Laura Robson takes the next step in her tennis story as she lands LTA role

Former British No 1 Laura Robson has taken the next step in her tennis journey after accepting the role as Tournament Director at next year’s Rothesay Open in Nottingham.

The 28-year-old will be taking up the role of Tournament Director at the Rothesay Open and also at an additional combined ITF event planned for April 2023.

Respected LTA Tournament Director Rebecca James will remain a key figure in the organisation of the Nottingham event, while also overseeing the operational delivery of both the Rothesay Open and Rothesay International Eastbourne.

Robson has been working with the LTA on developing her knowledge of event operations and tournament management over the past 18 months.

This has included onsite experience at the cinch Championships at The Queens Club, Rothesay Open at Nottingham and more recently as Tournament Director of the women’s ITF $25,000 in Loughborough.

“I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to work on tournaments over the last year and a half with colleagues from the LTA,” said Robson, who will oversee a tournament that takes place between June 12th and 18th at the Nottingham Tennis Centre.

“It will be brilliant to return to Nottingham as Tournament Director for the Rothesay Open.

“As a former player in the event and now looking at it through an operational lens, I have a whole new appreciation of the work that goes into delivering a world-class tournament and can’t wait to get started on preparations for 2023.”

The former British number one announced her retirement from the professional game earlier this year due to wrist and hip injuries but has since pursued a successful career in the broadcast industry, working with the BBC, BT Sport and Prime Video.

Robson, junior Wimbledon champion and Olympic silver medallist, rose as high as 27 in the WTA rankings in July 2013, and reached the last 16 at both Wimbledon and the US Open.

It has also been announced today that Robson has taken up a role in the Professional Tennis team at the AELTC working on international player relations.

The Rothesay Open Nottingham is one of the many tournaments that make up the LTA’s enhanced Performance Competition Calendar, which aims to provide more opportunities for British players to compete more often domestically at a higher level and make progressive ranking improvements.

This is a welcome step for Robson, who told Tennis365 last summer that she has struggled to come to terms with her early retirement from tennis.

“It took me a good couple of months to say it out loud,” Robson told Tennis365 at a Play Your Way To Wimbledon event.

“To be honest, the only reason I said it was because I was going to play the invitational tournament at Wimbledon. It would have been weird to not be officially retired and play in that.

“It gave me a reason to get it out there, which I feel was much needed. I can now be much more open and positive about how things ended.

“It is weird to be retired at 28, but it is what it is.”

Robson’s role at Nottingham bolsters a rising number of female leaders in tennis, with former world No 1 Amelie Mauresmo appointed Tournament Director at the French Open this year.

There are also growing numbers of females in prominent roles in umpiring and administration in tennis, with Sandi Procter appointed as LTA President earlier this year and the All England Club that runs the Wimbledon Championships appointing Sally Bolton as their chief executive.