THE Fuzion 100 Ilkley Trophy will be part of a revamped ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Challenger Tour next year.

The main draw for the pre-Wimbledon event will increase from 32 players to 48, all of whom will be provided with hotel accommodation by the tournament, and prize-money could increase from the $150,000 offered this year to $162,480.

The changes, which will also include starting the tournament on a Monday and finishing it the following Sunday, will include a qualifying tournament featuring just four players, two of whom will reach the main draw, but there will still be a 16-strong draw for the doubles.

Other improvements will be that all main-draw matches will be live streamed online, while players will have access to more practice courts and improved medical facilities.

Charlie Maunder, tournament director for the Fuzion 100 Ilkley Trophy, said: "The changes from the ATP mark the start of a new phase for the Fuzion 100 Ilkley Trophy.

"We're always developing and progressing each year and these changes will give us an additional chance to step back and look at what else we can do to add to the existing fantastic experience of the tournament for players, staff, volunteers and visitors alike.

"Next year will be our fifth year of hosting the Trophy and we are already looking forward to giving everyone a warm Yorkshire welcome back to Ilkley for more brilliant tennis."

Chris Kermode, ATP executive chairman and president, said: “These are significant changes that will lead to a real enhancement of the ATP Challenger Tour, particularly as we seek to provide more earning opportunities for players at the entry level into men’s professional tennis.

"A big priority for us is to ensure we have a healthy player pathway and that we improve the viability of a career in men’s professional tennis.

"These changes represent an important step in the right direction for our sport.”

Overall prize-money for ATP Challenger Tour has increased by about 28 per cent since 2014 (Ilkley only had 42,500 euros prize-money for men in 2015 and 2016 but this increased to $150,000 in 2017 and 2018).

The Challenger Tour this year will feature more than 160 tournaments worldwide, and from 2020 ATP ranking points will only be available at Challenger level and upwards.