British tennis stars Harriet Dart and Naomi Broady have both signed up to play in The Progress Tour Women's Championships next month.

The event, which is similar to Jamie Murray’s men’s event ’Battle of the Brits’ will be the first women’s event in Britain since lockdown brought an end to competition and the cancellation of major events such as Wimbledon.

GB Fed Cup player Dart, who is currently British No 3, has agreed to play as well as former top 100 player Broady and rising star 17-year-old Emma Raducanu.

Dart, 23, said: “I’m so excited to compete again. It’s great that the Progress Tour Women’s Championships is giving the British women a chance to play matches and restart our careers in a way which is going to be safe for us and everyone involved.”

The event will take place from July 14-18 on the outdoor courts at the National Tennis Centre and will involve 16 players split into two round robin divisions.

This will be followed by a knockout stage in the same format as that of London’s ATP World Tour Finals.

Eight doubles teams will also take part as players all bid for a total prize fund of at least £30,000.

The tournament is being run by Progress Tour director Barry Fulcher and has the full backing of the LTA.

With ATP and WTA events suspended until at least late July domestic events are becoming ever more important in order for players to return to the court.

Jamie Murray’s ’Battle of the Brits’ is scheduled for June 23-28 and will also take place at the NTC featuring top names in the British game including his brother Andy as well as Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund.

The LTA is also said to be planning to run a series of domestic events behind closed doors in July.