Lexus Birmingham Open 2026: Jacob Fearnley, Jack Pinnington Jones & wild card Harriet Dart to lead British charge
• 2 minute read
Jacob Fearnley will head up the British contingent at the first tournament of the 2026 grass court tennis season, as the entry list for the ATP Challenger draw at the Lexus Birmingham Open is confirmed.
It follows the announcement of a stacked women’s entry list last week, which will include newly confirmed wild card Harriet Dart.
Dart has enjoyed a resurgent 2026, including playing a key role in Lexus Great Britain Billie Jean King Cup team’s triumph against Australia in Melbourne in April, and is set to feature alongside 16 of the world’s top 100 players, headlined by The Philippines’ Alexandra Eala and reigning HSBC Championships champion Tatjana Maria.
After a rapid rise in 2024, which saw him reach the top 100 for the first time, Fearnley has quickly established himself at the top of the British game.
It was his performances on British grass that helped propel him up the rankings, claiming the Lexus Nottingham Open title in 2024 after coming through qualifying, and Fearnley will be hoping to bring those same levels to the Edgbaston Priory Club this summer.
Joining Fearnley in Birmingham will be rising star Jack Pinnington Jones who is hoping to replicate his stellar 2025 grass court season. Pinnington Jones reached his first ATP Challenger final in Ilkley, made his ATP Tour debut in Eastbourne, and earnt his first ever Grand Slam main draw win over then world No.53 Tomas Martin Etcheverry at Wimbledon.
He has since continued his rise in 2026, reaching a career-high ranking of world No.133, and will be looking to bring that form to Birmingham’s grass courts.
Other names heading to Birmingham include Otto Virtanen, who claimed the title in Birmingham last summer and will be seeking to retain his crown, along with Norway’s rising star Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, who faced off against Cam Norrie and Jacob Fearnley in the Davis Cup earlier this year.
Kirsty Thomson, Tournament Director of the Lexus Birmingham Open said, “We’re delighted to confirm a strong British cohort is set to compete at the Edgbaston Priory Club this summer. For Jacob and Jack in the men’s draw and Harriet in the women’s, kicking off their grass court season in front of a strong home crowd is sure to be a major boost, and we can’t wait for world class tennis to get underway in just three weeks time.”
The Lexus Birmingham Open is the tennis festival of the summer. Alongside world class women’s and men’s tennis on court, fans can tuck in to local street food, get involved in fun activities, and enjoy live entertainment across the week.
Centre Court tickets start from £40, with grounds admission tickets priced at £12 for adults and kids for free. All tickets can be purchased via tickets.lta.org.uk.
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