Mauresmo back at Eastbourne

WORLD number three Amelie Mauresmo will return to the Hastings Direct International Championships at Eastbourne next month.

The news is a further boost for tournament organisers, who last week announced that former world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne would play in the event for the first time.

Mauresmo was beaten in last year’s semi-finals by Daniela Hantuchova in her first appearance in the competition.

Mauresmo said: “I had a great week last year. It was a great way to prepare for Wimbledon, the area was very nice and the courts were in many ways better than Wimbledon’s and very nice to play on.”