THE Aegon Ilkley Trophy received two significant pieces of good news today.

The first was that Laura Robson – one of Britain’s best-known players – has been handed a wild card into the women’s singles.

The second was that Leander Paes, one of the most accomplished doubles players of the last 25 years, is playing in the men’s doubles.

Robson reached the women’s doubles final at today’s Aegon Nottingham Trophy with Jocelyn Rae – they lost 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to Monique Adamczak and Storm Sanders – but that ruled out the 23-year-old left-hander from playing in the WTA Aegon Classic qualifying in Birmingham, hence the switch to Ilkley, where Robson is not needed until Tuesday.

After getting to the last 16 of the US Open and Wimbledon and as high as 27 in the world in July 2013, Robson has been hit by a string of injuries, chiefly to her wrist, and she is currently the British No 4 at 176.

The other three wild cards for the $100,000 ITF Women’s Futures tournament have also gone to Britons in Harriet Dart (world ranked 299), an Aegon Surbiton Trophy semi-finalist just over a week ago, Freya Christie, world No 350 who played at Ilkley last year, and Southampton 19-year-old Gabriella Taylor (307).

Marcus Willis, hero of the first week of Wimbledon last year, has been awarded one of the four men’s wild-card entries into the $150,000 ATP Challenger at Ilkley, whose main draw starts tomorrow.

Willis went to SW19 last summer ranked No 772 in the world, having won six qualifying rounds, but then beat world No 54 Ricardas Berankis in the first round before earning a dream Centre Court date with Roger Federer.

The left-hander’s world ranking is now down to 386.

Meanwhile, the other three male players into the main draw are also Britons.

They are world No 209 Brydan Klein, who was a semi-finalist at Ilkley last year, promising Derby youngster Jay Clarke (world ranked 384) and Lloyd Glasspool, the world No 487 who reached the Nottingham quarter-finals as a qualifier.