AFTER successfully re-establishing the llkley Trophy Wimbledon warm-up tournament after a two-year absence, tournament director Rik Smith isn’t sure if he wants to be in post next year.

The problem is juggling the demands of being tournament director with his day job as a director of Design Emporium Ltd.

Smith, who is also Ilkley Lawn Tennis & Squash Club’s chairman, said: “I knew that I would be tournament director back in March when I was sort of fulfilling the role with the rest of the team.

“By then, when I was already speaking to the LTA, they had already consciously already made that decision that there was no-one else that they had to fill that post this year or be attached to the club in the way that they needed it to be.

“I don’t think that I had a choice to be honest, although it was quite a big stretch for me to do it while working full-time, but this year it was well worth it and we will see next year whether I continue to do it for the Ilkley Trophy 2023.

Smith added: “I run a chartered architects and interior design practice, but I have been involved in the tournament every year that it has been on and probably more involved year in, year out, so although it has not been here for two years there are very few people within the club since Covid who have had the experience that I have.

“It was quite natural to take that role, and being club chairman I was able to take decisions to get the tournament on.”