Wrexham Open 2026: Charaeva leads open field in Wales

The race for ranking points has come indoors to Wales.

The Lexus Wrexham Open runs from 18-25 October at the Wrexham Tennis and Padel Centre, and it is the UK's largest indoor tennis event, according to BBC Sport. It is also set to be Britain's biggest women's tournament outside the grass-court season this year.

The event is a W100 on the ITF World Tennis Tour, the tier below the main WTA Tour where players collect ranking points to push for Grand Slam entry and better seedings. The seeding is the system that keeps top players apart in early rounds. Qualifying was scheduled for 18-19 October, per the LTA, with the main draw to follow on the indoor hard courts.

All eyes will be on Alina Charaeva. The 24-year-old arrives in Wrexham after beating 2024 champion Sonay Kartal at the China Open. Kartal lifted the Wrexham title in 2024 before stepping up. Charaeva now gets her turn on the same courts.

There will be no title defence. Wales' Mimi Xu swept both singles and doubles in 2025, the doubles alongside Ella McDonald, but will not return this year. She will play the W75 event in Saguenay, Canada instead. That leaves the trophy open. Someone new wins.

British interest runs deep. Alicia Dudeney, Hannah Klugman and Junior Nationals champion Daniella Britton all feature in the field. They face a strong international entry led by Greet Minnen, Lucia Bronzetti, Linda Fruhvirtova, Rebecca Sramkova and Clara Burel.

What makes this stand out is the mix. Young Britons hunting breakthrough wins. Tour regulars hunting points before the season closes. Indoor hard courts reward first-strike tennis: big serve, early ball, short points.

For fans, this means close finishes. A break point, a chance to win the server's game, can flip an indoor set in minutes. Tickets are on sale now.