Whether you fancy yourself as the next Kyle Edmund or you’ve never picked up a racquet, you can play tennis for free at your local David Lloyd Club on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th May. Continue reading Play tennis for free at your local David Lloyd Club on Great British Tennis Weekend
Edinburgh Leisure will be serving up some great tennis activities as part of the Lawn Tennis Association’s Great British Tennis Weekend on Sunday, 13 May from 1pm – 4pm. Venues all over the country will be taking part in this free event which hopes to get more people playing tennis. Continue reading Edinburgh Leisure serves up activities as part of Great British Tennis Weekend
An adult tennis charity event, in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support and Advantage, a disability programme operating within Edinburgh, will take place at Craiglockhart Leisure and Tennis Centre on Thursday, 22 March from 7:00-9.30pm. Continue reading Advantage Macmillan: anyone for tennis?
With the first signs of spring and lighter evenings on the horizon, why not take to the Meadows this March to improve your tennis stroke or even take up the sport? Continue reading Anyone for tennis?
Tennis is popping up in Muirhouse!
Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG) has been selected as part of a nationwide programme to bring Pop Up Tennis to disadvantaged young people.
The programme was established by national sports charity, StreetGames with one hundred Pop Up Tennis Clubs across the UK being funded by Lawn Tennis Association. This activity will enable the young people of Muirhouse to emulate the excitement of Wimbledon and get involved by playing tennis this summer.
Last summer, Andy Murray became Britain’s first men’s winner in 77 years and the country exploded with Murray-mania. This partnership aims to harness that excitement and help disadvantaged young
people get involved by creating clubs that are fun and vibrant. By holding the sessions on their doorsteps, the programme aims to help encourage a sporting a habit for life.
The programme follows on from the success of the 2013 partnership between StreetGames and the Lawn Tennis Association where 25 Pop-Up Tennis Clubs were created, engaging 720 young people from around the country. This year, the LTA has backed StreetGames to extend the programme so that thousands more will get the chance to play the sport with the Lawn Tennis Association funding the activity taking place in the UK, including young people from MYDG.
This partnership is a continuation of StreetGames’ work to make sport more accessible to young people living in disadvantaged communities. Currently there are 1.6 million young people who live in disadvantaged areas of the UK; recent research shows lowest-income households are most likely to have least active children, with the poorest households spending less than £2 a week on sport. StreetGames hope to combat this by getting young people engaged with Wimbledon and developing a sporting habit.
Ali Grant of MYDG said, “We’re really excited to be given a StreetGames Pop-Up Tennis Club. We now have a ‘sport-in- a- bag’ that we can take out onto the streets and green spaces of Muirhouse. Our Pop-Up Tennis Club has all the kit we need to get young people started playing tennis. So, look out for us over the summer holidays. Who knows, we might find the next Andy Murray right here in Muirhouse!”
Jane Ashworth OBE, CEO of StreetGames said, “Andy Murray’s triumph showed how sport can bring the nation together, we aim to take that inspiration and ensure disadvantaged young people can experience it on their own doorsteps. We know that the Pop-Up Tennis Clubs makes tennis fun for all and bring the excitement of Wimbledon to Muirhouse, Edinburgh.”
Michael Downey, Chief Executive of the LTA said: “Last year the StreetGames Pop-Up Tennis programme was a resounding success, bringing tennis to the doorstep to hundreds of young people across the country. We want to see more people playing more often which is why we’re very excited to extend the programme further, so even more young people can enjoy tennis this summer.”
Babolat, a leading global manufacturer of premium tennis equipment is also helping bring the Nadal touch to the young people’s lives by supplying rackets, balls and mini tennis nets for this year’s Pop Up Tennis programme.
Come on, Andy …!
Champions of Tennis tournament organisers go into liquidation
A showcase tennis tournament featuring former champions including superstars John McEnroe and Tim Henman has been cancelled and the organisers have gone into liquidation. The Brodies Champions of Tennis tournamentwas due to start tomorrow but the decision to scrap the event was only made yesterday.
The event has a history of controversy – last year’s Champions of Tennis event left fans furious when play was limited to a few games after an inadequate roof saw courts flooded out.
Yesterday – just two days before the event was scheduled to start – organisers Serve and Volley said the tournament had been cancelled because the new roof design could not be built in time.
Spectators who have bought tickets will be able to find information on refunds from today.
A statement on Serve and Volley’s website said: “We are disappointed to advise that we have had to take the difficult decision to cancel this week’s Champions of Tennis tournament, which was due to take place between Thursday 19 – Sunday 22 June in Edinburgh.
“Following on from last year’s event we revised the design of the roof covering the court to provide better weather protection. This resulted in a unique and complex design, which required specialists to manage and oversee the build.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances the specialist team have been unable to facilitate the build and despite extensively investigating all alternative options we have not been able to secure a solution.
“We fully appreciate the disappointment this will cause customers, sponsors and suppliers; this decision has not been taken lightly. The unavoidable cancellation resulting from the problems experienced with the roof has resulted in the organisers, Serve & Volley Ltd, entering into voluntary liquidation.
“Administrators are to be appointed over the coming days and will be in contact with all suppliers in due course. Information regarding match session ticket refunds will be available on our website from Wednesday 18 June. We would like to thank everyone that has been involved in the event to date as we fully recognise the huge amount of goodwill and support that we have received.”
Event sponsors Brodies say they will refund every ticket holder who is unable to get their money back from organisers Serve & Volley.
In a statement, the company said: “At an early morning meeting today with the organisers of Champions of Tennis, Serve & Volley Limited, we learned that the enlarged roof over the Champions of Tennis court cannot be erected effectively.
“This outcome was contrary to all assurances given to us by the organisers. The organisers advised us at the meeting that they were looking at options to reorganise the event as an open-air tournament, but we understand that this proved impractical in the time available.
“As sponsors, we are hugely disappointed that this has caused the cancellation of the tournament by Serve & Volley at this stage. We share the frustration of the many tennis fans who bought tickets expecting to see a premier sporting event.
“However, based on current weather forecasts, there is a measure of risk of a repeat of the upset caused to some spectators by disruption of some of the sessions due to rain at last year’s event, when there was a roof in place. We believe that pressing ahead with the championship under these circumstances would not be fair to ticket holders, who bought tickets expecting the additional protection this year of an extended court roof. It is also the case that Serve & Volley has run out of time to reorganise and properly re-advertise the event as an open air tournament to ticket holders.
“Our paramount concern is for these ticket holders. Although the tickets were sold by Serve & Volley, as a gesture of goodwill, Brodies will refund the cost of tickets to individual ticket holders who are unable to recover the cost of their tickets from Serve & Volley or from their credit or debit card providers. Further details will be published on our website, www.brodies.com, on Wednesday.
“Brodies will refund the cost of tickets to all individual ticket holders who try but are unable to get their money back. We are not doing this on behalf of Serve & Volley Ltd.
“We have supported Champions of Tennis for the last two years because we believed hosting such a prestigious ATP event in Edinburgh would benefit the economy, the local community, and help cement Scotland’s reputation as a leading sporting destination. We are genuinely sorry that tennis fans have been left disappointed.”
Four-year plan to capitalise on ‘Murray mania’ in Scotland
The Scottish Government’s national agency for sport, sportscotland, and Tennis Scotland, the sport’s Governing Body, have announced a new four-year investment stream aimed at capitalising on the phenomenal success of Andy Murray.
sportscotland is investing £5.8 million into tennis in Scotland over the next four years to help modernise and develop the sport’s structure by improving facilities and widening access.
The objectives are to grow participation rates, increase the sport’s accessibility, and provide suitable environments to develop athletes to performance levels.
Since 2008 Tennis Scotland’s membership has increased from 32,715 to 47,657 – a rise of 45.7 per cent.
The new investment will improve tennis facilities in Scotland – both in clubs and courts in public parks – and increase the sport’s accessibility for those looking to emulate Scotland’s Wimbledon and multiple Grand Slam champion.
In addition, the new money will enhance the regional development team at Tennis Scotland, which will help to further increase participation, develop closer links between schools and places to play tennis, opening up better pathways for the sport, and work with Local Authorities to prioritise the rejuvenation of park courts.
Speaking at the Gannochy National Tennis Centre at the University of Stirling today, Sports Minister Shona Robison said: “Andy’s win was an emotional moment for Scotland and the whole country has been inspired by his brilliant performance.
“We want to see more people playing tennis and having access to top quality facilities to get fit, try something new, and have fun. This money is all about making sure the right facilities are there to help people get more active, as well as helping to create the tennis stars of the future to keep those Wimbledon wins coming!”
Stewart Harris, Chief Executive of sportscotland, added: “Andy’s Wimbledon victory was a defining moment for Scottish sport, and we are working collectively to capitalise on his incredible success. Today’s announcement will make it more accessible for people in Scotland to play tennis in improving facilities.
“It’s important that we take this unique chance to help grow the game in Scotland by providing more and better opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to play, and to assist the young players of today to emulate their hero from Dunblane by becoming the stars of tomorrow.”
Chief Executive of Tennis Scotland, David Marshall, said: “Never in the history of the game has tennis enjoyed such a level of profile in this country, and today’s announcement greatly enhances Tennis Scotland’s ability to take advantage of what is a huge opportunity to significantly increase levels of participation throughout the country.”
Supporting today’s initiative, Roger Draper, Chief Executive of the Lawn Tennis Association, said: “Andy’s victory has inspired a nation, and this is a great opportunity to get more people playing tennis in Scotland. We’re committed to investing in places and programmes which will help to make tennis a game for everyone, and we are working with Tennis Scotland and sportscotland in order to achieve this goal.”
However while welcoming the announcement Scottish Green MSP for Lothian Alison Johnstone – a former competitive athlete and a member of Holyrood’s cross-party group on sport – has warned that tennis should ‘serve as a lesson’.
She said: “Andy Murray’s victory has inspired a nation and we’ll see a welcome increase in interest in tennis in Scotland as a result. It’s a shame the investment we’re now being promised has taken so long to materialise.
“Tennis used to be something anyone could do by simply walking on to their local court but over the years these facilities have been neglected or sold off for development. Governments at national and local level have allowed sports such as tennis to become costly and convoluted when they should be affordable and accessible.”
The Green MSP went on: “Many Scots will remember walk-on courts in their local parks and playing fields that are now grassed or concreted over, deemed costly and unnecessary. Promising to revive the public tennis courts in our town and city parks is a welcome step and they must be maintained for future generations. This sudden splashing of cash by government must serve as a lesson to those in authority that failure to invest in sport and leisure is a false economy.”
Stockbridge will resound to cries of ‘the ball was in!’ and ‘you cannot be serious!’ when the Brodies Champions of Tennis tour comes to Scotland for the first time later this week. Part of the ATP Champions Tour, former champions and other favourites will turn back the clock in the round-robin tournament.
‘Superbrat’ John McEnroe will be joined by tennis legends including Tim Henman, Greg Rusedski and Goran Isanisevich in the event at Edinburgh Accies’ Portgower Place ground from Thursday 20 – Sunday 23 June.
For ticket information call 0845 859 1006 or visit www.championsoftennis.com
