The BlackRock Tour of Champions has arrived in Istanbul, Turkey for the first time, and if initial impressions are anything to go by, it promises to be a spectacular event.

The event, which begins tomorrow at the TED Club, will be run by Turkcell Legends Cup Tournament Director Bekir Emre. He has put together a field featuring former Wimbledon champions Pat Cash and Goran Ivanisevic, French Open winners Thomas Muster and Sergi Bruguera, and US Open finalist Cedric Pioline.

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“It’s going to be the first time that players of this level have ever stepped foot into Istanbul since tennis became professional,” said Emre.

“It’s very important for us and we hope to have a full house so that we can repeat it (the event) over the years. If we have a full house here then it’s going to prove to the whole public that Turkey recognises tennis. Not many people in this country, even tennis lovers, have seen such big big names before. We have Wimbledon title holders, French Open winners and a US Open finalist, so I think it’s going to be a big boost for tennis here.”

And, said Emre, the players can expect to enjoy themselves off the court as well as on it.

“Istanbul is so full of unexpected sights that first of all they will be really very welcomed here and they will most possibly experience hospitality that is second to none,” he said.

Cash, Muster and Ivanisevic have been drawn into Group B together, alongside Russia’s Andrei Chesnokov, while in Group A, Bruguera will battle Pioline, Brazilian Fernando Meligeni and home wild card Alaaddin Karagoz.

All players in each group will play each other over the first three days, and the players finishing top of each group will meet each other in Sunday’s final. Those finishing second in each group will contest the 3rd/4th place play-off.

Matches are played over the best of three sets, with a Champions’ Tie-break (first to 10 points with a clear advantage of two) the winner.