reflects this. Players who skip grass-court warmups routinely arrive at Wimbledon underprepared.
*Q: What is the atmosphere like at Eastbourne tennis?*
A: Very relaxed by professional tennis standards — much closer to a club event than a Grand Slam. The crowd is knowledgeable, the access to players is relatively easy, and the scale of the venue means there is no bad seat or bad court.
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