The Lexus Eastbourne Open Guide for Fans Who Actually Care

Everything you need to know before you go — written by fans, not PR departments

The Quick Verdict

Eastbourne is the grass court season's best-kept secret and one of the most enjoyable weeks on the entire tennis calendar. Six days at Devonshire Park, a ten-minute walk from the seafront, with a combined ATP and WTA draw that puts the world's best players on the same courts in the same week. Martina Navratilova won this tournament a record eleven times. Four-time champion Taylor Fritz, former Australian Open winner Madison Keys, and Britain's Sonay Kartal have already confirmed their places for 2026. The venue is intimate, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the tennis — in the week before Wimbledon, when every player is sharpening their grass court game with genuine intensity — is often the best of the entire summer.

If you have been to Wimbledon and found it overwhelming, expensive, and logistically exhausting, Eastbourne is the antidote. If you have never been to a professional tennis tournament and want to start somewhere manageable and genuinely enjoyable, Eastbourne is the answer. If you are a serious tennis fan who already attends the Grand Slams and wants more — Eastbourne is the week you have been undervaluing.

Getting Your Tickets — Read This Before You Do Anything Else

LTA Advantage (Best Option)

Tickets are now on sale for the 2026 event. The best route is through LTA Advantage — the LTA's fan membership programme. Fan+ and Compete Advantage members get early access to tickets before general sale opens. Membership costs £25 per year and the priority window at a tournament like Eastbourne — which is smaller and sells out faster than people expect — is worth having.

General Public Sale

Tickets are on general sale now through the LTA website. Secure your courtside seat to watch the world's best women's and men's tennis stars at the iconic Devonshire Park. Centre Court tickets are available in multiple price categories across the week. Earlier rounds are significantly cheaper than the later rounds and often deliver the most interesting tennis per pound spent — the draw is open, the matches are less predictable, and the players are relaxed and accessible in a way that changes as the pressure builds toward the final.

To access your ticket you will need to download the LTA Courtside app. Download it before you travel, make sure you have mobile data or tickets saved offline, and bring the same photo ID you used when booking — all guests must bring valid photo ID with them on the day.

Day of Sale

Unlike Wimbledon, Eastbourne has occasionally had tickets available at the gate. If you are spontaneous and in East Sussex during tournament week, it is worth checking the LTA website the morning of the day you want to attend — returned tickets sometimes become available. Do not rely on this for the later rounds, but early in the week it is a genuine option.

Getting There — The Train is the Only Sensible Choice

The Lexus Eastbourne Open is held at Devonshire Park, which is a 15 to 20 minute walk from Eastbourne station and a 10 minute walk from Eastbourne town centre.

Eastbourne is well connected via the Southern Rail service. It is approximately 90 minutes from London Victoria Station, via London Gatwick Airport. From Brighton the journey is about 30 minutes. The train is clean, direct, and drops you within a manageable walk of the courts.

There is also a shuttle bus service that can take you from the train station directly to Devonshire Park. This is the right option if you are carrying more than a light bag or if the weather looks uncertain. The shuttle runs throughout the tournament week and is timed to coincide with session start times.

On driving: Do not drive here as there are few parking places. This is consistent advice across years of fan reviews and it is correct. There are several pay-as-you-go car parks nearby that are in walking distance or offer park and ride to Devonshire Park. There is a parking area around the cricket grounds at around £8 for a day. The Trinity Place NCP car park in Eastbourne town centre is another option. But the walk from the station is pleasant, the shuttle is reliable, and the stress of finding parking on a busy tournament day in a coastal town in June is genuinely not worth it.

Blue Badge parking: Blue Badge car parking spaces are free and available with easy access to Gate 7, allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

Seat Guide — Where to Sit and What to Avoid

Centre Court

Devonshire Park's Centre Court holds around 8,000 spectators and is significantly more intimate than anything you will experience at a Grand Slam. Everyone on Centre Court and No. 1 Court has a good view of the matches — unlike Wimbledon where if you are seated well back the view is very poor. This is not an exaggeration. Even the upper tiers feel connected to the action in a way that the equivalent position at Roland Garros or the US Open simply does not.

The three main stands are the West Stand, South Stand, and East Stand. Each has a different relationship with the sun and the court.

The West Stand is where the hospitality Sky Lounge is located, with suite-to-seat access from the facility directly to your seat. Sitting near the top of the West Stand, you may start to feel quite cold despite it being one of the hottest days of the year, so bring a light jersey particularly if it is windy. The best seats seem to be in the centre of the stand about six rows up from the court. Beware that in this stand your view will be partially restricted by the umpire's chair and you are not facing the subway where the players come out.

The South Stand is where Love Fifteen hospitality guests are seated, positioned directly behind the baseline. This is the end from which every point begins — the most tactically revealing position on the court for a viewer who wants to read the serve and the first ball of the rally.

The East Stand faces the sun all day. You will be hot and need sunglasses, although you will not have your view restricted by the umpire's chair. Sunscreen is essential for East Stand seats on any warm day, and in late June in Eastbourne warm days are common enough to plan for them.

One important practical note: seating on Centre Court is not covered, so bring a hat. The absence of a roof at Devonshire Park means sun exposure is a real consideration across all stands. Budget accordingly.

Court 1 and Outer Courts

You can see most of the tennis players very close, take photos, talk to them, and interact. This is one of the things that makes Eastbourne genuinely special. The outer courts are small, the barriers are low, and in the early rounds you can watch a top-50 player competing from a distance of a few metres. Watching the pros practice on the outside courts is great because you are right there.

Court 1 holds around 2,500 spectators with unreserved seating available to all ticket holders. In the early rounds it regularly hosts a match that would be a semi-final at a smaller event. Get there early for a good spot.

Movement rules apply on Centre Court: only move at a change of ends or set breaks. The same courteous etiquette applies on all courts. Follow the marshals' guidance and you will be fine.

Food and Drink — The Honest Guide

There is no better way to enjoy the Lexus Eastbourne Open than with some delicious food and drink. You can take advantage of several different vendors across Devonshire Park, all with their own unique menus and drinks lists.

The honest assessment from regular attendees is that the food at Eastbourne is solid but not exceptional. There is a super relaxed atmosphere where you can sit and enjoy a drink and some above average sandwiches and salads without being in a 20-deep queue. The standard is meaningfully better than most British sporting events and considerably more manageable than the food situation at Wimbledon or Roland Garros.

If you want somewhere to relax between matches, the main lawn is packed with comfortable chairs as well as a big screen to catch the action across the grounds. The lawn area is the social heart of the tournament — the place to sit between sessions, eat, and watch the big screen during a match on a court you cannot see from your seat. Arrive early to stake a good spot on a busy day; chairs on the lawn go fast.

You can bring food and unopened non-alcoholic drinks into the grounds. A picnic assembled before you arrive — particularly if you are travelling from Brighton or London and have the option of picking up something good en route — beats the on-site options on both quality and price. Glass bottles and containers are not permitted. Bags larger than 16" x 12" x 12" (40cm x 30cm x 30cm) are not permitted into the grounds and all bags are subject to inspection.

Once all the tennis is over, there are several fantastic restaurants within a stone's throw of the event and en route to the train station. Eastbourne's seafront is a ten-minute walk from Devonshire Park and has a good range of restaurants. The combination of a full day at the tennis followed by dinner by the sea in late June is one of the genuine pleasures of attending Eastbourne rather than a Grand Slam.

What to Wear

Smart casual is the mode across the hospitality spaces, and sensible casual works for general admission. The dress code is smart casual in all areas of hospitality, with a recommendation to avoid wearing ripped jeans, vests, trainers, or sportswear. For general spectators there is no dress code, but the crowd at Eastbourne skews toward a relaxed summer aesthetic — light colours, comfortable shoes, sensible layers.

As the Lexus Eastbourne Open is an outdoor event, you are advised to dress appropriately for the elements. Late June on the East Sussex coast is genuinely beautiful when the sun is out and genuinely chilly when the wind comes in off the sea. Sometimes both happen on the same afternoon. Pack a light layer regardless of the forecast, a compact umbrella for the outside courts, and sunscreen for any session where you are exposed to direct sun. The sea breeze is real even on hot days — the weather was very warm and got very hot in the Centre Court even though there was a gentle breeze from the sea.

Things to Do Beyond the Tennis

The ITF Wheelchair Tournament

2026 marks a genuinely special occasion at Eastbourne. The ITF Wheelchair tournament returns to the Lexus Eastbourne Open from Thursday 25 June. 2026 marks 50 years of wheelchair tennis tournaments, so join the celebrations at Devonshire Park by watching the world's top-ranked men's, women's, and quad players take to the grass. The wheelchair draw runs alongside the main ATP and WTA events and provides a remarkable standard of play in an intimate setting. If you have never watched wheelchair tennis at close range, Eastbourne in 2026 is the year to start.

LTA Tennis Foundation Activities

There are a variety of LTA Tennis Foundation activities to get involved with at Eastbourne: the Golden Shot competition for a chance to win tickets to the final day, tennis ball resale where you can buy balls used by the pros with all proceeds going to the Foundation, tennis ball personalisation to create a unique tournament souvenir, and Get In and Go wheelchair tennis taster sessions powered by Lexus. These activities are spread across the grounds and are worth spending time on, particularly if you are attending with children or with guests who are new to the sport.

Eastbourne as a destination

Eastbourne is not just a tournament backdrop — it is a genuinely pleasant seaside town that rewards spending more than a single day. The seafront promenade runs for miles along the South Downs coast and is one of the more beautiful stretches of the English shoreline. Beachy Head — the dramatic chalk headland about three miles from the town centre — is one of the most striking coastal views in Britain and completely accessible by bus or a manageable walk. The South Downs National Park begins effectively where the town ends, with walking trails that range from a short afternoon circuit to full day hikes along the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs.

The Towner Art Gallery in Devonshire Park itself — a ten-minute walk from the courts — is one of the better regional galleries in England, with a permanent collection and temporary exhibitions running throughout the summer. It is free to enter and makes for a very pleasant half-hour between sessions.

If you are making a weekend of it, Brighton is 30 minutes by train and gives you the full range of a city break alongside the tennis. The combination of Eastbourne by day and Brighton by evening is one of the better summer weekend formats available in the south of England.

The Best Day to Attend

The semifinal day on Friday 27 June is the premium single-day ticket. Both the ATP and WTA semifinals are played on the same day, meaning you get multiple top-level matches on Centre Court with the Wimbledon stakes fully present in every point. Players who lose here are going into Wimbledon the following week without the confidence of a final appearance. Players who win are arriving in SW19 with grass court form and momentum. The tennis is serious, the atmosphere is excellent, and the final day of a week-long tournament has an energy that the early rounds simply cannot match.

For the best value single day, Round of 16 day on Wednesday 24 June gives you the most tennis for your money — multiple courts running simultaneously, the draw narrowing toward the business end, and ticket prices at their most accessible of the week.

The Eastbourne Advantage — Why This Week Matters

Here is what makes Eastbourne different from every other event on the grass court calendar, including Wimbledon. The players are here because they want to be. This is not a mandatory Masters event where appearance fees and ranking points compel attendance. This is a genuine preparation tournament where players choose Eastbourne specifically because they believe a week of competitive grass court matches is the right way to prepare for The Championships.

That self-selection produces something you notice in the quality of effort on court. Players are experimenting — testing tactics, working on serve-and-volley approaches they would never risk at Wimbledon, adjusting their game to the surface with a focus and intensity that a practice session cannot replicate. The Lexus Eastbourne Open is strategically timed the weekend before Wimbledon, providing top players with a crucial opportunity to hone their grass court game before the Grand Slam. You are watching professional athletes at the sharpest point of their grass court preparation, in an intimate venue where their focus is entirely on improving rather than performing.

For a tennis fan who understands what they are watching, there is no better week on the British summer calendar.

Hospitality Packages — Worth It?

The Sky Lounge at Eastbourne is one of the strongest value propositions in British tennis hospitality, with a dual-aspect view overlooking both Centre Court and No. 1 Court simultaneously, suite-to-seat access directly from the facility, and a full day of food and drink from £305 per person. Love Fifteen offers a more relaxed format at a lower price point. Both are available through experience.tennis as Keith Prowse's affiliate partner — view Eastbourne hospitality packages here.

Fan Reviews

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Last updated: May 2026. Know something we don't? Submit a tip and we'll add it to the guide.