HAVING overseen the resurfacing of the courts in the autumn of 2014 in preparation for last year's inaugural AEGON Ilkley Trophy, Ilkley Lawn Tennis & Squash Club's head groundsman Richard Lord was faced with a different problem this winter.

He said: "The courts flooded twice – once last November to a depth of about four feet, and again on Boxing Day to about the same depth.

"The main problem was the sand and gravel from the adjacent Dalesway footpath, which had to be removed from the courts but the grass has been growing well this winter and, weather permitting, the courts should play well again."

This year's 42,500 euros ATP Challenger and $50,000 ITF Women's Pro Circuit tournament at Stourton Road will be held from June 11-19, and the courts were relaid in the autumn of 2014 to improve them for the 2015 event.

Lord said: "The courts had pits and hollows in them and the baselines were all humped and saddled and needed some major attention.

"That work was done in August and September of 2014, so we Koro'd them (a pitch maintenance system that was developed in the Netherlands), taking off the grass down to the bare soil and then power hammering it, and also taking off the first 40 millimetres of top soil.

"We then levelled the courts. Work like that hasn't been done very often since the club was formed in 1880 but the grass courts, although they played well, were inevitably a little thin last year.

"They will be thicker this year, although I am cutting them to the eight millimetres required for the tournament.

"In addition, we have received two inflatable court covers from the Lawn Tennis Association. Last year we only had flat covers."

That investment from the governing body was part of a package to aid Great Britain's pre-Wimbledon grass-court tournaments.

Next year, prize-money for the AEGON Ilkley Trophy will rise to $125,000 for men and $100,000 for women.