Barclays Big Tennis Weekend free community tennis event enjoyed by hundreds

The event brought together members of the local community to have a go at playing tennis, as the sport is watched by millions across the country during The Championships, Wimbledon.

Led by the LTA in partnership with the All England Club, the day demonstrated both organisations’ commitment to opening tennis up, and also highlighted the vital role park tennis courts play in providing easy and affordable opportunities so that many more people can benefit from the physical and mental health benefits of tennis.

Today’s event included a day of activities running from 9:00 to 15:00 across five courts and showcased LTA Youth and Barclays Free Park Tennis. It included a variety of coach and activator led sessions, including one specifically for people with learning difficulties, delivered for both adults and children and available for the community to book free of charge.

LTA Youth is the LTA’s innovative junior programme created to help more children across Britain enjoy the benefits of playing tennis, whatever their age, gender, background, ability or disability.

Find out more about Barclays Big Tennis Weekends

LTA Youth sessions are fun, safe, inclusive and competitive, with specially designed progressive coaching and content that helps develop children aged 4-18 as both players and people. Since launching in 2020, there has been a big focus on taking LTA Youth into schools across Britain, there are now over 23,000 teachers trained with over 26,000 registered to deliver sessions so that thousands more children across Britain can learn and enjoy tennis.

In addition to the sessions available to the public to book, Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative (WJTI) players and coaches attended the event; as well as several British tennis stars including:

Alicia Barnett, Liam Broady, Freya Christie, Jay Clarke, Oliver Crawford, Kyle Edmund, Francesca Jones, Tara Moore, Olivia Nicholls, Marcus Willis and 16 grand slam title winners, Bob and Mike Bryan.

Olly Scadgell, LTA Managing Director, Tennis Development, said: “We’re delighted that this year the Barclays Big Tennis Weekend has been even more successful in delivering the LTA and All England Club’s mutual vision to open tennis up to as many people as possible.

“Our mission at the LTA is to ensure tennis can be welcoming, enjoyable and inspiring to everyone and to do this we want to take tennis into as many communities across Britain as possible.  It was fantastic to see so many children and adults enjoying playing tennis at Wimbledon Park and hopefully this event plays its part in supporting a thriving tennis offer for the local community for years to come.”

Jamie Baker, Associate Director of Professional Tennis and Tournament Director of The Championships, said: “We are excited to be working with the LTA to host the Barclays Big Tennis Weekend, providing children and adults with the opportunity to pick up a racket, step out on court, and play tennis. Together with the LTA, we want to make tennis accessible for all and we hope that our local community takes inspiration from this year’s Championships, and the grass court season, to give tennis a go.”