MATCH POINT
Has the good weather tempted you to pick up a racket and play tennis? ️
Never has it been so easy to find a court… The LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) has launched Rally, a new free digital platform to help people search for tennis activities in their area and make it easier for people to find and book a court, book group coaching, play a match or find free tennis events. This was set up as part of the LTA’s major drive to grow participation in tennis in local community areas throughout the country.
The LTA has seen participation surge in recent months with a +372% increase in court bookings from the beginning of May to the end of July compared to the same period in 2019 and the highest demand came on July 14 when there were 26,829 bookings on one day.
The LTA is encouraging you to Play Your Way this summer on and off the court. You can play your way by the fan to keep your cool, play in the shade or play in the pool. Play Your Way is an invitation to anyone and everyone, creating a more inclusive world around tennis that celebrates individualism and welcomes all styles of playing.
Interested in playing but new to the sport? LTA pro tennis player, Harriet Dart has shared her top five tips for tennis beginners below to get you started and make the most of the last couple of days of sun forecast.
Top 5 tips for tennis beginners | Harriet Dart, Professional British Tennis Player
“Firstly, it’s always very important to be on your feet. Keep moving, be aware of your footwork as this will help you play better. Don’t stand still!”
“Secondly would be the ‘split step’ the ‘get ready’ move – feet at least shoulder width apart, hands out front and you jump into this position as the other person hits the ball so you’re ready to move to your next shot”
“Thirdly would be to make sure you get your racquet back early, in preparation for your shot – that’s really important to ensure you’re ready to hit the ball in front of you, not behind which will off-set you on your feet.”
“Next, the ‘follow-through’; the continuation of your racquet swing through the ball as you make contact between racquet and ball which steers your shot in the right direction; low to high…”
“And lastly, just enjoy it! Tennis is such a fun game; there’s no right way and all it takes is a bit of practise to master the basics…really enjoy it!”
