Garbine Muguruza relishing night matches on grass in Mallorca

The event will give players a chance to hone their grass skills before Wimbledon starts at the end of June.

Madrid: Garbine Muguruza is looking forward to becoming one of the first to play night matches on grass when a new tournament in Mallorca starts in June, the Spanish world number three said on Thursday.

The event, to be staged the same week as the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, England, will give players a chance to hone their grass skills before Wimbledon starts at the end of June.

It is being staged by E|motion Management, the same company that runs the ATP grass event in Stuttgart, Germany, and Mallorca organizers say it will feature night matches on the surface for the first time.

"It`s going to be strange playing at night but I am looking forward to being one of the first to do so on grass," Muguruza, who has shot up the rankings after a stellar year, told a presentation in Madrid.

"There is more of a clay tradition in Spain and it`s going to be something new," added the 22-year-old, who lost in this year`s Wimbledon final to Serena Williams. "It could be a very attractive tournament."

Benito Perez-Barbadillo, director of communications for the event, said organisers had the "full support" of the All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon.

"The Wimbledon head groundsman is coming in person to make sure the courts are up to the minimum standard," said Perez-Barbadillo, who is also spokesman for Mallorca native Rafa Nadal.