Top-class tennis will return to the city next month when the AEGON GB Pro-Series ATP Challenger tournament makes its second appearance at the University of Bath.

The men's Challenger competition is the highlight of two weeks of action at the Sports Training Village.

Two ITF Pro Circuit events – the men's $15,000 tournament and a $10,000 competition for women – begin proceedings from March 10-17. The men's 42,500 euro ATP Challenger competition then runs from March 17-25 alongside the women's $25,000 ITF Pro Circuit event.

Admission is free for spectations, who will be able to watch singles and doubles matches involving players from inside the world's top 100. There should also be local interest in the shape of players from the Team Bath MCTA Tennis Academy.

Last year Russia's Dmitry Tursunov collected the men's singles title at the Challenger event after beating German Andreas Beck 6-4 6-4 in the final. Switzerland's Stefanie Voegele triumphed over Poland's Marta Domachowska in the women's singles final.

Other players to have featured in Bath tournaments in the past include France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Now ranked sixth in the world, Tsonga won back-to-back tournaments at the university in 2006.

Barry Scollo, Director of the Team Bath MCTA Tennis Academy, said: "We're delighted to welcome back the Challenge and Pro Circuit tournaments to Team Bath.

"We're particularly pleased that we can offer the opportunity for people to come and watch this level of tennis for free. It will be an exciting two weeks."

Richard Joyner, tournament director of the Bath competition, added: "2011 was the first time we had staged an ATP Challenger men's event at the university, and the line-up included a number of top players including Dmitry Tursunov, Nicolas Mahut, Andreas Beck, Gilles Muller, Karol Beck, Edouard Roger- Vasselin and Dustin Brown.

"Six of these players competed in main draw at the recent Australian Open, and Bath provides a real opportunity for spectators to see professional tennis of this level close up and free of charge."